shawnlovejoy.com

When in doubt, we're having church...but stay tuned...

Yes, I know everyone is cleaning the shelves  at the Grocery Store of all the bread and milk today, because of our predicted half inch blizzard, but the answer to your question is: "Yes! We're having church unless it's dangerous to get here! Yes, even if it snows a little! We have an unbelievable service planned tomorrow and you don't want to miss it! However,  you can stay tuned in to my blog, facebook, twitter, or mountainlakechurch.org for any inclement weather announcements...... You will also be able to call our church offices for inclement weather updates at 770-888-2513.

Last week of Button Pushers...

God has been so evident during our Button Pushers series! God has been reminding us that:

• We can not escape button pushers.
• You and I ARE button pushers.
• You and I are God's biggest button pushers. 
• God does not respond to us based on who we are or what we've done, but based on His character.
• God desires that we respond to button pushers based on the way He responds to us. 
• Through what God has done for us through Jesus, we have a new motivation for honoring God in our responses to the button pushers in our lives!

This our LAST WEEK of Button Pushers, and it's going to be the best! Our Teaching and Creative Teams have decided to give God some extra room to move this Sunday, so we're going to call for radical commitment this week, and I believe God is going to show up BIG TIME!  I can't wait to share Sunday with you guys! It's going to rock! Start praying now! Invite everyone you can!!!

OK...I give up...I'm twittering...

After a bunch of elbowing and prompting...I'm twittering! My tweets will post to my blog AND facebook, but you can also follow me on twitter starting today! Follow me as I follow Jesus! @shawnlovejoy

church planting advice from Troy Gramling...

a million (or so) thoughts from the conference...

• God always comes through at the last minute.
• the conference was packed out. 
• This has been the least stressed our team has ever been for a conference! We're finally learning how to do this well!
• This conference would not have been possible without our partners and vendors! Thanks!
• I'm honored to have David Putman as a partner.
• Marie Lindelli is the Best Ministry Assistant in the world...
• Mountain Lake Church is the best church in the world because we have the best people in the world. 
• I think I drank 10 cups off coffee in the last 2 days. ( and two sweet teas).
• I spoke seven times in two days.
• Church planters struggle with the same 5 things, regardless of context (best practices).
• The secret to my church planting success? I've been too dumb to quit!
• Chad, Autumn, John and Louie got GREAT feedback from their pre-conference sessions. Thanks, guys!
• Todd Nichols is the best Worship Pastor in America. Bar none. 
• I love my wife.
• Tricia did her first conference breakout and nailed it!
• I was also honored to have Will Mancini, Gary Lamb, Tony Morgan, Ben Arment, Brian Jones, Reggis Joiner, Brian Bloye, Matt Evans, Rick Campbell, Casey Graham,  and Larry McCrary, lead breakouts!
• I was honored to have: Bob Roberts, Ed Stetzer, Nelson Searcy and Troy Gramling on our stage! You guys were all so different, but knocked it out of the park in different ways! I love that!
• Mark Clement did  GREAT JOB as the Strategic Director for this Conference.
• God is using Mountain Lake Church and churchplanters.com to rock our nation and world!
• We announced that churchplanters.com is going WEST COAST on November 2, in San Diego, CA!
• Last night I got confirmation from our first speaker for next year's Conference here at Mountain Lake: Ed Young, Jr. from Fellowship Church will be here! Feb 22-23, 2009! Mark your calendar now!
• Can't wait til Sunday, now! We're going to have revival break out at our church Sunday! I just know it! One of the biggest risks we've taken in a while comes up in this Sunday's services!

Day One video glimpses...

God was here on day one! Can't wait for day two!

churchplanters.com '09

       

        On behalf of everyone here at Mountain Lake, I want to welcome all of you to churchplanters.com '09. Guys, you need to know up front, that this year, we've made a conscious decision. IN light of all that's happening in our nation and our world these days, we're not going to try to be overly cute, creative or funny in our programming this year at our conference, That's right. No Guitar Hero tournaments. No hilarious videos. No cute skits or games.
        We just thought that in light of what's happening in our world and in our churches, that what we all really needed to do was have CHURCH the next two days. I think we as need to connect with God more than ever before! We need to hear from God! We need to be refreshed by God! Can you handle that? I hope so. Get ready. Pray. Get ready to encounter God...and let's go! PLEASE come by and introduce yourself! I love hangin' with church planters!
        I'll be speaking today on the main stage about "Leading in Uncertain Times." Also, during the conference, Todd Nichols and I will be leading a breakout called: "Getting Artist and Preacher on the same page." Don;t miss that one! THEN, I personally will be leading another breakout called "The Five Best Practices of Ministry".

New free resource for church planters!

Todd Wilson and my good buddies over at the Exponential Network have put together a new free resource called: "Leadership Learnings from Bloggers." It contains blogs from some of the most widely read ministry blogs in America. I made the list! It contains blogs from:
Ben Arment
Mark Batterson
Chris Elrod
Dave Ferguson
Mike Foster
Seth Godin
Craig Groeschel
Alan Hirsch
Scott Hodge
Michael Hyatt
Gary Lamb
Brad Lomenick
Shawn Lovejoy
Will Mancini
Tony Morgan
Perry Noble
Bob Roberts, Jr.
Ed Stetzer
Tim Stevens
Tullian Tchividjian
Jud Wilhite
Jared Wilson

Download it here! (pdf)

Button Pushers III...

I'm up this morning getting ready for Button Pushers Three. We've retitled it: "The Countdown To Launch" button. Can't wait to talk about this! It's going to be awesome! See you there! Tonight is Leadership Community, for all of our leaders ta Mountain Lake. Tomorrow is the church planter's conference, and it's going to rock! Pray for me. I'm speaking seven times over the next two days! WOW! Just thankful for the opportunity...Glad somebody wants to listen to me!

Efrem Smith's church planting advice...

Efrem Smith, Senior Pastor of The Sanctuary Covenant Church, offers his quick church planting advice: