A break

After some thought I've decided to give this blog a little time off. Obviously if you have checked it recently you know I haven't blogged much anyway. This season of planting Suncrest's second campus is so consuming that some extra things have to go. I've also realized that to make this blog something that adds value to others' lives I really have to work at it. It's a discipline all its own.

Perhaps after Suncrest-East launches I can get back at it (I'd love to blog about my experience after the fact. There's something about hindsight that brings clarity.) or I may decide that it is not something I want to maintain. Either way it has been fun and I appreciate those who have taken the time to read my random thoughts.

Blessings,
doug

Suncrest-East location announced

We finally are locking this in!

Getaway in the city

For Sheila's birthday.

What happens at staff retreat...

more to come....

Answered prayer

I realized this morning as I was praying through my daily prayer list that one big prayer that I prayed almost daily for had been answered. Now, in some ways it is old news because I blogged about it over at suncresteast.org. However, my practice on my prayer list is to check off those requests that have been answered. So it just really hit me this morning as I read "surpass exponential offering goal" that God had answered this prayer in a mighty way. The goal was $100,000. We have now received $108,000!

Awesome God!

I like to "holla"

So there is no doubt I get loud in my preaching. Usually I'm so revved up many people ask me how many cups of coffee I have had. In truth it was only one Grande from Starbucks ($1.96 thank you very much) that morning.

However, I've always struggled a bit to NOT preach in one speed...fast! One time someone described my preaching as "trying to drink from a fire hose." Love it. Even though I do recognize the need for some rhythm and the use of different gears.

All that to say in the evaluations that we solicit from some of our Suncresters this week, one reviewer wrote this:

I thought Doug was going to go crazy the chairs on stage. However, I thought he seemed pretty comfortable and did a good job of balancing the chairs with moving around. Always a plus when Doug doesn't yell.

Makes me laugh.

N.T. Wright takes on Stephen Colbert

Last month I had the honor of teaching on Heaven at Suncrest. One of my favorite theologians (in general and in specific on Heaven) is N.T. Wright. Below is an interview on the Stephen Colbert show. Not the typical thing you would expect to see Wright on as The Colbert Report is a show on Comedy Central. What is so great about this clip though is Wright is so poised, whimsical and clear in the interview. He is everything I wish other Christians would be when they appear on radio or television. What happens to the contrary more times than not is that they make us appear boring, irrelevant or judgemental. Way to go N.T.!