Today I ran 4 miles: Day 1 staff retreat

I know this doesn't sound exciting but I ran 4 miles today. I don't run. Well, I do a little and I am supposed to run a half-marathon with the LifePointe staff. I ran a long the beach in Ocean Isle in North Carolina and I lost about 10 pounds. I felt I had to prove a point that I don't have to tra in to run a half-marathon. The LifePointe staff and I ran this morning and I led the way and I was in a great rhythm. I of course died at the end. So, thats what happened on day one of our Staff Retreat. We talked about other stuff but I can't say what it is because I would have to kill you.

The Penguin is soooo goooood.....

I am so glad that I found the Penguin. You know the Penguin! The Penguin is this grease pit place that plays loud music and it has the nicest people. If you are ever in Charlotte and you want a nice burger and fried pickles then you can find them at the Penguin Drive-In: 1921 Commonwealth Avenue, Charlotte NC 28205. Don't be scared of all the tatted up waitresses and waiters. They are nice but you might make them made if you just sit around a booth forever not doing anything during the lunch hours. This place is so good that it was featured on the food network or thats what I heard. You will have to check that out. Anyway, if you like fried food such as corn dogs, pickles, burgers then check this place out sometime or don't.


Heres some pics:

Fantasy Football

Most of you might be glued to the TV right now watching Michael Phelps win his 50th gold medal but I getting ready for this years fantasy football season. Following stats all day doesn't sound fun to some but I love following each players injury and touchdown. I dunno, its just fun. I guess I don't have a life or I spend way to much time on the computer. Wait that means I don't have a life. Anyway, How many of you guys are excited about fantasy football?

Is there a wrong or right way to worship?

So, I have been working at LifePointe Christian for about a month now and I am finally getting into the groove of being a lead worshipper again. Before LifePointe, I was just a guy in the worship band playing a bunch of instruments and I loved it. I didn't lead worship very much and I kind of lost the skill of leading people to approach the thrown of God. I was thinking the other day that people don't have sing to worship or raise their hands to worship. I can admit seeing people cry,lift their hands, and clap made used to feel like that I am doing an awesome job leading people. It's really not about how I play or sing. People still worship when the guitar player screws up a lead part. Its more about the message of the song and how it touches peoples lives. The song strikes a nerve in someones heart to worship. Now, when I see people just stare with their arms crossed, it doesn't make me feel like the music sucks. I just assume that they are taking it all in and thinking about the lyrics of the songs. I dunno. Is there a wrong or right posture to worship? No, I don't think so. In the Old Testament, there are many examples of people falling face down to worship. These Hebrew words below describe the different posture used to worship.

Barak: To worship the Lord by kneeling or bowing; to humbly recognize God
as the origin of all power, success, or victory.
Psalm 95:6 O Come, let us worship and bow down: Let us Barak before the
Lord our Maker.
Shachah: To worship by falling down, bowing, or prostrating your self.

I am not saying everyone has to fall face down but it makes me think if I would really do that around a bunch of people I don't know. Hmmmm. I dunno.

Worship Set for August 3rd

Man was I tired last Sunday. I am still recovering after a week of camp. My voice is really horse too. I sound like I have been smoking a pack a day for 10 plus years. Anyway, this last Sunday's worship set was pretty good. I broke at the normal songs.

Here are the songs:

1. Your Grace is Enough by Chris Tomlin and Matt Maher
2. I am Free by Delirious
3. Center by Charlie Hall
4. I will Hold On by the Vineyard group (??)

Pretty Basic Sunday.

Gone Maria has been on tour

Sorry guys if I haven't blogged in awhile. My band Gone Maria was on tour last week. I was to busy playing youth camps and signing little girls arms with a sharpie marker. I wonder if they know they are permanent. Anyway, yeah I was playing for this youth camp in the big city of Hillsboro, OH. The camp was very conservative and republican. I think you had to bring your voters registration card before you entered the camp grounds which was called "Restoration Acres". Everyone was very nice and the kids loved the energy of Gone Maria. There were two girls that were 11 and 12 that were obsessed with Matt Nelson, the bass player. I think his wicked bass solos put them in a trance. The rest of the band was made up of Duane Chew on electric guitar, Ben McGue on the drums and myself as the lead man/guitar player. I thank Duane Chew for flying all the way up to Knoxville from FL to be on that tour. It was well worth it because we got a lot of free publicity being on the FRONT PAGE OF THE Times Gazette. We signed a couple copies and auctioned off a signed paper for 25 dollars to a youth group kid. Thanks kid. Really we did auction off the paper.

Well, here are some picks of our adventure. By the way there is massive amounts of sarcasm in the article above if you don't know me then I am sorry.

7-20 Worship Gathering

Pre-Service:

1. O Worship the King (Hymn)
2. Marvelous Light (Charlie Hall)
3. I will Trust in You (Jeremy Camp)
4. Jesus Paid it All (Hymn)

This week was a good week a LifePointe. The band did awesome and the hymns were accepted pretty well. Introducing hymns is a new thing at Lifepointe. Anyway here are the songs for this week.