CRAZINESS!!!!

To say things are CRAZY around Revolution right now would be the understatement of the year! We are gearing up for our normal fall push, we are gearing up launch a second campus that we are building out ourselves, we are planning long-term on some huge things, and we are doing our normal, weekly things.

I told our team today that things will not slow down for a while and I wouldn’t have it any other way. We started Revolution Church to change North Georgia and that means being all out, sold out to what God has called us to do. I love it!

If you are part of Revolution, you rock! Thank you for all you do to make this place happen week in and week out. We are in one of the most insane times in the history of our church and it is all hands on deck right now. Let me give you some ways you can continue to partner with what God is doing here:

• PRAY!  This is where it starts. The devil would love nothing more than to derail what is happening around here.  Please pray for the staff of Revolution, the volunteers of Revolution, the work of Revolution, the unchurched in this community, and all that God is doing.
• SERVE! If you aren’t plugged into what God is doing here at Revolution you are missing out on being a part of a REVOLUTION that is going to change North Georgia. Don’t sit on the sidelines, get in the game. I can promise you it will be one of the most fulfilling things you have done your life.
• LEND A HAND AT HOLLY SPRINGS! It is crunch time. We are on schedule with construction but we are in the stage now where everyone can help. Contact Tim at tim@therevolution to lend a hand.
• GIVE! You have heard me say many times that BIG vision takes BIG money. God has chosen to fund His work through His people. I am smoking what I am selling when it comes to this subject. You can’t outgive God. Thank you for your faithfulness in this area. Because of your giving, we are able to do what we do.
• INVITE!  Get your friends to church. You are the church’s best marketing.

REVOLUTION, hang on for the ride of your life!

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Sunday Night Mind Dump

• GREAT day!
• ALIVE is turning out to be a great series!
• Pre-service was CRAZY. Couldn’t get lights to work, sound to work, or video to work.
• Adam and his team got it all working by service time! GREAT job by those guys!
• Tony Morgan was in the house. I’ve known Tony for a while now and was thrilled to have him and Emily in our services today.
• Tony is going to be giving us a hand for a while with some things. Thrilled about this.
• I’m constantly blown away by the high caliber leaders God allows to have a heart for Revolution and a heart for me. God is awesome like that!
• Seems our people are bad of hearing because they seem to think I dropped the F bomb on stage. I can promise you that while I did mess the word up, I was saying the word “function”
• YES, that is my story and I am sticking to it.
• Not sure what is worse: Me dropping the F bomb (I didn’t) or our guys clapping non-stop after I did it.
• Yes, I also meant to say if something should happen to DeAnna that God might send me a blind woman who would love me. Instead I said God might send a blonde woman. Slight difference.
• No, she isn’t making me sleep on the couch.
• Also had Jonathan Bryant in the service. I thought it was Jack Black so I was a little disappointed. Seems like a cool guy.
• Might move service times to 9:30 and 11:00. That might lead to people coming to early service. It is difficult to do but it is doable. Thoughts?
• The videos we have been showing during ALIVE have been messing me up.
• This coming Sunday things are really going to hit home. This Sunday might be the most powerful service we have ever had. I can promise you won’t leave the same.
• Holly Springs is 3 weeks away! I can’t believe it! Someone told me they didn’t think it would work today. That just motivates me to do it more.
• Can you imagine a day when there will be 10,000 people attending Revolution? I can.
• Two people I am enjoying getting to know a lot better lately: Ross Wiseman and JR Lee. They are rocking it out in their respective towns.
• Went on a killer bike ride tonight. It was hard.
• Got to get Boggs to show me how to clean my bike.
• Glad Phelps is done racing because I need to go to bed earlier!
• We start painting on Friday at Holly Springs. Yeah, come on!
• Celebrated my Granny’s 75th Birthday yesterday. Think it is sad that part of my family wasn’t there. They’ll regret it one day and it will be to late.
• The good thing about them not being there was more food for me.
• I am so pumped about what God is getting ready to do at Revolution that I can’t stand it.
• I’m sitting here watching my family run around the house and I feel so blessed!
• It is a great feeling to be so happy with your life.
• Pumped about all we have planned for the rest of the year.
• God is good.
• I’m out.

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The Last Couple Of Days

DeAnna is out of town for a day and I on kid duty. That doesn’t mean much to you but for me that means I don’t have time post because the house could burn down while I am doing it. Thank you for the prayers the last few days, I had a great time and my mind is spinning with I learned.

Here are some quick hits:

• Had a blast riding up with JR Lee and Chris Elrod. I’ve hung out with Chris many times but this was really the first time I had done more than lunch with JR. The dude is sharp and makes me laugh.
• Got to finally meet Exposed Pastor, Clay Nesmith. Very sharp dude and I think we freaked him out.
• LOVE the Exposed Pastor series. We bought ButtNakedPastor.com and are thinking of doing this series in January. Can you imagine us doing this series? Insane!
• Had breakfast with Jason Moorhead who is one our Board of Overseers. Love that dude.
• Met Radio at breakfast. Yep, I got my picture with him.
• Got to see Greg Oraham.  Everytime I am around him I am reminded how sharp he is and how much I enjoy him.
• I want to be Jeff Kapusta when I grow up.
• Dean Herman didn’t have a Clemson shirt on for the first time ever. Pansy.
• Perry rocked my face off. Still processing everything.

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Prayer Request

I’m about to load up and head to Anderson, S.C. to hang out with a small group of pastors who were selected for a Leadership Coaching Network that Perry Noble is hosting. To say I am pumped would be an understatement!

One of the hardest things for me as the pastor of Revolution is to find time to grow as a leader. I get so caught up in all that is happening around here that I don’t focus on leadership development enough and that is not a good thing. There probably couldn’t be a worse time for me to head out of town than right now, but the reality is that there is never a good time.

I am looking forward to the next 6 months of hanging out with sharp leaders and learning what Perry has to share.

If you are part of Revolution, I would appreciate your prayers. I want God to rock my world during this time. Pray that I learn what God is wanting to show me and pray that I come back a better leader.  Seems a little selfish to be asking for something like that for myself, but I’m asking anyway. Thanks in advance for the prayers!

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Sunday Night Mind Dump

• Well, Summer is over! Attendance was up pretty good today.
• Speaking of attendance, we have plenty of seats open at 9:00 so if you would like to move to that service you would open a seat for a guest at 10:30 (hint, hint)
• BLOWN away by how many of you brought friends today! Great job!
• Message was a little different. Talked about the fact that you are going to die one day. Doesn’t lend itself to a lot of noise from crowd.
• Thad did a great job leading today! Think he is realizing the stage is his now!
• I heard the children’s area was INSANE with kids today! That would be a great area to get plugged in if you aren’t already serving (hint, hint)
• I’m really enjoying this series and think it is going to be one of the best series we’ve ever done.
• Josh was in the service this morning with his launch team and I loved his thoughts on the morning. Check them out here.
• Rumor is Tony Morgan will be in the house this Sunday.
• This weather is teasing me that fall might be here soon.
• Have I mentioned I love this weather?
• Start a coaching network with Perry this week. Looking forward to learning a ton of stuff.
• I’m about to enter into a very unusual amount of traveling. One of the weeks involves a vacation with my family! Thank you Jesus!
• Several parents at our church who have kids going off to college this year. I think I would be happy but they seem very sad to have the kids gone. Actually, I can understand.
• Can you believe it is almost time for football?
• In case you didn’t know it, UGA is #1. Deal with it.
• Last week I had an older gentleman grab me as I was walking on stage and ask me our stance on homosexuality. Today I had an older lady grab me and want to know if we support Israel? Huh?
• Josh, Joe, and Ryan are three young (I’m 32 so that sounds weird) guys who are doing some very cool things for the Kingdom of God. One of those things is they are putting on a pretty cool gig for young worship leaders called The Amp. If you are a worship leader, know a worship leader, or wish you were a worship leader I would check out what these guys are doing.
• I love the generation of big dreamers God is putting out right now! I especially look forward to partnering with the next generation to change the world!
• Speaking of the next generation of world changers…..We have a very cool young couple who have been attending Revolution for a while now. Kyle and Elena Stoeckig have been in ministry at some pretty cool churches in the past and God has them hanging out in Canton for a while as they get ready for the next leg. They are praying about starting a church in downtown Atlanta and I’m praying God keeps them around Canton for a while longer. Pray for them as they seek God will for their next steps!
• Speaking of Kyle, he is a very good speaker. I know what it is like to be a church planter and not be able to take a Sunday off because you don’t have anyone to speak for you. If you are in that boat and looking for a Sunday off, I can’t recommend Kyle enough. He gets “it” and will do nothing but help you and your church. Check out a couple of his messages here.
• BTW, if you are a church planter and you AREN’T taking a Sunday off here and there, you are going to regret it!
• I’m a sucker for the Olympics!!!!!!!
• I’m really trying to step it up in the health area. I’m four weeks into riding my bike 3-4 times a week and I’m feeling good.
• Tonight I went and rode for 2 hours and hit one of the longest and hardest hills I have ever ridden. Lots of cuss words were coming out of my mouth!
• I’m dead now.
• Holly Springs is coming along awesome BUT we have a lot to do in a short amount of time. If you can help out this week, let us know!
• CRAZY busy week but I wouldn’t have it any other way.
• I’m going to bed.

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Alive Starts Tomorrow!

Tomorrow morning we start a new teaching series where we will be asking a simple question: If you had 30 days to live, would you keep living like you do now or would you live ALIVE?

I am so pumped about this series. Summer is over so we should have tons of people back at church, I love the idea behind the series, and I want to enjoy this series because it is the LAST time we ever do a teaching series as ONE church in ONE location. Starting next month we will be ONE church in TWO locations!!!

Enjoy your Saturday and plan on being in church tomorrow as we kick of this awesome series!

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Sunday Night Mind Dump…

• Great day despite it being the last Sunday before school starts back. Attendance in second service was slammed and 1st service is just solid like a rock every week. That service never changes in attendance.
• It has been a long time since I walked off stage feeling like I hit a dud like I did today BUT I had more people say it was the best message I had ever taught. Weird.
• Band was rocking! Thad has grown a lot as a worship leader since coming to Revolution!
• I thought Swift sounded as good as he ever as leading the opening song. He is learning how to transition from performing on the secular songs to leading on the worship songs. Very cool. Love that dude.
• One more month of being a church in one location. Weird.
• ALIVE starts next week!
• I know Ross Wiseman’s secret but I ain’t telling. Excited for our friends at Embassy Metro.
• The power went off at our house last night at 5:45 and didn’t turn back on until 4:46 this morning. Not cool.
• I slept like crap because of it. It was so freaking hot!
• I was dead this morning but Redline Extreme took care of everything
• Why do rednecks shoot off fireworks like madmen when the power is out?
• It is so hot right now that I am counting down the days until fall!!!!!!!
• Did a wedding today for a very cool couple. God has radically changed their lives since coming to Revolution and I was honored to do their wedding today.
• My first week NOT walking around before service and I still got nailed. I was LITERALLY walking up to the stage to teach and some guy grabbed me and started asking me our stand on homosexuality. Are you freaking kidding me?
• I was so jacked up on Redline that I was screaming during my sermon. My mind was telling me that I was doing it but I couldn’t stop.
• Get your friends to church next week as we launch our new series! I think it is going to be one of the most thought provoking series we have ever done.
• All-staff meeting this Tuesday. Hands down, this is my favorite thing of the month. I love having the whole team together to talk about dominating North Georgia.
• Went out to eat with some friends after church and was reminded that of another reason I love Revolution: We can have church, tear down and still beat the Baptist to the restaurants. Yeah…come on!
• Got a couple of church planters coming to hang out Tuesday. Looking forward to that!
• I start a coaching network with Perry Noble in two weeks and I am stoked about it!
• Do you ever sit back and realize God is so much better to you than you deserve? I’m there today.
• I have been getting into cycling big time lately and it is a great reminder that every pastor needs a release. I would literally be dead from stress right now if not for cycling the last few weeks.
• Few people from church going to see Linkin Park tonight. I hate them.
• Cut the grass today. I have a HUGE yard and do it with a push mower because I am stupid.
• Kids start back to school tomorrow. I pray the children of Revolution create a crazy revolution in their schools!
• Our Holly Springs Campus is coming along nicely. I’m ready to get it done and get in that bad boy!
• We are going to keep opening seats and asking God to fill them.
• Working HARD to get our service down to 1 hour. If we do that, we can add a 3rd service without staggering that. Got to figure out if that messes with our DNA and what makes us who we are.
• Looking forward to a great night of sleep! Please, pray I get it.
• Revolution, I love being your pastor!
• Peace. I’m out.

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Known Route Is The Easy Route

What can I say? It seems every time I ride my bike, I have a new leadership thought….

I got up this morning and went out for a bike ride.  I have a certain place I always ride out of and I know the route like the back of my hand. It is a good route, the scenery is pretty, and I enjoy it. Because I have ridden it so many times I know when to push it, when to back off, and how hard it is going to be. It has become so familiar that to be honest it isn’t much of a challenge. I’m no where as tired as I was when I first did it and while I enjoy it, the ride isn’t that hard and is pretty safe.

Today when I pulled out of the place I ride, I went left instead of right. Instantly I was on a new route that I was NOT familiar with at all.  I wasn’t exactly sure where to turn, I didn’t know when hills were coming, I didn’t know where dogs were on the route, and I had NO idea when the route would lead me back to where I started meaning the ride was over. When it was all said and done, it was almost the same exact distance (30 miles) that I always do. The difference was I almost couldn’t finish the ride. It was unknown to me and I overdid it early on. Remember I can finish the other 30 mile route easily but today I didn’t know if I was going to finish the last two miles. I was cramping and it was the closest I have ever come to not making it. Same distance but a new route. Same distance but an unknown journey. Same distance but way harder.

The thing is the new route was a better workout. I almost died but I rode harder, burned more calories, and pushed myself like never before. It was unknown but the outcome was better.

As leaders it is so much easier to take the easy route that doesn’t stretch us, the route we know, and the route we know the outcome of. But most of the time the benefits of this route are small.  As a leader of Revolution I never want us taking the familiar route. I want to take the unknown route. Yes, it is harder, I don’t know the outcome, and I might not even make it but the impact is much greater.

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Staff That Siphons Gas Together….

Just saw this picture and thought I had to post it. I had one of the crazy people take this picture with my iPhone and to say they were impressed with the phone would not describe their thoughts. I think they thought I was a millionaire for having it. It was funny.

This was before we got the heck out of dodge. We had been there about 3 hours, Tim and Preston were high from diesel, and the rest of our were soaking wet from rain BUT we look happy for the picture

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More Thoughts and Pictures

• I forgot to mention that our clothes were so wet that we had to go in the story and buy shirts. The ONLY shirts they had were with confederate flags on them. Mine had a dude riding a dirtbike and said Redneck Boys Drive Bad Ass Toys. It is already in the trash.
• Tim swallowed a ton of diesel.
• As much as I love Swift, I was glad he wasn’t with us because we might be dead.
• They had a saw-off shotgun hanging behind the counter.
• The had one book for sale called The TRUTH about Ruby Ridge.
• They had a paper that told the “truth” about slavery. Yeah, right.
• They HATE Barrack Obama.
• They had a sign that said there were 20 security cameras around the place and they would shoot you.
• To say they had never seen an iPhone would be an understatement

Here are pictures of us sucking diesel from Preston’s van for your enjoyment.

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