Mondays Are Back...

Some of you know that I am officially finished with my worship commitment over at the Immerse Bible Study. I thought it would be good to thank the Immerse team and maybe even try to process some of my thoughts on worship the past couple of months.

• THANKS! I cannot thank Randy Prosperi and Ross Conner enough for this awesome opportunity...it was an absolute pleasure to serve on Monday nights. Both of these guys are passionate about serving college students in the Tyler area and I'm glad to have partnered with them in that! In addition, I've been encouraged by students like Scott Conaway, "Dal," AdrianA. and Danielle who are so faithful to serve each week. And I can't forget our musicians...Andrew Pulley, Paul James, Jason Scott, Dale Bradley, Aaron Laird, David Moody and Justin Romack all added their considerable talents to worship and it made a huge difference.
  
  
• I've learned a lot over the past few months. I've been challenged by the need to get to know a new crowd quickly and to work toward finding songs that "work." This is always a hard balance...finding songs that people like but also serving those people as a pastor. I've enjoyed their passion. The Immerse crowd is diverse - but one consistent element is their passion for the Father. I've been inspired by that.
  
  
• I'm glad to have my Monday nights back! I've loved doing it, but it will be nice to spend Monday nights at home again!
  
  
• I've got nothing but good things to say about this experience...some folks have asked about my "leaving." Let me assure you that all is well. This transition out was talked about long before I started, so it wasn't any huge shocker. I look forward to hearing (and hopefully seeing-in-person) more great things about Immerse on Monday nights!

Thanks to all of you who have watched the online broadcasts, asked me about Immerse, commented on blogs, etc.

Who knows what I'll take on next....

Don't Hate

Twittergrader.com for Tyler, TX.
Booyah, @rstrader.
Booyah.

Okay, tweets...head over there and see how you score!

BRO. LOU Remix...

About two weeks into our arrival to Tyler, my buddy Chris posted THIS BLOG.

Chris works in Tyler from time-to-time and he called me shortly after his "Bro. Lou" sighting. He asked me if I knew who this guy was...I said no.

We had a good laugh about it...mostly about how long it took Chris to import a picture from his phone into his blog, but the most fun was trying to guess where "Bro. Lou" went to church. (I have pretty good Denominational Vision...I can usually guess a person's denomination within a two-minute span.) Having no direct experience w/ Bro. Lou, I wasn't able to make a guess, but it made for a very fun phone call. Well, fun for two nerds like me and Chris. Chris, a good Methodist, made all sorts of guesses - mostly in the charismatic vein, I believe.

And then, it happened.

A few nights ago, I'm driving through the great town of Gresham, TX (just down the road from our house) and he passes me.

Yes. Bro. Lou, himself.

I started shouting "That's Bro. Lou! Oh my gosh! Bro. Lou! That's him...I gotta' call Chris."

My wife is used to these outbursts, but she still looked at me with a disgusted will-you-shut-up face. Par for the course.

And just as I'm about to call Chris, Bro. Lou puts on his blinker. To turn into a church.

Lane's Chapel United Methodist Church.

A Methodist...can you believe that?

Therefore, I am creating the Bro. Lou Club. If you are in the Tyler area and you experience a Bro. Lou sighting, you must contact me. You can comment randomly on a blog post, email me (toddwrightband@gmail.com) or even call me. (If you're lucky enough to have my number, yo.)

Let's be on the lookout for this mysterious Smith County creature, Tyler-ites. It'll be fun!

By the way...if you know Bro. Lou, please let me know! I'd love to meet him!

Skribit Friday...

Hey, look at that! The Skribit suggestion box is active again.

Well, let's take a look and see what we think...
WHAT ARE YOU FIND MOST AWKWARD ABOUT YOUR NEW SURROUNDINGS?

Great question. The most awkward thing usually happens when leave our house and hit this little four-way stop to head into town. Almost every day, we've looked at each other and said...

"We live in Tyler!"

It's been weird...to wake up every morning and realize that almost everything you're going to experience that day is going to be brand new.

Secondly, it's strange to not know where stuff is. We're constantly asking for directions. That's something we're not used to.

Lastly, getting to know a whole new group of people is interesting. Some folks you have an instant connection with...others require a more time to get to know.

WHAT TO DO WHEN BAND MEMBERS DON'T DIG THE WORSHIP LEADER'S STYLE?

Man, I hope one of my team didn't send this one in.

This is a great question, but it is a bit extreme (The original question said when "none" of the band members liked the worship leader's approach.) I would think it highly irregular for an entire team of musicians, singers, tech staff, etc. to dislike what the worship leader is doing. I guess it's a possibility, but I would think rare to be that intense.

But it does happen in smaller doses, I think. I can only speak from experience, and gladly, I don't have much in this area. Regarding my time at First Methodist and even my first few weeks with Bethel, I've had team members who have exemplified a Christ-like attitude. I've heard countless times "I'll do whatever you need" or "I'll serve as little or as much as you prefer" and I've seen enough to believe it!

I think a dislike of methodology or style is really an issue of trust. A team member doesn't like the way a leader is doing things because, for whatever reason, that team member doesn't trust that worship leader's going to maintain the integrity of what's been accomplished. (Sometimes, there are valid reasons to fear this!)

In what little experience I have in ministry, I have found that most team members don't voice this. Most of the times, this bitterness or resentment stays dormant, which is never good.

When I do have team members who come to me with dislikes of this nature, I try to do a few things:
1. Listen honestly to what they're saying. God speaks to us in many ways. Wisdom in a multitude of counselors, right?
2. Investigate the complaint. Rather than be dismissive, I try to make sure I've got the information, then I spent some time thinking and praying about what's been said. I never want it to be said that I didn't take correction.
3. Give feedback. When it's all said and done and I think there's a valid and healthy reason for the way I do my job, I try to communicate that. It's okay to say, "You know, I think this approach is beneficial and healthy and I'm not going to change it." Other times you say, "Gosh! You're right. I can do that better."

Musicians in general tend to dislike confrontation or criticism, so I usually do ask those with concerns to be patient with me. I really am a nice guy. And I want to do what's right.
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Okay...that's it for Skribit Friday. Remember...if you've got a question or topic you'd like us to hit on the blog, share it! It keeps me from running out of ideas!

SCHEDULED POST #2

Well, it's Wednesday and we're still settling in. So, thanks to the fine folks at Blogger HQ, I'll be doing scheduled posts for the next few days. If your comment doesn't show up it's because I'm too busy carrying boxes to check email.

Today's post includes two lists. I thought it would be fun to try to concisely express my feelings, thoughts, concerns about leaving my hometown. Enjoy!

10 THINGS I WILL MISS ABOUT LUFKIN

1. The people who played music with me every Sunday.
2. Family. (We're big on family and we've been fortunate to have them so close by.)
3. Downtown Lufkin. When Krist and I were dating, we used to just drive around the downtown area. We love it.
4. SoundTechs - great music store.
5. Hebrews Cafe.
6. Ray's Drive-In.
7. The Towne Square Four Cinenama. (I know, I know...it hasn't been around for awhile, but I can still miss it, can't I?)
8. All the memories for me and Kristen. (Our first date, first kiss, first fight, etc.)
   
9. So many folks from First Methodist and Harmony Hill.
10. Cafe Del Rio.
    
    10 THINGS I WILL NOT MISS ABOUT LUFKIN
    
    1. Trying to get into Cheddar's.
    2. Lufkin's Lowe's.
    3. Panther Fever.
    4. Lufkin radio stations.
    5. Hospitals. (Not that our hospitals aren't good - I've just spent way too much time in them already!)
    6. Not enough to do. How 'bout a concert or something every once in a while, Lufkin?
    7. The Lufkin Police Department. (Current legal issues prevent me from saying why.)
    8. That Paper Mill Smell. Haven't smelled it in a while, but it's stuck my brain!
    9. Construction.
    10. The 14 birthday parties a month for Kristen's family.
    

Hey everybody! We're moving today, but not to fear! Todd Blog will go on!
Here's my question:

Why in the world do we wrap breakable stuff in newspaper?

Does newspaper have some sort of secret force field around it that I don't know about?
Kristen tells me that it cushions.
How can that be? I can punch right through one!

Anybody got any theories? WHY DO WE DO THIS?

Wanna' Make A Memory?

David Crowder Band's much anticipated live CD/DVD "drops" on Tuesday, August 19th...but...

The live DVD portion is being showcased on 100 theaters across the country on Monday night, August 18th.

And one of those theaters is the Carmike 14 in Tyler, Texas.

I'm not above a road trip.

Sure, it's a late night, but come on.

It'll be better than Batman.

Who's in?

...check it