Josh Exits

Just for fun.

Josh had been in the rest room, and we staked him out for a good scare.

Gabe does a great job.

Notice a couple things:

1. How Josh freezes with fear.

2. How Gabe laughs continually right in his face.

BIRTHDAY TODAY

Happy Birthday Connect Ministries

On this day 3 years ago, Connect Ministries was birthed.  For us as a team it is amazing to look back and see where God has taken this ministry. In just the past 3 years Connect Ministries Headquarters have moved to 5 different locations.  It all began at a Kitchen table, then to a Croc Shoe warehouse without heating or air.  Ken Thomas and Gabe Norris had two office spaces in the warehouse where the camp equipment was stored.  They would have to wait until the warehouse next door had their door open to be able to connect to the wireless signal.  In the wintertime they would arrive to work and close their doors, and place a towel at the door to keep cold air from coming in, and turn their space heaters on.  To communicate they would use the intercom system on their phones instead of opening their doors. Then we moved to a 5 office building in Nolensville, Tennessee, where there was heating and air, a great conference room to dream in and a kitchen area where lots of fun conversations took place.   Currently we are in an incredible office space in Watkinsville, Georgia, with 10 offices, heating and air and even a telephone system.  There have been special memories in each of these locations.

Connect Ministries also grown in the resources that we are able to provide to churches. Connect 3on3 Basketball will be having 12 tournaments this year, one of which we have partnered with Rick and Bubba to host an event in Birmingham, Alabama. Connect Day Camp started 3 years ago with 2 locations and about 210 campers.  Then with the partnership with WinShape Camps, C3 Day Camp was able to go to 27 communities the first year with around 3,000 campers.  This past year C3 was in 36 communities impacting around 6,000 and then in 2010 we will be in 45 communities. All of this was started with a vision of helping churches connect with their community. With all of these events we continue to look for other ways to grow with the expansion of Connect Basketball, as well as the addition of Connect Race.

Today we want to celebrate what we have experienced in the past 3 years. We love telling the story of how Connect Ministries was started.  Our Team never wants to forget what God took us through and where he is taken us in the future. Thank you for celebrating with us today! If you have a Connect Story, send us an email or comment here.

Also be looking for twitter to update you on the days celebrations. Gabe is grilling burgers!

That Song…

I drive a 1997 Toyota Camry with 170,000 miles on it [and hope I can one day put 370,000 on it]. Toyota’s are typically unstoppable in terms of durability… but every once in a while you have to do a little bit of maintenance on them.

My once in a while came yesterday.

Already upset with how much money I was going to have to spend at the mechanic’s shop I walked into the lobby pretty defensive.

I did not want to chat.

I did not want to get to know the mechanic.

I only wanted my Camry back.

While pulling out my credit card to pay I noticed the worship song playing in the background [“I’m coming back to the heart of worship” was the song]. My spirit was glad to worship in the midst of frustration… but my flesh made me feel like they were only playing worship music to subtly make me forget I was giving them all my money. Then the guy started humming the worship song while running my card through the machine. It was like he knew I was antsy and wanted to rub it in my face. I become mad at him [and the worship song]. Then the mechanic had the audacity to ask me if I liked the worship song that was playing. Internally I was furious and could not figure out what the fascination was with the worship song. He was more interested in the song than the amount of money I was paying him. I was obsessed with the money and could not care less about the song [or him] at that point. Walking out of the mechanic’s shop [with a lot less money and feeling like I just got had] the weirdest thing happened.

I left the lobby of the building but the song kept playing [you know the one he would not quit humming and asking me about]. The closer I got to my car the volume level of the song remained the same…for the life of me I could not figure it out. Then it dawned on me –

THE SONG WAS COMING FROM MY POCKET!

My iPhone somehow opened my Pandora app and began playing the song. I was so confused… and maybe even more convicted. I got in my car a different person.

What if the unbelieving world put their trust in the Lord because they heard a song coming from the hearts of Christ-followers? What if our intimacy with the Lord birthed and oozed songs of things like peace, joy, patience, forgiveness, compassion, concern and love? Then maybe the Church would not have to spend as much time begging people to come to church – but instead spend more energy letting the volume of their Song penetrate the world around them. Not the song in your pocket, but the song in your heart…

chasing donkeys

Saul’s story of running into the prophet Samuel started with Saul chasing donkeys.

Saul’s father gave him the task/job/role/assignment of chasing the lost donkeys. He even had Saul take an assistant with him. An assistant to the donkey chasing son.

But Saul took up his role. He chased a donkey, and didn’t do so well. But with the assistants money in hand, went to a holy seer in hope of finding the donkeys.

Sometimes I chase donkeys. I get tasks and roles that feel like I am just chasing a donkey. Some feel unimportant and minuscule. Sometimes I have been given roles that I feel overqualified for. Or I just feel like a failure at what I have been given, whether it is a lot or a little.

Saul chased the donkey and found his new seat on the throne of a Kingdom.

David brought the cheese and found a giant.

Today I will chase a donkey. We have a seat at the table of a King already.

The task is holy. The role is massive. Be the kingdom. Be love. Chase a donkey. Connect…

When efficiency is absent…

During Connect Ministries recent relocation from Tennessee to Georgia, I have had the unique opportunity to work with many different organizations while setting up bank accounts, utilities, changing driver’s license, switching car tags, etc. This is what has been very obvious throughout this entire process, when efficiency is not present everyone gets frustrated.

What I have observed is…employees are often forced into inefficient models simply because leaders in the organization are unwilling to allow those on the front line of customer service to make the decisions necessary to ensure an efficient process. Have you ever had someone say to you (I did recently)…” I am sorry…but my boss says we have to do it this way…I know this is frustrating…I have tried to change this but…” This is one sign of an out-of-touch-leader.

What is the result of inefficient organizations? Employees get burned out, customers leave, tension develops in the organization, confidence in leadership drops, questions arise throughout the organizations, profits drop, employees work twice has hard to accomplish simple task–and the list could continue. In short, people stop connecting…

Leaders must listen. They must listen to those who are “touching” the systems. Leaders must create a culture that thrives on the evaluating processes. This is the first step to injecting your organization with efficiency. Connect!

XM Radio is Audio

I listen to XM Radio in my car each morning. I eat my toast, drink my coffee, and switch back between Headline News [XM123] and ESPN Radio [XM140].

Normally I switch stations when commercials come on. Even though XM used to be the place with “no commercial interruptions.”

If it isn’t bad enough, I pay for radio to inundate me with advertising, sometimes it is bad advertising.

Today an ad played that stated: “now look at this…”

XM Radio is Audio.

The company recycled an ad from TV. Some advertising department approved this ad to go to XM. That person recycled.

The “recycling problem” has me wondering what we recycle that misses the mark because we didn’t create new and fresh. It wasn’t even, for this company, that they just recycled. It was the blatant disregard for the target customer. Did they not know I was in my car and could not see what they were asking me to look at?

It is quite humorous in all honesty. But it does make me stop to consider if I am recycling that which doesn’t make sense. Am I asking people who can’t see to look?

be fresh…

[this guy has some interesting thoughts on it… STORY]

faces of WinShape Camps C3

ocean face

Hoops for Hope

If you haven’t heard of Hoops of Hope, you’re missing out. Read and watch the excerpt from www.hoopsofhope.org below. At least watch the videos, they explain it all.

“Hoops of Hope is the biggest basketball shoot-a-thon in the world, much like a walk-a-thon, but more fun! You can join thousands of participants and teams from around the world that shoot free throws for children in need. Every dollar raised will go directly to the project you select to help these children. Every free throw will literally help keep children from becoming orphans. The United Nations estimates that every 14 seconds, somewhere in the world, another child is orphaned by HIV/AIDS. This means that each day over 6,000 children join the 15 million children worldwide who have already lost one or both parents to this disease. In the spring of 2004, Austin Gutwein watched a video that showed children who had lost their parents to AIDS. After watching the video, he realized these kids weren’t any different from him except they were suffering. Austin felt God calling him to do something to help them. He decided to shoot free throws and on World AIDS Day, 2004, he shot 2,057 free throws to represent the 2,057 kids who would be orphaned during his day at school. Friends and family sponsored Austin and he was able to raise almost $3,000. That year, the money was used by World Vision to provide hope to 8 orphan children. From that year forward, thousands of people have joined Austin in a basketball shoot-a-thon called Hoops of Hope. By doing something as simple as shooting free throws, Hoops of Hope participants have raised over $1 million. The children left behind by AIDS now have access to food, clothing, shelter, a new school and finally, a medical testing facility which he was told would save an entire generation. A second clinic is now under construction. Austin believes anyone, no matter what their age or skills, can make a difference.”

raving fans

At WinShape Camps C3 this summer, we wanted to learn from what Chick-fil-a calls their “Raving Fans.” We knew we had fans, but we wanted to see how “raving” they could be. So on Village Day [Thursdays] we asked families to work together decorating their vehicle…. And it actually happened! Raving Fan Parking Lots happened in 35 parking lots all over the country.

From your normal Chevy SUV to a 1929 hand-made Model-A Ford. We saw it all.

Who are your Raving Fans? And how do you know? Identify and reward.

The Raving Fans above were in Albany, GA with Sherwood Baptist Church.

paradox discussion with josh

We will wait for a response to come from those without Skype…