Honor Your Volunteers with Efficiency

In the two years we’ve been in the theater, we’ve learned little by little how to make life easier on our volunteers.  We want people to serve passionately and to work outside of thei comfort zones.  But, we don’t want them to do unnecessary work.  We value excellence.  But, we also value efficiency.

Every week during staff meeting, we talk about how to make our Sunday systems better, easier, and more efficient.  In a portable venue, we have learned and continue to learn these things:

• If at all possible, put wheels on it.
• If at all possible, put it in a box.
• If at all possible, store it in order and close to its final destination.
• If at all possible, remove barriers to the flow. Eliminate the log jams.
• If at all possible, reduce the number of footsteps.
• If at all possible, leave a diagram, take a picture, or write on it.
• If at all possible, eliminate it.  Being portable reminds you to be simple.
• If at all possible, don’t make people guess.
• If at all possible, install it.  While you’re portable, you still may be able to eliminate setup by doing limited installations.  We’ve installed some sound equipment and all lighting thus eliminating hundreds and hundreds of man hours in setup and tear down.

Raising the level of efficiency has honored our numbers of volunteers, multiplied them, and multiplied their effectiveness by freeing them up to better serve.  If you’re in a portable setup, what are some of the things you’ve done that has increased your efficiency and has helped you to be more excellent at the same time?  What are some things that you think can be done…that you/we haven’t gotten to yet?

Sunday Wrap-up

• Chris’ Wrap-up is here…always enjoy his thoughts, especially when he tells the real story behind his blog.
• Notes from Week 2 of Simply Jesus.
• Our crew are bringing their parents to church by the truck loads…seems like a role reversal.  I love it!
• Today’s message was very enjoyable and challenging for me. Jesus is our prophet, priest, and king. Don’t pick 1 or 2 out of three.
• As we embrace Christ, we must embrace Him fully – without bias for any of His roles.
• Having our lighting permanently installed in the theater changes the vibe of the morning, cleans up our space, and makes tear down super fast!
• The baby dedication in the 10:30 service was incredible. The sense of family in our church is overwhelming to me…feel incredibly honored to be a part of this.
• Jesse and Soul Radio let it fly during Isreal Houghton’s “Let The Redeemded of the Lord Say So.” It felt like the theater exploded.
• Then, he follows it up with the most ridiculous announcement videos every week. I always look foward to those. Today, he looked….well, interesting.
• Remember, real friends will tell you if you have “a bat in the cave or a hanger.”
• This is where I got my t-shirt. Now, quit asking!
• After church, we over ran Casavana. Ritz had the world’s biggest meal, a heart attack on a plate. I have no clue how he at probably 145 lbs, put it all away. The meal was the size of a medium sized house cat (sorry Chris).
• Luis and his family hung out with us…love those guys…wish they lived here. Maybe one day.

Jesse’s Worship Pastor Coaching Notes – Session 2

Jesse shares some of his notes from session 2 of his coaching network with Jason Hatley at the Journey Church in Manhattan.  My favorite takeaway from his notes?

I don’t know anything until I can show someone else.

Quick Hits and Secret Info

• Miami is the cleanest city in the USA. See? Life Pointe is already having a big impact.
• The 7 days leading up to Easter, I had ridiculous blog traffic, averaging 1,110 unique readers a day – a high of 1,800. I’m a traffic hound. Who cares?
• Jesse looked like “Where’s Waldo” in his super cool man-on-the-street video intro to first message in our new series, “Simply Jesus.”
• A little secret not mentioned anywhere else is that I’m starting a mini-group at Atlanta Bread Company tonight….going through Erwin McManus’ book “Soul Cravings.” It lasts 6 weeks from 7-8:15 PM on Thursday nights. Renegade? Want to skip registrations? Drop in unannounced and crash the party.

Moonlight Easter Egg Hunt 2008 VIDEO

While the video fails to fully capture some of the more intense moments…specifically on field 3, it gives you an idea of the vibe. The first egg hunt didn’t begin until 7:45. By 6 PM, there were a couple thick lines wrapping around the ball fields…mucho fun, mega chaos, pure craziness. Let’s do it again.

The Revolution is Just Around the Corner?

In the past several days, I’ve heard a ton of stories and received emails more encouraging than I can describe.  In my life group alone, the stories are almost unimaginable…how big God’s grace is, especially the miracles that took place this weekend.  Who would imagine what has happened could?  Who could imagine what can happen will?
During my group, we expressed a burst of appreciation for one another.  I was hearing a lot of love directed toward me and our team.  And, I couldn’t say enough about the open, loving, ridiculously crazy community of Christ followers we have.  I went to bed thankful for God’s amazing plan…feeling like we can conquer the world with the inconquerable message of a revolutionary Jesus.

Then, this morning, I read these thoughts from, Steven Furtick, a pastor in Charlotte (he says it well):

It fills a pastor with unshakable courage when those in the fight with him refuse to back down, regardless of what they’re up against. This kind of support wallpapers a pastor’s mind with confidence that nothing is impossible with God.   The reason I’m able to be so bold and audacious as a leader has little to do with my faith in my ability.  It has everything to do with the team that I’m a part of.

I have this gut feeling that we have no clue what’s just around the corner.  What do you think “around the corner” will look like?

Care to Enjoy Another Easter Egg Hunt Story?

Gary speaks.  Listen.  And, in doing so, know that our egg hunt at between 7-9,000 people was not the largest.  Nor, was it the most chaotic…even though a guy who looked like he just escaped from San Quentin told me he was going to rip my #$%^ing lungs out of my chest during the third egg hunt.  There was no police detective waiting for me at the office this morning either.  I think you’ll enjoy Gary’s unfolding story and feel warm and cuddly inside over how ours went.

Think we’re doing another egg hunt next year?  Yep.  The MEGA PRIZE?  I think we’ll be giving away a new car.  I’m not sure which dealership wants to throw their hat in with us and be our major sponsor but, one will.  We’re going to rock the Sports Complex on 7 fields, dozens of bounce houses, piles of food, and a massive concert.   Can’t wait.

Is it Art? Or Advertising?

That was the question asked by The SunPost in reference to the Chus Garcia-Fraile’s Lincoln Road Post-it Project. What say you?

As an art, design, and advertising enthusiast, I loved it for its simplicity.   Thanks to south Florida blogger, Rick for the link.

Big Hairy Audacious Goals

My Big Hairy Audacious Goal for Life Pointe?

1. Raze Hell.
2. Make it hard for people to go to hell from Homestead.
3. Make Homestead Heaven on Earth for as many people as possible, regardless of the personal hell they may be living in.

What are your personal B.H.A.G.s?

Sunday Wrap-Up – Easter Weekend

• I’m getting ready to take our staff out for dinner to say thanks for all they did this weekend. So, this is fast. If you’d like to see a few of the pics that have been uploaded so far, you can here.
• We have incredible volunteers. They’re my friends. I feel like we charged hell together this weekend with squirt guns. I wish I could give them a massive hug and high five. They were unbelievably amazing!
• Moonlight Easter Egg Hunt = 7,000-9,000 crazy folks put up with us. We were expecting 2-4,500. Instead we got a Miami Heat basketball crowd.
• During the middle of the event, the bar for success shifted from how many showed up to the fact that no one was stabbed, injured, went permanently missing, or threw punches.
• Only one ambulance came to Harris Field…for a pregnant woman. If you were on the third Easter Egg Hunt, you know how big of a miracle that was.
• For whatever reason, after Friday night, they were crazy enough to come hang with us at church!
• A ton of people made decisions to follow Christ. The picnic and water baptism is on April 13th…HUGE PARTY as a lot of these guys go public with their faith.
• In the last two years, we’ve had just over 200 people obey Christ’s example by being baptized…a significant step!
• Today, we had around 720 people in 3 services @ Life Pointe as we talked about the humanity of Jesus.
• I can’t even begin to tell you all of the things that took place this weekend. There were about 6 guys that were at the theater all night doing the install of our permanent lighting…right up until 8:30 AM. That’s how we roll.
• We took communion to this vid.
• I feel like the Kingdom of God was expanded in Homestead….humbled to be a part of what God is doing on the earth.
• I feel privileged to be a participant with some of the most wonderful humans I’ve ever known…totally feel like we’ve bonded this weekend.
• For more Sunday Wrap-ups from different perspectives around Life Pointe, check out what Chris and Phil had to say.

Cold Play Easter and a Pink Floyd Redux

Last year, my blog Resurrection tribute was set to the music of Pink Floyd. This year? A moving YouTube set to “Fix You” by Cold Play. What a revolutionary. I’m humbled to know Him…humbled that He would be broken for us….looking forward to gathering with my church family to worship Him tomorrow.

Egg Wrap

The city did the Moonlight Easter Egg Hunt last year and had about 2,000 people. We took over the event this year and prepared for 4,000-4,500 on the high end. We had close to double that show up…around 8-9,000.  Our officer on the event said that on the very lowest side, there were 7,000…probably 9,000.

Things were good. The music was amazing. Our volunteers worked incredibly hard (these are wonderful, wonderful people). Still, we have a lot to learn…especially, when the equivalent of a Miami Heat game crowd shows up. Two of the four hunts had some challenges that will be fixed next year…specifically related to the volume of people  Our crew left Harris Field spotless in a matter of minutes, a testament to their excellence!

To the parents that came tonight, I want to say it was an honor to have you and your family participate.  Thank you for your help good spirits.  I love this community a ton and want it to be one of the best places a person can live. I’d love to hear from you personally and find out a bit about you. So, email me. I’d love to hear your thoughts.

I spoke with some people from the city this evening at the Hunt. There is a good possibility we will be doing this jointly with the city next year at the Sports Complex. That will help with the parking, logistics, space, and the actual hunts.

And, since this is probably my last post on my blog (maybe) until after our Easter services, I’d like to invite you to one of Life Pointe Church’s three services on Easter at 8:30, 9:40, or 10:50 am at Flagship Cinemas (Turnpike and Campbell Dr). We’ll be kicking off a new message series called, “Simply Jesus.” The 8:30 am service is brand new and will have the best seats available. During the 9:40 AM service, we’ll be having our monthly service for teens called TheCURE.

Childcare and children’s services are provided in every service. You should have no problem getting in and out. We have tons of parking…unless everyone at the Egg Hunt comes to church.

Anyway, we’re going to have an amazing time celebrating the most incredible moment in history- the day Christ was resurrected. In one moment, He brought forgiveness, life, and an eternal hope to each of us that will receive it, regardless of where we’ve come from, who we are, or what we’ve done!…hope to see you there.

If I Had Been There

If I had been there, I think I would have yelled at the man carrying the beam. I would have rooted on the Romans who were meting out His punishment.  I may have laughed when He fell under the weight of a not-yet-assembled rough wooden cross.  I may have thought that He should save Himself if He was really God.

But, when He looked to one of His friends and said “take care of my mom,” I would have felt an ache in my gut.  And, when the thief next to Him began coming clean with His faults, I would have felt guilty for my horrible thoughts about this good man.  When the skies darkened and the earth groaned, I may have wondered if we killed the wrong man.

When He asked His Father, “Why have you forsaken me?”, I may have felt incredibly confused and afraid.  Then, when He died, I may have gone home feeling dirty and ashamed to face my family for participating in the brutalization of an innocent man.

Its funny- in the face of all the horrible brutality removed by a couple thousand years, we look back and call this day Good Friday.  It is good…good for me.  The pain and crucifixion He endured has now given me life, forgiveness of sins, healing for sickness, and a life full of meaning.  All shame is gone.  The price has been paid.

God for this Moment

On Easter Sunday, we go into a new message series called “Simply Jesus” at Life Pointe Church at 8:30, 9:40, and 10:50 AM.
Between now and then, there are a thousand things happening including a lighting install at our theater, a sound system upgrade, and a Huge Easter Egg Hunt.  Then, on Easter, we launch a third service plus TheCure, our youth service for a total of 4 worship environments.  There is a lot to do by a lot of exceptional, hard charging people.  They’ve been praying, are in place, and they’ll pull of some amazing stuff in our busiest weekend ever.

In just a bit, I’ll retreat to a quiet place, clear my mind and get ready for a powerful intersection, a collision between God and man…a meeting that God has ordained a long time ago.  We emphasize service to our neighbors (work).  I’d like to stop and rest and reflect on the massive sacrifice Christ made for the people of this moment.

I’d like to emphasize quiet hope in a resurrected revolutionary Christ.  In all our efforts, we cannot rival His ability to transform lives.  With a heart of thankfulness for His sacrifice, I pause to trust God’s transformational provision for this community.  Join me in that hope.

Last call for Easter Pre-registrations

Pre-registration for the Moonlight Easter Egg Hunt is closing in a few hours.  Right now, we are approaching the 2,000 mark.  On top of that, we’re accepting walk-ups.  Seeing that people who follow the rules in Miami are a rarity (myself included), we’re expecting the walk-ups to be significant.

Word to the wise: get there early (gates open at 6 PM on Friday, March 21).  It’s going to be a blast.

Volunteer Schedule – Egg Hunt

We’re getting some last minute calls from people wanting to volunteer for the Egg Hunt.  Here’s the schedule:

1 PM - setup volunteers (@ Harris Field)

5 PM event volunteers (@ Harris Field)

If your commute or work schedule keeps you from making it to either of those times, you can show up at anytime after  5 PM, go to registration, and an event coordinator will give you directions on where you can serve.   The gates open at 6 PM…event is from 7-9 PM.

You can also email Annie for more info or if you have questions.

CiCi’s Pizza hooked us up

Today, Tim over at CiCi’s Pizza hooked us up with 200 free kids pizza buffets to go in eggs for the Moonlight Easter Egg Hunt.  That’s a great contribution to our community…a lot of kids are walking away with a lot of really great prizes!  I can’t wait.

Eric Geiger on “Doing the Opposite”

My friend from down the street, Eric Geiger is getting geared up for Easter.  And, he has a challenge for the good folks at Christ Fellowship.  I echo those sentiments.  Inconvenience yourself for someone this Easter by “parking far away and sitting up close.”

I’d like to add a third suggestion for the renegades at Life Pointe, “Attend the 8:30 AM.”  If you’re bringing friends and they don’t want to go to the 8:30, then by all means go to the service they want to do (9:40 or 10:50 AM).  But, if you hit the 8:30, you’ll be freeing up seats for our friends who have not been to Life Pointe Church and who also may be checking out Christ!  And, that’s awesome no matter how you slice it.

Jesus Saves!

I can’t wait to kickoff the Simply Jesus message this Sunday. And, I get to share it three times (8:30, 9:40, and 10:50). I got into the spirit of the series one week early with my new favorite T-shirt.

We Want Your Blood!

I’ve got to vent.  Every two months we host a blood mobile and ask people to give blood.  We view it as a ministry, a way that we can give to people we will never see and who will benefit from our inconvenience.  It has been a very positive experience…something we have done for two years.  There’s no telling how many tons of human blood we’ve collected over that time (to those of you that think we’re a cult, maybe younow have justification).

But, yesterday the chick that was working the blood mobile was shaking people down as they left.  If they said, “no.,”  she guilted them (including me).  One person said she was anemic and the response was “That’s just an excuse.”

#1 If you were a victim of a vampire at Life Pointe, I’m sorry the blood suckers got you.

#2 I’m sorry a bad representative of an otherwise excellent group gave a noble cause a blackeye.

#3 We have new rules in place for these guys which should keep things like that from happening again.  Sheez!

Moonlight Easter Egg Hunt OFF THE HOOK!

I’m blown away.  We’ve gotten over 900 people pre-registered for the Moonlight Easter Egg Hunt.  That’s ridiculously unexpected…can’t wait for this weekend.  At the same time, I wish we had more time.  In total, we have 4 services (8:30, 9:40, 9:40 THE CURE/students, and 10:50 AM) this weekend and a massive event for the kids in our community.

We kick off a new message series called Simply Jesus.  Brush your teeth, bring your friends, and let’s talk about the most aggressive revolutionary that’s ever walked the planet.

Without a doubt, this is the most exciting weekend in our history.  We have some amazing volunteers that are laying it on the line!  They are actively making Homestead heaven on earth and as a result are making it harder and harder to go to hell from Homestead.

I’m humbled and fired up!…ready to kick the devil in his mouth.

Sunday Wrap-up

• Another perspective than mine on the Sunday Wrap-up?  Check out Ritz Crackah’s “Sunday Goosfaba” and Chris Day’s “Sunday Morning Tossed Salad.“
• Our sound system has been duct taped together for 5 weeks now.  Our last elements come together (I pray) this week.
• We have some new JBL VRX900 series line arrays coming in any second!  This should help give an even distribution of sound on the auditorium.
• Our sound is about to go from a Yugo sound to Aston Martin clarion call!  I’m excited about it.
• Jesse’s announcement videos are seriously hilarious!  Today was one of the best.
• Kelly’s grandpa was in church with us today.  That was really special for Kelly…and for me to by extension.  Gene is the youngest old guy around.  We have a blast when he’s in town.
• After church, Life Pointe descended on Chili’s like lemmings plummeting off a cliff.  All the cool kids were there.
• I came to church just in time for service and left immediately for lunch with a newer family.  It felt odd to jet out without hanging out.  But, lunch was awesome.
• I’m thanking God for the favor we’ve had in our community…praying that we steward it wisely and see God continue to work in people’s hearts and lives.
• We closed out the day by hitting the keys all the way to Islamorada for some conch fritters, alligator, coconut fried dolphin, and shrimp approaching sunset on the Gulf of Mexico (that’s why my Sunday wrap-up is on Monday AM).

A Downward Trending Economy Equals HUGE Opportunity

If you’re in Miami and other boom/bust markets and have been in real estate, no doubt you’ve had your share of first hand experience with a downward trending economy.  I know I have.  If you purchase gasoline, your wallet screams with every fill-up ($3.49 per gallon here).  I know I have.
Things change.  If you aren’t used to it, you better get with it.  You can be dragged into the new economy kicking and screaming.  Or, you can embrace it and the HUGE opportunities it brings.

Seth Godin lays out a beautiful picture for the growth opportunities supremely well.  Those same words translate well over to the church.  I hear pastors moaning all the time about how challenging it is to build a church in this new era.  Let me be blunt.

The struggle to build a church has nothing to do with this cultural era or the power of the Gospel to transform hearts.  It has everything with to do with the way the church engages cultural opportunities.  As time changes, the church must change, learn, and engage using fresh, flexible, and innovative vehicles.

It’s a new era…an exciting time…if you’ve got the guts to anticipate the change, flex with it, and anticipate the new opportunities.

Notes from a Bullish Week

• The stock market is jittery, gas prices are up, and housing is down.
• But, I’m bullish on the future.
• As of last night (only 2 days of pre-registration under our belt), over 500 had pre-registered for the egg hunt.
• This Sunday we’ll be enjoyable closing out Fully Engaged.  I haven’t spoken in 3 weeks…ready to get back into the swing of things.
• Then, we hit Simply Jesus for 6 weeks of straight talk about the revolutionary Christ.
• I’ve gotten into more trouble this week than in a long time.  There aren’t many people who know the extent of it.  One thing is certain, I’m living my grandpa’s old adage, “You don’t get omelettes if you don’t crack some eggs.”
• I’ve decided that I don’t have to be nice to bullies.  I might have to get the crap beat out of me standing up to them…just don’t care.  Bruises heal.
• I’m bullish on Atlanta Bread Co.  I’m a bear on Starbucks…not providing WiFi is lame and very 2006.  Get with it, Oh patron St. of Coffee!
• Our new website might be rolled out in time for Easter…looking forward to that…love the feel.  In the meantime, we continue to rock a jacked up, duct taped website designed using Front Page.  But, hey!  It’s getting the job done.

Day One of the Moonlight Easter Egg Hunt Pre-registration

After one full day of pre-registrations for the Moonlight Easter Egg Hunt, we have well over 200 people registered.  Considering that registration started in the middle of the week and the word is just trickling out so far, I’d have to say that I’m really glad with how its begun.  We’ve set a limit at 2,000 kids.  So, get your registrations done and don’t let your neighbors miss it!  You only qualify for the Mega-prize if you pre-register.

easterinhomestead.com

Harris Field – corner of US-1 and Campbell Dr (SW 312th ST)

Friday, March 21  from 7-9 PM (gates open at 6 PM)

Homestead, FL

Ambition Emasculated

You can conclude ambition is a bad thing, but like blaming the gas for fueling the car of a drunk driver or even blaming the alcohol, the problem isn’t ambition, it is what we are ambitious for. Erwin McManus, “Soul Cravings” Entry 6, Section 2

Are you ambitious? Or has an emasculated faux-Gospel ripped your ambition from your gut and rendered you a helpless jellyfish floating safely through life, satisfied to do no great harm to yourself much less anything great at all?

What are you ambitious for? What captivated your heart and mind for which you now no longer care to fight? What is the catalyst that will cause you to dig down deep once again to pray big prayers, dream big dreams, and take big risks with a hope that somewhere in the middle of your daring faith and the unlikelihood of accomplishing so great a dream, God would show up and do the miraculous?!

Let the People Speak!

Jesse had some really awesome thoughts about one ridiculously awesome group of people.  You have to read it to know why I think Life Pointe is one of the most amazing communities of people that exist.

In other Jesse Santoyo news, he’s after me to update my mop.  I think he’s a crack smoker because he’s suggesting this:

Share your advice you little fashionistas!  What’s a heterosexual, 34 year old, non-Nascar watching pastor to do when it comes to sportin’ a new doo?!?  Since, I’m an everyman pastor, I may open this thing up to popular opinion.  So, let the people speak!

Monday Madness

• Interesting staff meeting this morning.  I think Atlanta Bread Company shut down the Wi-Fi to get us out of there.  Conspiracy?  Perhaps.
• We were there long enough to buy breakfast and lunch, both of which were delicious.
• “Simply Jesus,” our Easter message series is going to be ridiculously enjoyable.  
• We’ll be rockin’ everything from Bob Dylan, Kid Rock, Depeche Mode, Joan Osbourne, Cold Play, and Green Day…quite the mix.
• We’ll start filming a mini-documentary at Miami Dade College for the series.
• Chris Day, the new Director of Cool, Wow, Connectivity, or some other yet to be determined title was in the office today working on our guest systems.
• We sent out our Moonlight Easter Egg Hunt press release today.  A journalist for one of our newspapers registered her kids within 5 minutes of the press release!  I’ll definitely brush my teeth and comb my mop on the 21st!
• Blog traffic is getting ridiculous for me at least…been averaging 700+ unique readers daily.  So far today, the blog is at 883.  Strangest thing is that 6 people found my blog today by googling “manly man bag.”  Bro, if you’re reading, you have issues.
• Loving the responses on “Who the heck are you?“  To all you sickos who torch peeps, ”I love you!”
• At staff meeting, Jesse was trying to catch a dog.  He’s always taking in strays.  I never see them when I’m at his house.  But, he sure can grill up a heck of a cheese burger!

Sunday Wrap-up

• Chris is serving Sunday Morning Tossed Salad and Phil is serving Life Pointe Sunday Soup, their versions of Sunday Wrap-up. I enjoy seeing through other’s perspectives. So, their highlights are especially enjoyable.
• Paul spoke on being fully engaged in worship…great stuff. He hit a homerun and lapped the bases an extra time (code for being “a long winded preacher.”)
• We passed out the first of our Moonlight Easter Egg Propaganda. Expecting about 2,000 kids on 3/21. It’s going to be a “really” Good Friday.
• Since I wasn’t speaking today, I slipped out during the 10:30 AM to visit Christ Fellowship’s Homestead campus, now located directly across the street from us. Jorge showed me around.
• I loved catching a glimpse of what they’re doing.
• I also love the fact that you have to pass two awesome churches on Sunday mornings if you’re driving through on either of Homestead’s busiest corridors (FL Turnpike and Campbell Dr.).
• My hope is that it is hard to go to hell from Homestead. So, we’re working on making this place a heaven on earth. We can’t do it alone. But, we can do it with more life-giving Christ-focused churches living out the mission of Jesus in this town.
• I have to say that I have never felt more hope filled for this community than I do now. Awesome days.

Who the heck are you?

Who in the heck are you that read my peep killing tirades at travisjohnson.net?  Where are you from?  What’s your name?  What’s the name of your first pet (this one will help me hack your bank account)?

I’d love to get to know you.