Erin and I recently returned from Arizona where we watched the Texas Rangers and Kansas City Royals spring training. We had a great time, but most of Erin's blogs only told stories about the Rangers. I decided to take over her blog for a day and here's what I had to say about my Royals!

Recently I was privileged to attend Willow Arts Ministry's "The Green Room". This was a simulcast event that was shown at Austin Christian Fellowship. A team of volunteers from the AMBC Worship Ministry joined me for sessions on team building, worship philosophies, and service structures. This blog continues the series of takeaways that we left with.

The Philosophy of Multi-Generational Worship by Ross Parsley

Ross has this philosophy that when you look at worshippers on a stage you should see people of different ages and from different generations. I happen to agree with his thinking and try to implement that to the best of my ability at AMBC. Having heard him give this talk once before I was excited to get feedback from the team I brought. Of all the sessions offered this one seemed to peak their interest the most. Here are some ideas that Ross expressed which got the AMBC team thinking in overdrive.

• It takes no skill or expertise for a church to grow old.
• Expertise comes in growing a church young.
• Allow youth leaders to participate.
• Integrate older songs/elements with new songs/elements.
• Invite the next generation to create and own service elements.

Ross also spent much time talking about the need to get past our consumer mentality when it comes to church life. Too often people hop from church to church trying to find what best appeals to them. Ross says that people should look for a church where they can invest and get involved instead of seeing what they can get out of it.

Ross is currently in the process of moving from Colorado Springs to Austin to plant a new church called ONEchapel. Be in prayer for Ross, his family, and his team as they relocate and begin this new work in southwest Austin.

What a great time we've had here in Surprise, AZ the past few days! We've had a blast watching lots of baseball, meeting several players, and spending time with friends. We spent this morning in downtown Phoenix attending Amy McD's graduation where she received her Doctor of Audiology degree. After that Erin and I headed back out to Surprise to watch the Royals and Rangers play again. I've constantly been amazed at the access you get to the players. We got to meet Ian Kinsler today while sitting close to Jim Sundberg, Tom Hicks, and Nolan Ryan. For more baseball stories and pics be sure to check out Erin's blog.

After watching the Royals win again we headed over just a few blocks to Radiant Church which was recommended to us by AMBC members Foster and Helen Gray. It was a nice change to just show up to church and have no leadership responsibility. Church leaders are notorious for not taking breaks or vacations on a regular basis, but it is very necessary to step away from time to time to recharge and also pick up new and different ideas to take back. This trip has been a great getaway and I am excited to return as we gear up for the upcoming Easter season

Weather permitting we are going to head back to the ballpark in the morning to hopefully watch Josh Hamilton, Joakim Soria, Willie Bloomquist, and Mike Aviles play in a "B" game before leaving for the airport to fly back to Austin. It's been a great trip, but we are also looking forward to getting back home (after I get an In-N-Out burger, fries, and shake!).

Another great day at the ballpark! The Royals won and Zack Greinke was lights out. For pics and more news check out be sure to check out my Facebook or Erin's blog!

I'm in Phoenix for a few days checking out the Texas Rangers and Kansas City Royals spring training. I am a big baseball fan and love the Royals, Rangers, and St. Louis Cardinals. I'm here with several friends as well as my wife Erin who is posting updates and pics on a regular basis at her website. Be sure to check back here or on Erin's site for the latest on our 2010 Spring Training trip. 

My wife, Erin, has a sports ministry she operates called Worthy Of The Prize. This is a multi-faceted ministry centered around using sports to share the Gospel. One of the features of her ministry is a blog that is updated daily. After competing in a recent 3-on-3 basketball tournament Erin asked if I would share my experiences of how our team came together to win the championship. Never one to pass up an opportunity to share my (rare) success on the court I gladly obliged. Check it out HERE.

Recently I was privileged to attend Willow Arts Ministry's "The Green Room". This was a simulcast event that was shown at Austin Christian Fellowship. A team of volunteers from the AMBC Worship Ministry joined me for sessions on team building, worship philosophies, and service structures. This blogs continues the series of some takeaways that we left with.

Nancy Ortberg led "Building A Culture That Flourishes". Known for her work in building and strengthening teams, Nancy is an expert in the field of teamwork. Most of this session centered around group time where we met together and discussed different topics concerning personalities and teamwork. With that being said there isn't much in the way of notes to share, but I will leave you with a few key points.

"Jesus was a walking defining moment." - Nancy Ortberg

“It is better to lead from behind and to put others in front, especially when you celebrate victory when nice things occur. You take the front line when there is danger. Then people will appreciate your leadership.” - Nelson Mandela

Guidestone posted a feature on me and a few other guys that have lost weight recently.  Check out www.guidestoneinsurance.org/wellness/testimonials.aspx.

Recently I was privileged to attend Willow Arts Ministry's "The Green Room". This was a simulcast event that was shown at Austin Christian Fellowship. A team of volunteers from the AMBC Worship Ministry joined me for sessions on team building, worship philosophies, and service structures. The next several blogs will contain some takeaways that we left with.

Bringing The Team Your Best by Dan Allender

The one thing I'll remember from this talk was Dan's story about car repair. He was driving in a Colorado snowstorm and needed windshield wiper fluid. He pulled over to a gas station, but when he entered he couldn't remember what the item he needed was called. After gesturing to the clerk and trying to sound out the words Dan somehow got across to her that he needed windshield wiper fluid. After making the purchase he asked if she knew where in the car the fluid went. Frustrated, she sent him outside to ask the mechanic on duty. Being a guy, asking another guy for help with a simple project was kind of embarrassing, but Dan had no choice. The mechanic said it went on the right side. Walking back out to the car Dan began to wonder which right side? Looking at the hood or from inside the car? Walking back in the garage to ask for clarification, the frustrated mechanic took the bottle and went out to do the job. He instructed Dan to pop the hood. After fumbling around for a few unsuccessful minutes, Dan sheepishly lied and said he wasn't sure how to pop the hood since this wasn't his car.

The whole point of this crazy story is to remind people that you don't have to be an expert at everything. Dan's vocation was a professor, lecturer, and teacher. He wasn't expected to know much about vehicles. Likewise, the mechanic most likely would never be expected to teach a class or give a lecture. As we look at our teams we should try to maximize everyone's unique gifts, not try to shape someone into something they're not. God has given everyone certain strengths that for someone else may be a weakness. Simply put: Be the best at what you do and let someone else be the best at what they do. Then come together as a team using your different strengths to make your organization as strong as possible.

Recently I was privileged to attend Willow Arts Ministry's "The Green Room". This was a simulcast event that was shown at Austin Christian Fellowship. A team of volunteers from the AMBC Worship Ministry joined me for sessions on team building, worship philosophies, and service structures. The next several blogs will contain some takeaways that we left with.

Hallelujah: What's Right With The World by Dewitt Jones 

This world famous photographer talked about beginning each morning with a "Full Cup". Obviously a positive thinker, Mr Jones encouraged everyone to see the good in situations and to listen to God's voice during times of struggle. He also talked about his love of photography and how he made his avocation his vocation. He mentioned that even when not working he will go out to take photographs because he simply loves it. He encouraged all attendees to find what you love and what you are passionate about and if possible, make that your vocation. For more information check out www.dewittjones.com.

 

If you have ever wondered about the history of Anderson Mill Baptist Church I encourage you to check out Our Story under the About Us section. Even if you aren't that curious I encourage you to check it out and see how God has moved in and blessed this great church.

It appears that Pastor Ed Young and Fellowship Church have once again found the DFW media spotlight shining bright on them. Click HERE for the full story from WFAA in Dallas/Ft. Worth.

The following is a rebuttal of sorts from Pastor Chris Wigley on staff at First Baptist Church in Burleson. 

Wigley - "In case you are unaware of the recent news report concerning Ed Young, pastor of mega church Fellowship Church, news 8 in the DFW area aired a segment highlighting the life of luxury and wealth of Ed. The segment suggested that Fellowship Church owned a private aircraft and that Ed makes money on the side with his publishing business as well as mentioning that Ed makes $1M per year salary and is how he affords his $1.5M 10,000 sq ft home.

This story perked my interest at several levels. I am in the ministry and I love how God uses the church to do mighty works. Anytime the church is attacked I want to defend her. Saying that does not mean that I defend the pastors that lead the church as there are many who have led the church in directions that was and is not glorifying to the Lord. Another reason this story perked my interest is because I am familiar with Fellowship Church and have benefited from it's ministries over the years.

So, I decided that I would attend Fellowship Church last Saturday night to see how Ed and the church would respond to these allegations. I encountered a very humble and transparent Ed Young who took the stage with a resounding standing ovation from his congregation. I am always amazed at how encouraging Gods people are. Ed proceeded to address the issues presented in the news piece while admitting that he didn't watch the segment because he tried not to listen to the bad reports or the good reports as both reports can negatively affect ones approach to ministry. He reassured the church that there is no plane, however he did make use of leased aircraft at the direction of the church's board of directors. This is due to his increased amount of travel due to Fellowship's influence across the world. He wanted to be sure to take care of his family while at the same time encourage pastors all over the world. He also explained that his home is not 10,000 sq ft but just over 7,000 sq ft. He said that acquiring the home was a God thing as he sold his previous home at a premium price and a church member gave him a sweet deal on his current property. He also assured the church that he didn't make $1M a year. He referenced a compensation study among churches his size and Ed is intentionally under the average salary.

My thoughts on the service:

1) I was impressed with Ed's transparency as he shared more information than necessary in effort to be open and honest. This is good for both Ed and the church

2) once Ed addressed the issues he went on with his message as planned and although the message presented opportunities to bash the media, Ed never mentioned it after he said his piece. This showed class and the importance of the teaching of Gods Word.

3) The is a high level of accountability that Ed has placed around him. This shows wisdom as we are all tempted to fall prey to material success. He surrounds himself with pastors and church leaders that are willing to tell him no.

4) I am disappointed that the media feels it appropriate to bash the universal Church without clear evidence. The church is the bride of Christ and should be respected above all other organizations!

5) I know God has incredible things in store for Fellowship Church. Where you see the work of discouragement you will see a move of God. I am praying for Ed and Fellowship Church as they continue to be a light in a dark world. Join me in that prayer as I pray that for every Bible believing and preaching church across the globe."

 

I'll follow Chris' remarks with one of my own:

This news story (if you can even call this kind of journalism news) reminds me of when I lived in the DFW in 2005. The DFW media blasted Ed Young and Fellowship Church for not having church on Christmas Day which happened to be on a Sunday. What was not reported was that they had just wrapped up somewhere between 15-20 Christmas Eve services attended by an estimated 40,000+. The thought process was that everyone had experienced corporate worship in the days leading up to Christmas and that Christmas Day should be a time of worship at home with your family. 

Whether you agree or disagree with the 2005 or 2010 news stories regarding Fellowship Church you would have to agree that the media serving as moral or religious compass is a little frightening. 

If you are a football fan you may have heard by now that quarterback Kurt Warner retired today. Football has lost one of the greatest of all time, both on the field and off. Seth Wickersham says it best.

The new website is up and running! Check it out at www.ambcaustin.org!

It's been a few weeks since I last posted and some of you may have wondered what happened to my blog updates. I'm still here, but I have been spending all my time getting the new AMBC website up and running. We're in the stretch run at this point and just about ready to "go live". See for yourself at www.churchonlakecreek.sitewrench.com. We are still working on completing a few pages and getting all the links up and running, but we're about 85% done.  I hope your new year has gotten off to a great start! Look for another blog post soon letting you know the new website has gone "live'. 

2000 - It was almost 10 years to the day that I was traveling to the TWA Dome in St. Louis with the youth group from FBC Vandalia. We were headed to an event called Youthlink 2000 and I was one of the adult sponsors. Attendance was lower than expected due to all the fears of Y2K, but the event (featuring Smalltown Poets, The Supertones, & MercyMe) was awesome.    

In May I moved to Ft. Worth to take a summer internship at Handley Baptist Church where Matt Atherton was Music Minister. I also played drums in his band that led worship at a few camps that summer. At a GA (Girls In Action) camp for grade school girls I met Erin Vick who was a counselor there.    

In December I took a road trip with Matt Mooney down to Texas to escape the cold Missouri winter for a week, catch a Dallas Mavericks game, and more importantly to see my friend Erin who lived there.    

2001 - Praise Song, the college sponsored worship band I played drums with for 3 years, took a week-long Texas tour for spring break. It just so happened I was able to see Erin 4 days out of the 9 we were there. Upon traveling back to Missouri I knew I was falling in love.  Erin traveled to Missouri twice over the summer to meet my family and hang out at the Lake Of The Ozarks and also in St. Louis.  

In December I wrapped up my course work at Hannibal-Lagrange College and moved to Denison, TX to begin serving as Music Minister at Hagerman Baptist Church in Sherman, TX. I look back with fond memories of Hagerman where they took a chance on a college graduate from another state with no full-time experience. They had a great staff of people to work with who allowed me to come in and try new things and make rookie mistakes while building a strong sense of family and friendship.  

2002 - I was engaged to Erin Vick on July 5 when I asked her to marry me at the Vick Ranch near Salado, TX. A few weeks later we vacationed in Orlando with my family taking in all the parks of Disney World.  

In the Fall I began my career as a seminary student at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Ft. Worth studying Church Music.  

2003 - Before my second semester of seminary I changed my degree plan to Master of Arts in Christian Education to challenge myself in a new area of study. Erin was still in seminary at this time and we were able to see each other on campus quite a bit.   

We bought our first house in February in Denison, TX. I moved in and spent the next few months remodeling. I gutted most of the interior and turned an outdated house from the 70's into a comfortable modern home.   

Erin and I were married on May 31 at Connell Baptist Church in Ft. Worth before traveling to our honeymoon destination of Savannah, GA. We plan to go back for our 10th anniversary! 

Erin graduated in December from SWBTS with a MACE with a Recreation Ministry emphasis.  

2004 - Within a 4 week span in June we traveled to Colorado Springs, CO on a mission trip, went to Destin, FL for vacation, and flew to Los Angeles, CA for a church conference. In the midst of these travels Erin was offered a coaching/teaching position at her alma mater, Martin High School in Arlington, TX. Feeling this opportunity was too good to pass up we left our friends at Hagerman and moved to Arlington. I took a Minister of Music position at Longbranch Community Baptist Church in Midlothian, TX about 20 miles to the southeast of Arlington.  

In the Fall we bought our first new vehicle, a Ford Explorer, which we still drive today.  

2005 - Working part-time at LCBC and going to school part-time at SWBTS kept me pretty busy, but when an opportunity to be on the Grounds Crew for the Texas Rangers came my way I jumped at it. This was one of the coolest jobs I ever had and left at the end of the season with many great memories. Being an avid baseball fan I couldn't believe they actually paid me to watch baseball and sometimes work a little bit. Towards the end of the season Erin and I found out we were pregnant and going to have a little boy!  

2006 - In January I became the full-time Associate Pastor at LCBC with responsibilities in music, education, and youth.  

In February I purchased a brand-new Ford F-150. Not a big deal to most, this was the first time in 10 years of driving that I had ever owned a new vehicle. Goodbye old cars and trucks. Hello new truck!  

On May 5 I graduated from SWBTS.   

On May 7 Anderson Monroe Franklin was born! 

2007 - In February I left LCBC and shortly thereafter accepted the Worship Pastor position at Anderson Mill Baptist Church in Austin, TX. The week before I started my new job Erin and I took a trip to South Beach, FL for some fun in the sun. That may have been the most relaxing vacation we've ever taken. Our routine for the week was to sleep in, have brunch, go to the beach, eat a late lunch, go back to the beach, back to the room to shower and rest, out for a late dinner, and then back to bed. Nice.  

Towards the end of summer we found out we were pregnant again!  

2008 - On May 28 Evan Jackson (EJ) Franklin was born!  

2009 - In June Erin and I traveled to Chicago for a conference. While there we took in baseball games at Cellular Field, Wrigley Field, and Miller Park in Milwaukee. We also managed to find time to go to Navy Pier, eat some great Chicago-style pizza, and see many good friends. A few weeks later we went to our 4th ballpark of the month when we traveled to Houston's Minute Maid Park.  

In July we took the boys to Mustang Island on the Gulf of Mexico. This was the first time they had ever been to the beach and they loved it. Erin's sister and her husband, Seth and Jessica Lewis, and their two boys also made the trip.  

As we finish up this year we celebrated Christmas with Erin's family at the Vick Ranch and then my family came down to visit the following week.   

Tomorrow Erin and I head to Houston to watch Missouri beat Navy in the Texas Bowl. We'll be there to bring in New Year's Day as we close out the first decade of this century! What a decade it has been. From Hannibal and Vandalia in Missouri to Denison, Arlington, and Austin in Texas it has flown by and at the same time the year 2000 seems like a lifetime ago.  

I hope you've had a great decade!  Best wishes in 2010!