CLC Update
Posted by admin | Filed under Church Planting, Cloverleaf Church
ALOT has been happening lately and I’ve been slacking on blogging about it. So here’s whats been going on:
- We had out Informational Cookout on July 10th at Ridge Ferry Park and it was AWESOME! We had a big ol’ grill out there cooking hamburgers and hot dogs for whoever wanted some. We had people come from the invite cards we handed out at 4th of July, but what was more awesome was that people who happened to be at the park dropped by. We were able to serve between 60-80 people and tell them about Cloverleaf…the mission and vision. Most of the people were families with children and it was so incredible to see God working!
- We begin Launch Team meetings THIS SUNDAY NIGHT, AUGUST 1 from 6:00PM - 8:00PM at this location. Come for free food, fun, and a time to learn more about Cloverleaf Church and how you can become a part of God’s doing in Rome. For more information EMAIL ME! We’ll be having Launch Team meetings twice a month through August and September, so if you miss this first one, just come to the second one. And if you’d like to know more about Cloverleaf Church, and can’t make a meeting, let me take you to coffee!
- We’ve identified a couple key service opportunities that we’ll be at over the next couple of months…one of which will be serving the incoming students as they move back in at Berry College (August 18) and Shorter University (August 14). Check out our website and Facebook page to keep up to date on opportunities to serve along side us as we LOVE ROME.
Some of our team attended Connect Rome this morning to worship with another like minded church in Rome. Extremely well put on service, with inspirational worship and passionate teaching. One thing I’d like to say is that I was blown away by their Lead Pastor Josh Roberts. In a prayer at the end of the service, he specifically prayed for Cloverleaf Church and what we’re trying to do in Rome. I was completely floored…the humility and honestly that he displayed this morning was amazing! If more churches in America embraced new churches in their community, came alongside them, and offered support then so many more church plants would be exponentially more successful. To have the support of not only local established churches, but other church plants in Rome means more than words can express. I honestly cannot wait to be serving along this church and other churches to continue the revolution already happening in Rome.
BIG THINGS are happening in the life of Cloverleaf Church as we inch closer to our launch on February 13, 2011! Please don’t miss what God is doing…get involved!
Rome’s First Look at CLC
Posted by admin | Filed under Church, Church Planting, Cloverleaf Church
So this past weekend was the 4th of July…in Rome we have a “Salute to America” Fireworks Festival type thing…Cloverleaf thought this would be the perfect community event to “unveil” ourselves to the community…so here’s what we did and how it went down:
- We weren’t able to secure a vendor booth space so we were forced to do a WHOLE LOTTA WALKING
- Tons of research pointed to using balloons as a cheap marketing tool, so we handed out green balloons with our church logo and website on there…let me mention that we were the only group handing out balloons so our balloons were everywhere…we handed out between 750-800 balloons to about 4000 people…almost 25% isn’t bad…
- Attached to the balloons were invite cards with our logo/website on one side and a promo for our first Informational Cookout on the other side…
- We wore slate grey shirts with yellow text…I think they turned out SICK!
- We stayed after the fireworks to help Rome Parks and Rec clean up the park…it felt awesome to serve the people who put on the event
We had about 10 people from our sponsor church come up and volunteer to help us pass our balloons and invite cards…they had on shirts…so total we had right around 20-22 people serving Rome in the name of Christ and CLC…I think we really made an awesome splash in the community.
The feedback we received from people as they got balloons/invite cards was extremely positive…a lot of interest in the church…what we’re about…where we’re meeting (still working on that)…God continues to blow me away by the things and relationships He’s making happen even before we start meetings!
If you live in the Rome area, come by Ridge Ferry Park for our Informational Cookout on Saturday July 10. We’re kicking things off around 3, but feel free to show up a little early for some football/ultimate frisbee action! The food is free and we’re going to be having a ton of fun! Click HERE to view the Facebook event for it.
Vision Becoming Reality
Posted by admin | Filed under Church, Church Planting, Cloverleaf Church, Leadership
I look back on my life and if you would have told me 2 years ago that I would be following God’s calling to start a new church in Rome, GA then I would have laughed at you, and slapped you in the face…
I remember (vividly) the steps and process of turning a chaotic jumble of thoughts of what I thought a church plant should look like…I would lay awake at night thinking “this will go there and we’ll do things this way…” It’s actually pretty sad that I really thought my way was the way things would get done…Knowing what I know now it’s all about how God wants things done…in His time and done His way. Already Cloverleaf Church has morphed into a vision that I could have never dreamt of in my wildest dreams and that vision is quickly becoming a reality.
It’s one thing to talk about…even put it down on paper…it’s something completely different to act on those thoughts and take steps of faith the ensure what happens lines up with God’s vision. That’s EXACTLY where Cloverleaf Church is right now. We’ve got the location nailed down, we’ve ordered business and invite cards, we’ve set dates for some of our first Informational Meetings, we’re preparing to be a part of the 4th of July celebration, we’re making contacts in the community…and people are getting excited…getting excited about the vision for a church less concerned with getting people there and more concerned with SERVING people where they are. People are getting PUMPED…and every day I hear news that more and more people are buying into this vision and committing to be a part of this movement.
To be here…after years of praying, work, planning, classes, meetings, and more work, and more work…to be on the threshold of this thing that God has been orchestrating from Day 1…to see this vision becoming a reality SO MUCH quicker than I ever thought it could…is simply breathless. I truly felt like Peter standing there…looking down at the sea…thinking “you want me to walk on that water…not so sure I can do that.” But I said OK…not sure if I was going to sink or not, but knowing that no matter what happened Jesus had my back…He’s never given me more than I can handle and this won’t be any different…
So I’m standing here on the threshold…watching each day bring a new element to life from this vision…absolutely scared out of my mind…definitely sure that I can’t do this, but even more sure that Christ can do this through me…
So come on…join in and watch this UNBELIEVABLE vision become a reality with us…connect up with Cloverleaf Church if you live in the greater Rome area…I promise you it’s something you won’t want to miss being a part of because the payoff is so much better than playing it safe!
On the Horizon
Posted by admin | Filed under Church, Church Planting, Cloverleaf Church, Leadership
So it’s been a while since I last blogged…
It’s been a combination of moving to Rome, starting work on Cloverleaf Church, and making a concerted attempt to take a little rest from social media. Now I don’t twitter and blog near as much as others, but I could tell that it was consuming a considerable amount of my time. Not that I stated that I was going to take a break…it sorta just happened and it’s been quite nice. Now I’m trying to get back in the swing of things…
There are some big things on the horizon for Cloverleaf Church:
- 4th of July Celebration in Rome - this is our first opportunity to interact with the community in Rome. I’m pretty excited about this event cause I’m really looking forward to getting to know local businesses in the community, as well as community leaders. Along with promotional items for the church, we’re planning something pretty cool to do that will hopefully help to set us apart…come by our booth on the 4th of July to see what the surprise is!
- Staff Members moving to Rome - our staff at Cloverleaf Church has grown to 4 now, which is incredibly exciting and an answer to prayer! Joey & Alyssa Thompson (getting married Sat. June 5) and Clay & Lauren Davis will be moving to Rome in July. This is great news cause they’ll arrive just in time for the 4th of July and will give us 3-4 months before we launch into preview services. Joey Thompson serves as our Communications/Connections Pastor, Clay Davis serves as our Creative Arts Pastor, and Lauren Davis (hopefully) will be serving as our Children’s Director.
- Moving Day for Berry & Shorter College - as part of our community strategy, we see helping the students of Berry and Shorter College move into their dorms, in August, as an awesome opportunity to serve. Everyone needs people to help them move!
This stuff is crazy exciting and God is working in some incredible ways. Pray that He continues to blow our minds!
Visual Communication
Posted by admin | Filed under Church, Church Planting, Uncategorized
Which is the most important element in a worship experience?…Is it the speaking (cause that’s what really ministers to people’s hearts…)…Is it the music/singing (cause it invokes emotion and brings us to the throne of Christ…)…Is it the things that people see and experience visually (since we are such a visual culture…)
I don’t think that one is more important than the other, but I do see them as EQUALLY vital to an meaningful worship experience. So many times though the visual side of things is seen as more “gravy” than “meat and potatoes.” I see words on the screen, moving backgrounds, awesome bumper videos, video announcements, and set design as being on the same level as the message. It shows people that you’ve thought intentionally through every aspect of the service. Now can a service be overly visual…yeah…and in that case I can understand, but at Cloverleaf Church we’re ALWAYS going to place a high priority on the things people see and experience visually at our worship experiences.
All that to say, I’d like to promote my buddy Chris Thomas (aka C-Bass) and his new business endeavor called “The Simple Beard“…basically what he offers is creative consulting and creation of elements you might use in a worship service, on the web, or in print…to find out more about what he offers and how he could benefit you check out his website! He’s also now on staff at Piedmont Church taking over my position with Communications/Media…so if you get the opportunity to swing by Piedmont on a Sunday, come by and check out his handiwork!
When Staying is Easy
Posted by admin | Filed under Church, Church Planting, Cloverleaf Church, Leadership
In 4 days I’ll no longer be a resident of Kennesaw, GA…Rome, GA will be my new address and I truly embark on the next chapter God has for my life…Cloverleaf Church! Not that what I’ve been doing up till now hasn’t been work towards that, but it’s different when you’re physically moving and leaving what’s familiar to follow God’s will for your life - that’s what Ellen and I are doing on Friday of this week. I knew it was coming, but I never IMAGINED it would get here this quick…anyways…onto the title of this post “When Staying is Easy…”
As I’m looking forward, and looking back…the wasy thing for me to do in my life right now is to stay where I am…hands down that’s the simplest thing to do…I wouldn’t have to question where my next paycheck would come from…I wouldn’t have to move…I wouldn’t have to leave my friends and family…I wouldn’t have to step out on faith…
But God didn’t call me to do what’s considered easy…He called me to follow Him…which 9 times out of 10 is always the most trying and difficult of paths…but the reward and payoff are so much greater…moving to Rome (which is a city where I have no friends or prior acquaintances) to start a new church (of which I have NEVER done before) scares the crap out of me…which TRULY shows me that what Ellen and I are about to do is of God…cause it’s not an unhealthy fear…I know this is what God wants us to do…it’s a fear of not being able to do this WITHOUT His help…which is good cause I need Him now more than ever…
So I guess all I’m saying is I’m glad I’m not staying (even though I’ll miss the people I work with like crazy and I’ll miss my family and friends like crazy)…I’m glad God has given me the strength to take this step…
Staff Chemistry
Posted by admin | Filed under Church, Church Planting, Cloverleaf Church, Leadership
As I’m getting ready to leave Piedmont Church, I look back and think about how much I’m going to miss the staff that I currently work with. We’re to the point that each person is getting along great with the other and the success and effectiveness of Piedmont is rising as a result. For me it is quickly becoming extremely difficult to leave…it would be the easy thing to stay…it would be the comfortable thing to stay…and I think that’s a testament to the kind of staff culture Ike has fostered at Piedmont. (But God hardly ever calls us to do the easy thing…He calls us to follow Him which usually leads us down a path with obstacles and trials…the kind of stuff that grows you and matures you…or just trips you up…)
This is something I plan on implementing from BEFORE Day 1…the team I bring together to help me accomplish the vision God has given me MUST work well together and feed off each others creativity and passions. Far too often I see church staffs that don’t have chemistry…it doesn’t mean that they’re not somewhat effective, but a lack of chemistry inhibits a church’s ability to do all they’ve been called to do. They tend to become “good” at stuff…well good isn’t good enough for me…I want UNBELIEVABLY AWESOME! I think a staff should enjoy seeing each other, not dread the inevitable encounters. Staff members who tolerate each other are far less effective than a staff who brightens up when their fellow staff members walk in the room. Now I’m not saying I want some “always happy, nothings ever wrong” staff, but what I am saying is that, as a leader, I don’t want to have to worry if my staff is getting along or not.
To me it’s more than just working together…people can work together, not really get along, and get to a certain level…I pray that staff chemistry not become the lid to which Cloverleaf Church can grow. I think it’s crucial (especially in a church plant) that the staff have a certain degree of chemistry. They need to feed off each other, build off each other’s creativity, and TRUST each other. Churches that lack chemistry lack effectiveness…and Cloverleaf Church WILL NOT be a church that lacks effectiveness due to poor staff chemistry…
Anti-”Anti-Church”
Posted by admin | Filed under Church, Church Planting, Cloverleaf Church, Leadership
It’s a confusing title but just hear me out…Cloverleaf Church IS going to be a different kind of church, there’s no doubt about that…we’re going to do things differently than other churches do and function differently than other churches function. I don’t want to be like any other church…but that doesn’t mean that I want to be labeled “anti-church”…in fact I’m anti-anti-church
I care more about advancing the KINGDOM OF CHRIST, than anything else…it’s a simple as that…will we program our services with intentionality in regards to the people we want to reach…YES…will we do church so “anti-church” that people have a difficult time identifying us as a church…NO
If Cloverleaf Church interests you and it’s something you want to be involved in, do so knowing that we will be a church…we’ll be a place where hurting people can come and find love and acceptance…we’ll be a place that embraces the love of Christ and shows it to everyone we come in contact with…after all…that’s what the first New Testament churches did…so why not follow suit
Crazy Weekend Recap
Posted by admin | Filed under Church, Church Planting, Cloverleaf Church
As most of you know this weekend was Easter weekend…well at Piedmont we decided to put all of our “eggs” in one basket so to speak…we wanted to create an experiential weekend that encouraged people to stay in town through Sunday afternoon, then go out of town for Spring Break…I think we were successful…so here’s a recap of what we did and the outcomes of each:
1) Passion Friday - this was our first year doing a Good Friday service, but we wanted to make it more than believers coming together…we attached a cause to it…charity: water…great organization…we had a great turn out for it being our first time doing it with around 250 people coming out.
2) Egg Drop 2010 - this was also our first year doing an event like this and to be honest we had no idea what to expect. We had 200 total volunteers involved between Piedmont and Sprayberry High School. Conservative estimates forced us to plan for around 2000 - 2500 people…turned out we ended up with somewhere between 7000 - 8000…and when you only have 20,000 eggs total and around 4000 children…you run out of eggs VERY FAST…but it was an incredible event…all involved were extremely happy with the turn-out and it’ll become an annual event.
3) Easter Sunday - TWO SERVICES…another first for Piedmont (in recent years)…we pulled out all the stops for production and planning…we kicked off a new series called 365: Facing Fears Everyday…and we saw around 1250 combined for the 2 services…we saw numerous people come into a relationship with Christ and around 10 get baptized!…now we know numbers aren’t everything, but they’re an indicator for us…and we consider ourselves privileged that God chose to bless us so well today!
*Being only 3 weeks away from moving to Rome and really beginning the work for Cloverleaf Church, this weekend taught me LOADS of stuff when it comes to offering people multiple opportunities and entry points to be a part of what you’re doing…and it’s more than just putting on a great service…people came to a crazy egg hunt that would never come to Piedmont, but they got to experience the love of Christ expressed through the love our volunteers showed!*
This turned out to be an incredible year of firsts for Piedmont and nothing but a launching pad for things to come…God’s hand is on the ministry of Piedmont Church…if you have the opportunity to be a part of what’s going on for Sundays, then I encourage you to drop by and take a look!
OUTWARD-FOCUSED Easter
Posted by admin | Filed under Uncategorized
So many times we, as Christians, can tend to think that Easter is our time to come together as the “body of Christ” and have the HOLIEST of holy huddles. It’s easy to think that way…I mean we’re celebrating the resurrection of OUR Savior! But Christ’s death and resurrection is intended for those that don’t know him, more than those that already have a relationship…
This year at Piedmont, we’re taking this idea seriously…not that we haven’t in the past, but this year we’ve upped (if that’s a word) the intentionality of what we’re doing exactly. So here’s what we’re doing:
- Passion Friday Service - we’re taking Good Friday to a different level this year…we’re teaming it up with a cause…this company called Charity Water…we wanted to offer a service that would be similar to our Sunday Easter services, but make it more concert/cause driven with a resurrection celebration added in…
- Egg Drop 2010 - this is the first event of this scale that Piedmont is doing and we’re going all out for it…the Northeast Cobb Community Egg Drop is going to be co-sponsored by the Cobb County School System and Northeast Cobb Business Association and is targeting the 8,000+ elementary and preschool children in and around Piedmont’s sphere of influence. This event is happening with one sole purpose…to SHOW the community the love of Christ.
- Easter Sunday - TWO SERVICES: 9AM & 11AM - this is another first for Piedmont…we wanted to offer 2 service times to maximize the
potential of getting people into church to hear the transforming message of the resurrection…we’ll be kicking off a brand new series called 365: Facing Fears Everyday with the message “God’s Answer to Life’s Greatest Fear”…this series will help address the fears we face each day and how Christ helps us overcome those fears.
This weekend is going to be one for the books at Piedmont…this weekend ups the ante at Piedmont for turning outward instead of inward…and there’s no turning back