MarchMar 20 Thursday 08
Last blog on Virb...
This is my 99th and final post of Virb... From now on if you want to check in on me, click here.
So long...
Thayer
MarchMar 6 Thursday 08
Amy
For the next few days, I have to give props to ALL my girls. They are awesome!!
Let's start with my main girl, Amy. For everyone whoever thought that Thayer Stamper was just awesome, think again... You couldn't be more wrong. Amy is the real genius in the family. She …
MarchMar 5 Wednesday 08
Colors...
Ever hear of these colors...
- Totally Tangerine
- Gum Drop
- Rich Plum
- Bright Idea
- Blue Ocean Breeze
- Do you know what they have in common? You'll see on Sunday!!
MarchMar 4 Tuesday 08
Puzzles...
Last Sunday, we challenged the people at Gateway Community Church to join the real "Peace Corps" and do their part in carrying the "gospel of peace" to the world around them. Because God has gifted us in unique ways, we can each make a distinct contribution to that …
MarchMar 3 Monday 08
Thoughts....
We had an awesome weekend at GCC. Let me recap it for you...
Friday and Saturday, GCC offered Joe Sangl's Financial Freedom Experience (FFE). In total, we had more than 40 households present for the two-day event. Joe had some awesome things to tell us about …
FebruaryFeb 25 Monday 08
Are you waiting for someone else to change the world?
Every now and then, there's a song that absolutely pegs "the business-as-usual" church. One of the most recent songs is John Mayer's Waitin' on the World to Change. Think about these words that describe the apathy of the many who do nothing but wait for someone else to …
FebruaryFeb 22 Friday 08
Peace Corps
Are you ready to take your life to the next level?
The adventure begins March 2 at Gateway Community Church!!
FebruaryFeb 21 Thursday 08
Billboards - Part 2
Yesterday I mentioned our new billboards for the Goldsboro area. Here they are!!
Now keep in mind, that these billboards won't be up and the website won't be operational until right around Easter! I hope this whets your appetite til then!
Until next time!!
FebruaryFeb 20 Wednesday 08
Billboards
Wow!
Many of you know that in April, Gateway Community Church will be doing a message series called "HELP!" We'll be promoting this series, designed especially for parents, with billboards throughout the greater Goldsboro area. Wes, Vernon, and I were able to see the …
FebruaryFeb 19 Tuesday 08
Getting My Preach On!
Is this not cool?!! My friend Damon Oxendine drew this during church this past Sunday... And to think, I used to get in trouble for drawing in church. But now, we can put it in the pastor's blog!!
To be honest with you, I consider myself the most fortunate man on …
FebruaryFeb 17 Sunday 08
Sunday Evening...
Have you ever been pumped up and exhausted at the same time? That's the way I feel right now. Sundays are always great, but by Sunday night, I'm usually ready to go to bed by about 7:30!!
But since it's already past my Sunday night bedtime, I figured I'd at least say …
FebruaryFeb 14 Thursday 08
Upcoming...
Q. Wanna know what John Mayer and Canned Heat have in common?
A. They both have songs that will be featured in Gateway's new message series, "Peace Corps," coming Sunday, March 2. It's gonna be awesome!!!
FebruaryFeb 7 Thursday 08
Lesson on a ketchup bottle...
Many of us know what it's like to have a kid who puts ketchup on just about everything... My oldest daughter, Julia, is that kid.
Well, the other day, I happened to notice the back label on a bottle of Heinz Ketchup and discovered one of the most awesome quotes I've …
FebruaryFeb 5 Tuesday 08
M&Ms, Coca-Cola, and the Perfect Illustration
The other day, I told our church about my youngest daughter, Avery, and her reaction whenever I ask her for some of the M&Ms I've given her. I told that story to illustrate how our reaction often mirrors hers whenever God asks us to bring back part of what He's given …
JanuaryJan 25 Friday 08
Two weeks....
It's been two weeks since my last post... Sorry about that!
I've been pretty busy over those few days, and it doesn't look like things are gonna slow down at all. But to be honest, I don't want them to slow down. I'll be more careful to keep you up-to-date on what's …
JanuaryJan 10 Thursday 08
Sometimes you just have to let the picture do the talking...
A friend of mine put me on to this a few days ago...
Now, here's the awesome thing. Change is something that only Jesus can do, but He's chosen to change the world through you and me!!
This is awesome... Get ready, Gateway!
JanuaryJan 7 Monday 08
Awesome!
Wasn't yesterday an awesome day? If you guys are half as excited as I am about the things coming up at Gateway this year, YOU ARE TOTALLY AMPED!
If you haven't heard about it yet, as of February 1, Gateway will be bringing on a new staff member. Wes Boyd will be …
JanuaryJan 5 Saturday 08
Twelve Blogs of Christmas - Part 12
OK... over the past few days, we've talked a little bit about visionary people, the importance of vision, strategic thinking and action, processes for developing people, and the importance of infrastructure. But more than that, we've seen how all will play a huge role …
JanuaryJan 4 Friday 08
Twelve Blogs of Christmas - Part 11
In order to work the process for developing committed people, you must have excellent infrastructure. By infrastructure, I mean information systems that keep people on track and help ensure that no one falls through the cracks. Churches have long been plagued by poor infrastructure. Sometimes it's sickening to think of how many people we've lost because we didn't track them properly.
Todd Rundgren is a little bit before my time, but I want you to think about his message in the lyrics to The Want of a Nail.
For the want of a shoe, the horse was lost
For the want of a horse, the rider was lost
For the want of a rider, the message was lost
For the want of a message, the battle was lost
For the want of a battle, the war was lost
For the want of a war, the kingdom was lost
(Such a tiny thing)
You're askin'
What's all this talk about horses and war?
Put yourself in the place of the man at the forge
And day after day you live a life without love
'Til the morning you can't take it anymore
And you don't …
JanuaryJan 3 Thursday 08
Twelve Blogs of Christmas - Part 10
Now for the processes....
By processes, I mean the way we work through our strategy to achieve the vision.
Sometimes, when I talk to other pastors, they are overwhelmed when they hear how much goes into making a Sunday happen at Gateway Community Church. They …