nervous energy...

oh man, in just a few hours I will speak for the first time here at Grace Community in our student worship serve on Sunday night. Stoked, yes, nervous, yes. It is so weird to still get nervous before I speak. I think it is because I want to connect, I want God's Word to connect. I want kids to see God for the Glorious One He is and not just another guy talking. We will see how it goes. It is exciting, Jeremy Bullock and I are gonna team team this round...

We did get moved in, we are stoked to be kind of settled. We are loving the new house and we have the basics arranged and of course the Internet and cable are flowing. My girls, ESPN, the world wide web - home is great...We were so blessed with about 7 guys to help unload the truck on Friday. It went great.

Church in the morning - I am going to bed...

so many thoughts from ORANGE...

Well, I am sitting here in the Atlanta airport, waiting for my plane to take me back to VA to pick up the moving truck and come on to our new home in Clarksville TN. I have been at the ORANGE conference here put on by the REthink group and Reggie Joiner. We took 13 of our team from Grace Community and spent three days dreaming of what could be if preschool, children's, and student ministry planned, ministered, and worked together to influence children and students in our city and partner with parents as they raise their children.

For so long each area of ministry has exsisted independently, taken their group of volunteers and huddled in their own world with no care for the other area of ministry. I know this because I have led student ministries in 2 "megachurhes" during the past 7 years and the environment was no different at either one. Every are of ministry did their own thing, fought for bigger budgets, announcement time, and energy from the church as a whole. We all just kind of did our own thing and stayed busy as ever going from THING to THING, EVENT to EVENT, WEEK to WEEK. We had great intentions and great plans but we did not work together. We were busy and did some good things but at the end of the experience I wonder if there might be a better way.

We dreamed about this better way for three days at ORANGE. Well for that matter I have come to GCC to see what can happen with a Family Ministry concept since I am the Director of Family Ministry. So many people wonder what in the world I am going to do and I can prmise you this is is going to be different no mater how many times you will just refer to me as the "youth pastor". Well here it is...I basically lead some of the sharpest preschool, children's and Student leaders in the world to try to develop a master plan for leading children and teens to follow Christ and empower parents to be the biggest spiritual influence in their lives. Family Ministry is about partnering with parents to influence their children for Christ. Parents are the most powerful spiritual influence in a child's life so why not do everything we can to help them build into their kids. The great thing about my new job is that I get to dream about what could be if a team of preschool children's and student leaders worked together to invest in the family together. The other great thing is we actually get to carry our our dreams and live in faith. We do not have all the answers and we are committed to being life long learners. We lead together, we plan together, we share one budget, we go to battle together, we pry together, we worship together, we help each other, we create for each other. We are one team who work together and what i learned this week by being with my team is that God has put some incredible people in this little year and a half old church. If you get a chance go to http://www.orangeconference.com/ and check out what went down this week. It is gonna be wild to see what happens at Grace because of our time to dream and pray together this week. God is gonna do some wild things!

Gone to TN...but got a race in...

Today was so wild, we loaded the Uhaul, then I left with five guys to go to Richmond International Speedway to see a Nascar race...it was so wild. It was redneck heaven for sure but I really liked it. It was really loud, there were some crazy crashed and we had great seats - more later...not it is 2 AM and we leave for TN in the morning! Here we go!

Check out the pic from my cell phone! There were like 60,000 people at this thing...

the final countdown...

I am here blogging on a borrowed Internet connection. I thought I would write out some of our final countdown issues of moving. On Monday we had several things go down that were cray. One one day untility folks cut our phone line which cut my Internet connection then that night my xbox broke, then I screamed then I picked up a book and started reading. I may be the only guy in the world who has xbox, Internet and reading all on the same level. Do not play xbox much but in the middle of packing a 11 pm session of Madden is good for the soul. BUT like many things this week I had to change plans. Changing plans seems to be a skill every parent must get good at. Kids are ready to go to church, one year old poops her diaper. House is clean, 4 year old decides to put play makeup on the floor. Got tickets to go to the big game, someone at home is sick. It seems if you can not change plans this parenting thing will be hard. I am learning that changing plans means being willing to admit life is NOT about me but about serving those around me and relationships that matter. Go figure, this is hard for a selfish guy like me. I get told I am selfish by certain folks in my life and I am working on it. But enough, this week I am learning to be flexible, enjoy changes, trust God is going to sell my house here in VA, have fun in the middle of change, and laugh - laugh alot.

went to the zoo with the kids for the last time yesterday and the beach for the last time in Va on Sunday. Kozbi and I have 2 jars of sand coming to TN with us so that when we need to be at the ocean we can run our hands through the sand. Kelyn tried to eat sand Sunday night but man she had fun. At the zoo, a goose tried to attack us and Chelsea threw a box of crackers at it then I went after the goose with Kelyn's stroller, you should have seen me chase that goose. I was protector guy right then!

house, we have a house...

This is a post about 2 houses, yes we are about to own 2 houses and you could be the owner of one here in Chesapeake! Yes our house here has been on the market for about 30 days and we have had a ton of traffic. Lots of lookers but we have not closed the deal here. I wanted to put the pic up on the blog. Just wanted to ask you if you happen to read this to pray that God would bring the right buyer to us. He has such a sweet plan in all of this. We close on our new house on May 11 and we are very excited that God has provided us a way to get it while we still have a home in Virginia. We will be eating lots of macaroni for a while but it will work. We house hunted Monday and Tuesday after Easter and we found the house and made an offer. Chelsea is the great house judge and she is very excited. To be honest I ma excited also. This is what we were looking for and God provided it. Anyway, pray we get a buyer for the house here in VA.

When we get to C-ville we will begin a new adventure called Kozbi and Kelyn sharing a bedroom. Koz wants to have a bedroom with her sister so we are gonna try this and make the bonus room in the new house more of a family play room. (I need a new xbox 360 so I can play!) It will be fun to see how it works. The girls get along so well. We will see!

last sundaty at First Norfolk

Today was our last day at First Norfolk serving on staff as Minister to Students. It was so incredible to be encouraged by so many folks today. We have enjoyed every moment of leading the students in Norfolk. Our time in VA has been a time of learning to trust God and believe in the local church. Chelsea and I have a heart for the new church movement. We are so passionate about rethinking how church is done and community is experienced but our time at First Norfolk taught us that God has a huge plan for every church that is willing to place Him at the center of their focus. Yes FBCN is 200 years old but the future for First Norfolk is bright because the leadership is looking forward to God's mission for the church and not worshipping methods used in the past or apologizing to church members for having vision and direction from God. It has been amazing to work with Eric Thomas and the staff at First Norfolk. We will continue to pray God will pour out his spirit on FBCN and we so look forward to keeping track with all our peeps from VA Beach and Chesapeake. (yes I said peeps) Thanks to all to wrote incredible cards of encouragement and gave time to drop by and give a hug and a prayer to the Bayne family.

We are stoked about joining the team at Grace Community. Our first Sunday will be Mothers Day ( my mom will be worshipping with us at grace that day! YEA for MOM!) and we are stoked about getting into town and getting settled. We have a house that we are buying there so we are now trusting God to sell our house in Chesapeake. It is a wild adventure for sure. Chelsea and I want to say thanks to all the folks in Clarksville who have welcomed us back to town. We have so many frineds that are in different churches in C-ville who have emailed and called to encourage us and we so look forward to connecting with all of you. We are thrilled to be joining the KINGDOM effort in the city and we know God will be glorified as we all live out our faith each day in the city.

My new email is michael@gcomchurch.com if you need anything! Get to start packing soon. Praying for a patient heart!

nervous energy this week...

This is our last week here on staff and First Norfolk and it has been filled with nervous energy and mixed emotions. I am thrilled with what God has planned at Grace Community but it is so difficult to tell kids and leaders you love goodbye. We leave a group of students we have lead and loved for almost three years. We have seen a group of freshman to graduation this year. We have been able to see many teens come to Christ. It has been amazing and now God has a new path for us at Grace Community. It was an incredible time Wed. night at our last Going Public.

2 other things came up this week. We had our first double look at our house that is for sale here in Chesapeake. They came once yesterday and then came back again for a second look. We hope we see an offer soon. We so want this house to sell but we are waiting for God to do His thing on this one.

The other surprise Thursday was getting a call that Brandon Reed was in the hospital. He ended up having his appendix taken out yesterday and the doctors took some sweet pictures of his "innards" is that a word? The surgery went well and it was cool to be able to make B laugh a little before he got cut on. We can make any situation not seem so serious, we have a gift for taking what is serious and making some sick joke. God was good and brought him through all of it. I had the most important things ready for B when he came out of surgery, his laptop, ipod, some books, cell phone charger, and gum of course. The nurse got him a Mountain dew after surgery - that was sweet. I want that nurse when my appendix explodes!

On a serious note my heart goes out to the students and teachers at VA Tech. We know several students there and God protected them during the shootings. I pray God will use Christ followers all over the campus to bring light to a dark situation. In the midst of pain Jesus is there ready to bring hope. We are praying for the folks at Va Tech!

I may be insane, tonight Chelsea and I cheared when SAN - JY - A got kicked off American Idol, then I called my mom to make sure she saw it and she was cheering also.

I may need counseling...Brandon Reed called the vote tonight at GP, I still may need counseling!

Have a great night!

New adventure with Grace Community...

WOW I finally get to blog about this journey. God has led Chelsea and I to move our family back to Tennessee and partner in ministry with Grace Community Church as their Director of Family Ministries. Man it feels good to express what God has been doing in my life. Grace Community is in Clarksville and is a church my best friends planted about a year and a half ago. It has grown from a group of about 20 folks to over 800 attending, meeting in a local High School. It has been a long journey to get to this point but there is no doubt God has been in this all along the way. He blessed me with the chance to do ministry with some of the most incredible people here at First Norfolk for almost three years and now He is taking my family on a new adventure in an environment that I feel at home in.

It is hard to explain what God is doing in our lives right now but Sunday as I went to church at Grace I felt like I belonged at church just as I was, not pretending to be something or someone I am not . I looked around and saw people relaxed and joyful to be with one another in worship and fellowship. The folks wanted to be there and it was a sweet experience. I do not have a traditional bone in my body so it was wild to feel so at home at church. It is amazing what happens at church when you throw all of the man made rules out and just re imagine what could be. It is very exciting to think about what God has for the future.

I will greatly miss my friends at First Norfolk. Leading this group of students has been amazing. Today is a new day... let the journey begin...

the bible...it is amazing...

Today I went to Lifeway with my 3rd grade nephew and bought him and his sister new Bibles for Easter. Of course like any good youth pastor I got them a sweet metal cover NLT so they can read it with ease, I know some of you KJV only people do not think that is official but I quit caring many moon ago. I am a huge NLT fan, preach from it, use it my quiet time, brag about it since some of my Southern Seminary profs helped to translate it. I am a big fan but I am getting away from my story. I bought them the Bibles...they went crazy with those things. It was so cool to talk to them about chapters and verses and how the Bible got here and show them my favorite verses and help them know about the New and Old Testament. Their parents have been raised around church but my niece and nephew neither have been plugged into church. They have never been to "Sunday School" much. It was as if I had revealed a big case of cash to them. They really were excited about reading the Bible and knowing God might have something to say to them. They are both very young but it is so cool to see them have a Bible they can understand and have the desire to read it and discover truth about God. JJ said..."I am really into God right now" for a 3rd grade kid that is so cool. I pray God will open more doors for us to talk and for God to draw both my niece and nephew to Himself. I also pray that I would keep that wonder about God's word in my life. I pray I would always be in awe of this great God who gave use such a wonderful glimpse of His Glory through the Bible.