General Session 2 UNLEASH 09

UNLEASH 09 General Session 1

Here are the live blogging notes from this session. Press play or replay to view:

watch UNLEASH online

Tomorrow me and about 40 or so others are heading to UNLEASH in at Newspring Church in Anderson, SC.  Tony Morgan announced on his blog this morning that you can now watch it online.  They’ve setup a mogulus channel (live video stream channel) to show the main sessions.  You can follow the main sessions there.  Plus, I’m going to be working to setup ScribbleLive here and probably over on Wes’ blog so that we can do some live blogging of the main sessions and some of the breakouts.  Be sure to check back if you’re not able to make it to Unleash this year.

Multi-Site Setup: West Campus

Here’s a quick look at the Cedar Creek’s West Campus and some of the setup that we use for it.

a new resource: graphicriver.net

Came across a new resource today in doing some browsing.  It’s Graphic River (http://graphicriver.net/).  Kinda like istockphoto.com.  Definitely has some great resources for Graphic and Web Designers.  Very professional and affordable images.  You can probably find some great resources for developing sermon series graphics and other backgrounds as well.

C3 2009 Live Blogging/Twittering

Here is a collection of links for some updates on the action at C3.  Not very many right now, but as I have more, I’ll add them so you might want to check back:

http://search.twitter.com/search?q=c309

edyoungblog.com

http://twitter.com/EdYoung

http://twitter.com/johncatkinson

11 years ago today

February 1st 1998 I was introduced to Cedar Creek Church as the new student pastor.  It’s pretty wild to believe I’ve been at CCC for that long.  Kim was pregnant with Hannah, and it just seems like so long ago.  I’ve been blessed to be able to be on staff with the some great pastors, leaders and friends.  When I first came on staff, the only other paid staff was Richard, Kay and Travis Holmes.  We were meeting at New Generations DayCare, and we were averaging around 450.  Our offices were downtown Aiken in the old post office building.  Those were good times.  Now, we’re averaging somewhere around 2,600 to 3,000 a weekend, have a lot more staff and have two, soon to be three, campuses.  I just wanted to say a word of incredible appreciation to Richard who gave me a chance to join the staff back then and for the example he has given me of what it means to lead, be a pastor, a man who loves Jesus, and wants to desperately see others meet Jesus.

AJ Mind Dump

Really happy for the long weekend.  Planning on using tomorrow to catch up on some projects.  Just a few thoughts to wrap up the week.

• Cedar Creek West had its official launch today.  Total of 441 people showed up today.  That’s pretty amazing.  Still stand by my prediction that it will be at two services by March.
• Speaking of the West Campus, just wanted to say that there is not a doubt in my mind that Wes is God’s man for that campus.  Have the utmost respect for that bro.
• We’ve got to really nail down the streaming delivery to that campus.  Right now we’re using P2 cards taped at the 9 AM service at the Banks Mill campus.  That will work for one service but not two.
• It’s pretty cool to see all the hard work, research and legwork finally becoming a reality on the media end.  A lot of media and lights hardware going on to make that happen.  Kenny and the team are doing an excellent job with the setup and production.
• Met last week with our projection and light suppliers in Ridge Spring to begin preliminary pricing and such for Cedar Creek On The Ridge campus.
• Going to be hiring some video and graphic help part time over the next several weeks.
• Really believe I heard from God this past week about some things that I’ve been praying about and working through in my head for a while.  Don’t worry…I’m not losing my mind…yet anyway   Had a great conversation that really helped.  Don’t know where that path will lead, but excited about growing to a new level.
• Started reading through the book of Acts in my time with God.  Some new stuff that God is speaking in to my life.
• Had to put any speaking on the backburner in the months leading up to the west campus launch.  Feelin like I’d like to speak again soon.
• Phillip used this verse in his message this morning.  Rocked my world.  Going to pray this for my life, family and ministry…”God, you did it once….do it again..” (my paraphrase): Habakkuk 3:2
• Can’t wait to hit C3.  Has always been a time to refuel for me.  I’ll be heading out there with Danny and Kenny B.
• My kids crack me up with some of the things they say.  Tonight I was saying prayers with Spencer, and he told God that he was proud of me for buying him some Skittles…one of his personal favorites
• Got several large web projects that are about to hit.  Looking forward to working through them.
• Really wish we had some snow.  When I was a kid, I remember during winter time waking up in the morning on school days, looking out my window just hoping that it had snowed during the night.  I have some very vivid memories of some great snows we had at my house growing up.  Didn’t have very many, but the ones we did have were so much fun.
• I think I’m becoming an HD snob.  The picture is just insane. Can’t wait to watch my DAWGS in the fall in HD.  If I’m not at the game, I’ll be at the house eating cheese dip and enjoying the picture there.
• Speaking of the DAWGS, I’m officially on the WeNeedANewBasketballCoach bandwagon.  Harrick put our team in a huge mess 6 years ago, but to score less than 20 points at the half against a rebuilding vandy team is just pathetic.  We had 19 points today at half against Kentucky.  Felton is a standup guy, but I think he has taken us as far as he can.  Just not a very good coach or recruiter up to this point.  Time for the AD to open up the wallet and bring in a top tier coach.
• Going to watch a movie with Kim. peace.

Jones update

Been a crazy few weeks here so my blog has been neglected.  Wanted to give some quick hits on stuff that’s going on in the world of Jones:

• Sitting here watching the SEC Championship game.  I don’t care for either bama or UF, but seeing as I can’t stand UF and would have a hard time pulling for them against the Taliban, roll tide.
• Makes me sick how we played and finished out the season. We have to be the worse 9-3 team there is right now.  The way we lost to both UF and bama was disgraceful, and we had no business losing to tech….NONE.  Whole season has been sickening and I’m glad it’s over.
• Last football bullet – I would be surprised if the UGA staff looks the same this spring as it does right now.  Let’s hope so anyway.
• Thanksgiving was good. We went to Oconee State park and stayed at a cabin wednesday and thursday.  Was quiet, on a lake and we had a good time.
• Came home and I spent Friday through Sunday sick with some weird flu/virus thing.  Fever, body ache, headache but no cold symptoms.  Was pretty miserable.
• We’ve scaled down on our lights this year on the outside of our house.  Honestly, I’ve just had so much on my plate and trying to put up and maintain lights just wasn’t happening this year.  Had to say no to my inner clark griswald.
• Things are pretty crazy right now with everything involved in launching the new campus and to be honest, I’m feeling overwhelmed.  I’ll be glad when that campus is launched.
• Love this time of year.  Hoping to take some time off during the holidays and do a whole lot of nothing.

blogless

hey, sorry I’ve been absent some as of late.  I’ve had a lot on my plate and A LOT on my mind.  When I’m processing through and thinking through things, I tend to get introspective and not very expressive Have a full day ahead but wanted to jot down a few notes while I’m thinking about it:

• today is my birthday…not sure how to feel about birthdays anymore.  36 today….and glad to be alive
• feel like right now is the calm before the storm with multi-site.  Over the next several weeks we’re going to be getting in a lot of the equipment.  New camera, projectors, lighting rig, etc.
• Love my kids like crazy.  They are just so fun at times and just say things that make me laugh.
• Been reading a book that I’ve been wanting to read for a long time called Confessions of a Reformission Rev. by Mark Driscoll.  I’m not a very consistent reader of books.  I like to read but tend to do so in spurts.  This is one book that I think EVERY..and I mean EVERY…pastor should get there hands on.  One of those that I have a hard time putting down.  It tells the Mars Hill Church (seattle) story but more importantly addresses some key issues that I think churches that consider themselves “contemporary” need to seriously pray and ponder over.  CCC included.
• Would appreciate your prayers.  God has really been stretching me in some areas of my life.