AWESOME

Really digging "None But Jesus" from Hillsong United's United We Stand. But the most frustrating thing about Hillsong has to be their lyrics. Their melodies are so fantastic but their lyrics are all over the map...non-linear to say the least.

Loving This

Say It Ain't So...

George just lost some major points in my book. Check it out.

Another Survey...

Okay...excluding Braveheart, what's your favorite Mel Gibson film?

I don't care if it's fake. It's the freakiest thing I've ever seen.

Click the pic...something I built on my lunch break...

I love capos. I'm not one of those guys who gets all high and mighty about it. I like playing with a capo. And, get this, I like playing with cut capos. (Not just the Billy Foote kind, either.) I like all the different voicings that can be acheived through the use of creative capo-ing. However, I have to say this . . .

If I see a worship leader walk on stage to sound check/play around and he or she puts on the traditional cut capo (Foote) right off the bat, I immediately know that the worship leader's not that good.

Sorry, but that's the way it is. Anybody wanna' holler about that?

The Amazing Red Eyed Baby!

What Do We Think of THIS?

http://blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendID=40967178&blogID=132755121&MyToken=530de87f-b795-4a3c-b0ec-85f82af31467

This was interesting...I was up at the church tracking drums with Justin. As he was laying stuff down, I got online to watch the archived webcast of a church here in town - First Christian Church. The same guy who's helping them webcast is helping us, so I was seeing what they do.

So I'm watching their service from 6/4 and they're playing this song. That sounds familiar, I think.

Then I remember . . . I WROTE IT! It's a song called "Beautiful" that I hadn't played in forever! So I quickly emailed the worship leader (whom I know...) and kindly said, "Hey...ha ha...my song..." which means I-KNOW-YOU'RE-DOING-MY-STUFF-NOW.

Right after I sent the email I flew over to CCLI and added the song in the good ole Todd Wright catalog. Ka-Ching!

Thoughts on This?

"Evangelicalism...is all about power: how to get it, how to use it, how to build big churches, how to have political influence. I think that's the opposite of what Jesus is all about. The primary question of pastors ought to be the primary question of Jesus: 'What can I do to serve you?'
And the church's primary question of the world around them ought to be, 'What can we do to serve you?' It's a very radical reshaping of the image of what ministry is.
Practically speaking, I often tell people, 'Find out what church growth is telling you to do, and then do the opposite.'"

-Robert Webber, Cutting Edge Magazine Vol. 4, No. 2 (Summer 2000)

Many thanks to Angela Janisch for coming through as the tie breaker. Cool Ranch made a strong run early in the survey, but in the end Nacho Cheese took the title, as I fully expected. I'd like to thank each and every one of you - Clay Walker, Robert Conn, Jonathan Martin, Susie Moore, Blake Stewart, Daniel Rowe, Justin Romack, Justin Jinkins and Angela Janisch for their involvement.

As you may know, there are a great many people who view this blog. The absence of some of these individuals has been very upsetting to me and I fear it will be a long time before I can forgive their ignorance of my paltry request.

But for the rest of you - THANKS! I encourage you to stay tuned because I have some additional survey questions with regard to this amazing brand of tortilla chips. Who knows when we'll open a big bag of votes again?

Snack well.

A Brief Reprieve

Please understand - the Dorito survey is still ongoing, however, I had to share this.

Go to youtube.com and check out the Monkey Chow diaries. You're not gonna' believe this guy. Watch all the episodes!

I've never made a secret of my love for Doritos brand corn chips. However, where do you fall based on the choices above?

Are you a Cool Ranch fan? Nacho? Straight-up toasted corn?

I'm very interested in everybody's opinion. However, I have a few rules.

1. You must vote on these even if you don't prefer Doritos. In other words, imagine that you MUST pick one of this bags to consume...which would it be?

2. There are 3 possible votes. I don't want you to post "Ooh, Todd...I like their Jalepeno-Spinach Baked Crisps the best!" No. You pick Cool Ranch, Nacho or Toasted Corn. That's it.

Okay....let's see if we can break the 10 post barrier! Invite your friends!

You know, every once in awhile, your child asks you something for which you have no answer. This morning on the way to Bible School, Jonah asked me...

"Do ants have blood?"

Do they? Logically, I assume that they do, but I can't recall ever seeing blood from an ant. (And I've squished many of them over the years.)

Anybody got any ideas?

I'm 29 years old. I've heard a lot of sermons in my life - lots of smart guys full of God's anointing and power. But I'm going to go out on a limb here...

Matt Chandler is the most amazing preacher I've ever heard in my life.

There's something really cool about Vacation Bible School.

As I dropped off Jonah for his first day of VBS at Carpenter's Way, I thought about the room I had just left.

There were kids everywhere, music, and tons of adults milling around laughing and playing with the kids.

It made me wonder - why do we blow their minds of these kids for one week a year and stuff them in some dull, drab classroom for the other 51? That's how it is around here for the most part. Maybe you all go to amazing churches with carnival-styled children's ministry that parties non-stop.

As I pulled out of the parking lot, I tried to think..."What keeps us from spending this much energy on kids ministry?" No doubt, our children's ministers would love this much life and celebration all year long...what's keeping us back?

I think it's volunteerism. I think we pull out all the stops at VBS because it's the only time we actually, realistically CAN because we finally have enough people to make the magic happen. Can this sort of thing be turned around? Is it possible to sway the masses of our congregants to a life of more service and more sacrifice? How do we do it? What's the problem with volunteerism? Why isn't it working?

Since they've been touring the whole time, releasing studio albums and live bootlegs for years, it's not really fair to say that Pearl Jam has made a "comeback," but it sure feels like it.

The other night, I happen to catch Pearl Jam, Hoobastank and 30 Seconds from Mars all on late-night TV and it was immediately clear - old guys rock.

Yes, yes, I know they're anti-war and very liberal. They probably drink beer, too.

But Eddie Vedder is singing better than ever and Mike McCready's lead stuff is reckless and wild and full of a seemingly newfound wonder.

Pearl Jam - not just your dad's rock and roll.

What Brothers Do

As some of you may know, a few days ago I posted a blog about a minister by the name of Ergun Caner. You can scroll down if you like, but here it is - word for word:

A few weeks ago, Clay starts telling me about this guy named Ergun Caner. I'll be honest - I'm always a little apprehensive about folks connected with Jerry Falwell, but I was fortunate enough to catch Dr. Caner's sermon, "Why I'll Never Be A Hyper-Calvinist," and I was amazed. This dude can bring it.

This is nothing new here on my blog. I typically try to share important personal moments with those of you who frequent this small little cove here on the world-wide web. But if you happened to notice the comment section, you would have seen that I received a comment from a man named JD Longmire. His quote was:

"If by 'bring it' you mean be an emotionally appealing misrepresentative demagogue, then, yeah, he can really bring it...www.monergism.com."

There are a couple of startling things about this post, and if you'll allow me the time, I'd like to delve into what JD Longmire had to say.

1. I don't know this guy and it bugs me that he would take this tone. In fact, after I looked at his profile which tells that he is "a servant of the Father, a brother of Christ, a bearer of the Holy Spirit, trying desperately to love God, my neighbor and exhibit the fruits of the spirit," it concerned me.

Is this what brothers do? Is this what we're called to do when we cross paths with someone who sees things differently than us? Maybe he and I have a different definition of "loving your neighbor" or what "neighbor" means, but the last time I checked, sarcasm wasn't a fruit of the spirit.

You know, JD, if you've got some claims against Ergun Caner, I'm happy to hear them, but this is not what brothers in Christ do - they do not take potshots at one another - they do not offer four of five lines and then high-tail it. If you were seriously concerned about a brother in danger of taking in some bad theology...you would have said things much differently.

2. I think Longmire's post brings up in me something I already struggle with - this overall attitude of I'VE-GOT-THE-TRUTH-AND-YOU-DON'T-SO-I'M-GONNA'-KICK-YOUR-BUTT-WITH-IT. I'm not trying to group Longmire with Neil McClendon or Voddie Baucham, but that's the kind of attitude he's having here. No dialogue, just arrogance.

For what it's worth, I've had my thinking seriously challenged and made better by brothers who share truth because they care. Not because they get a kick out of being the smartest guy in the room.

Mr. Longmire, if you've got problems with Ergun Caner, let's talk about them. I don't know the guy that well - I liked what I heard - seem to match up with scripture - so I shared with my friends.

If you want to seriously bless and enlighten a brother, JD, then that's fine. But nobody comes in my blog and acts like a jerk.

Because that's not what brothers (In Christ) do.

Some of you have probably heard me talk about seeing Gary Busey's appearance on TBN last year. If you remember that, then you'll recall that he was spouting some of the most ridiculous nonsense in an attempt to sound theological.

Well, thankfully, they re-ran the show a few nights ago on TBN. And yes, I taped it. My plan is to go back, watch the tape and transcribe some of the chaos that ensued. Maybe soon.

But the reason for my post is this: after Busey is done, the pastor hosting the show starts talking about how Gary is a miracle of God. And then he says something I've heard numerous times over the years . . . that Satan knew what God had planned for Gary and that's why Satan tried to kill Gary.

I started wondering about that statement? Is that really why Satan is out to get people? Or is it that Satan in fact a liar who seeks to kill, destroy, steal, etc. Isn't just a monster who lives on destruction, a enemy of the Father who has an insatiable thirst for pain and evil? It's a weird thought - that Satan is trying to kill those people who God has intended for great things. But hasn't God intended us all for greatness if choose to follow His call? I know God has great things planned for me, but actually listening and obeying is pretty key to that happening. What if Gary Busey hadn't given His life to Christ? Satan tries to kill people who just might do something great?

What do you think?