KevRhythmic

Yesterday I taught at Momentum kicking off our Musicology Series with Rhythm. The awesome creative team (James Fruits and Michael Bartlett) made this video.

It shows that any noise can be used to make rhythm when rests are added.
Because "Without rests, it is just a bunch of noise!"

Vision of Exile City @Mo

On Sunday we shared the vision of Exile City, our church plant, with Momentum Christian Church during the "Right Now" segment. During this time Dan Smith (www.whiteboydj.com) interviewed.  Check it out!

Unveiling the Name and Vision of Exile City from Exile City on Vimeo.

Sacrifice A Pizza on the Altar of Mission

A long time friend and church planter, who is financially strapped at the moment, just gave to Exile City's 200 for $25 fund-raising effort. When I told him that I was blessed by his generosity he said...

Crazy church planters have to stick together! Now if everyone would just give up their weekend pizza, we could expand some Kingdom in Jesus name! Let us know how else we might help.

Wow!  Consider giving up your weekend pizza to see lives transformed in Jesus' name.

Isaiah 32:8 “...generous people plan to do what is generous, and they stand firm in their generosity.” (NLT)

Music Monday | One Day by Matisyahu

I've been into Matisyahu ever since he recorded "Live at Stubb's".  I appreciate his music of hope, love for God, and his love for people.

Funny Friday | I love it when the Church makes fun of itself

This video has shown up in my email, google reader, and just about on everyone's blog, so I thought I would add it to mine. Enjoy!

"Sunday's Coming" Movie Trailer from North Point Media on Vimeo.

Exile City: City Embrace Team

As Jesus met with his followers they wanted to know how they could be great in his eyes. He responded “to be great you must serve” in Luke 22:6-7. Do you want to be great? Then join our City Embrace Team to serve the people of Cleveland.

The City Embrace (Service) Team will be called upon throughout the year to serve the city alongside our launch team on short-term mission trips.  We will serve at community events, family festivals, parks, shelters, etc.  The City Embrace Projects will almost always be one day trips to serve in the city.  If you join this team we will contact you (usually via email) with opportunities to serve and you will let us know, if you can come. People often ask, if they can sign up their small group, youth group, or sunday school class and the answer is YES!  This is a great way to get your church doing short term mission trips in their backyard!

To join our City Embrace Team or one of our other teams click here.

Exile City: Peace and Prosperity through Prayer and Service

Another reason we love the name Exile City is because we are called to seek the peace and prosperity of our city through service.

As Sondra and I felt called into church planting we knew our church was going to be founded on love and service to the City.

Jeremiah 29:7 says, “Seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the LORD for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper.”

We are here to prosper the city through service.
Join us in prayer for the Westside of Cleveland!
[Check back tomorrow on how you too can embrace the city!]

To Write Yourself Into the Story

Every night Sondra and I read Selah a story before putting her to bed, and one of my favorite things about Selah is that she instinctually wants to write herself into the story. She wants to be the princess, the main character, the hero.

She always points to the picture and says, "That's me!" Then she will point to another character and say, "That's you daddy!"

I believe that each of us were created to be heroic. A hero risks. He or she lays their life down for something that is good. I also believe that we are all created to be apart of a larger story. That God is writing a story and we have a part to play.

When I read the bible I always challenge myself to enter the story. To say, what if I read the story from his point of you? From her point of view? Who do I most identify with? Who is the hero? How does the Hero in the story act? How can I be the Hero in my own life the way this character in the bible was?

I'm learning from my daughter to write myself into the story!

Our Country's Current Predicament

Many of our adopted systems that were deemed "wise" have become foolish. Many systems were built on a borrow it foreword, or a tax it forward mentality, which are birthed out of the immediate need for wealth (a.k.a. greed). These systems were bound to 'bust' sometime. It reminds me of this video...

Ponzi from Strike Anywhere on Vimeo.

When I read 1 Corinthians 3:19 I realized how we got stuck in this trap.

For the wisdom of this world is foolishness to God. As the Scriptures say, "He traps the wise in the snare of their own cleverness."

Let us be people who are accountable for our actions. Step 1: humility, Step 2: wisdom, not cleverness. Lets have some humility, change our hearts, and maybe God will give us some answers!

Exile City: Three Reactions

Exile City is a faith community (a church) that is for the un-churched and de-churched. We are a community that is on mission to Love Beyond Reason.  To reach out to the city with grace and love in Jesus' name. As you may have guessed, we had mixed reviews as we asked people about the name Exile City...

Un-churched, De-churched: Loved it!
Followers on Mission: Loved it!
The Content Churched Go-er: Didn't care for it.

Perfect!

Music Monday | Chicken Fried by Zac Brown Band

For all my momentum country fans out there...

I don't love this song, but I can tolerate it!

Spontenous Generosity | 200 to give $25

Generosity is contagious. It's like a snowball that is rolling down a hill, it gets bigger the longer it goes. It moves more and more people to make a difference.  It builds momentum the further it rolls.

We are right in the middle of raising $5000 for Exile City's, our church plant starting in 2011, technology needs. $5000 sounds impossible, but if just 200 generous people would spontaneously give a one time gift of $25 we would meet our goal.

One online dictionary describes spontaneous... "Doing, thinking, or writing without planning."

Stop planning, click the ChipIn! button below, and give $25 with spontaneity!

Sister Saturday | Selah the Tongue-roller!

She thinks it's so funny that daddy can't do it! Grrr...

Funny Friday | Cute with Chris recites T-PAIN

Ever wonder what Rap would sound like, if a white guy did them as spoken word. I give you Cute with Chris reciting T-Pain's "Buy You A Drank..."

Hilarious! It makes me realize how ridiculous our music has become lyrically.

Introducing Exile City...

After hours of prayer, lots of discussion among our launch team, getting input from many West-siders in Cleveland, we have landed on a name for our church startup (aka plant).

Introducing Exile City...

The name was originally birthed out of my quiet time when reading Jeremiah 29v7

"...seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper."

A huge value of our community is Loving the City. Read more about how you can love the people of Cleveland by joining our City Embrace Team.

[Next week: I'll share more about why we chose Exile City]