have a great EASTER!

We have had an amazing weekend here in the Bayne Family! We have had family here since Friday morning and are getting ready for our second Easter egg hunt of the weekend. Easter egg hunt #1 was with family and the #2 hunt is with our neighbors. Kozbi played soccer this morning in a game for the first time...wow. I was really proud of her for not touching the ball with her hands. She had a great time!

Have a great Easter! Love this holiday since we get to celebrate the central moment of our faith as Christ followers. without this moment in history or faith is in vain. Praise God for salvation for hope, for Jesus. Since Jesus...my life has never been the same.

Have a great weekend...and GO VOlS!

church

Church…what comes to mind when that word is mentioned? At Grace Community we live out an idea of what church can be. We have an idea of what a community of believers should be about and we try to create an environment that helps people live that out each week. Well…this week I have experienced 2 weird thoughts about church. The first was a comment that was made by someone who visited GCC. When asked what she thought about the gathering that morning she immediately said…’well it was ok but that worship leader was wearing blue jeans’. Not a good sign that GCC was for her since all of us on staff and most of the people who go to GCC wear jeans every week. It is just odd that in a gathering meant to lead people to connect with God someone got stuck on jeans? Would her worship of God been better with a person in a suit or maybe a leader wearing a pair of overalls, or maybe in a swimsuit? Not sure…but it just seems funny. That was just the beginning of the weirdness. At the YMCA today I was talking with a friend about a couple who are coming this week to visit on Easter. She had a friend with her and her friend asked me about our church. First she asked me if we were connected with a denomination, then she asked me if we were a rock and roll church. (yes I did laugh when she asked me the rock and roll thing!) It was such an odd question, both the denomination thing, which is kind of normal for people who have church backgrounds, and the rock and roll thing. We never label what we do as anything but a gathering. We hate the word contemporary. What does that label mean, but the rock and roll label just caught me off guard. When I asked what she was talking about she proceeded to tell me in Nashville, churches used all those weird musicians to play loud music and rock and roll in church. Yes I am serious, she called great musicians in Nashville weird. Then she said liked old music in church…that is cool. Well, I said, I guess we are a rock and roll church and we ended the conversation and parted ways. I was taken back because I just think of our church as a place where people can discover the love of Jesus Christ in a context that makes sense. The music and the message are clear and connect to a person living life in Clarksville. I just do not think in terms of a label. A great band once wrote...rock and roll aint noise pollution, rock and roll aint gonna die. The Rock and roll label is fine but as many of you know we might be country or bluegrass next week and GCC. HA! We love being creative and creating a place where people can connect.

the adoption

I am writing after Tennessee just lost by one to Arkansas. What a great game! I am sick we lost but I have to say it was one of the best games I have seen all year. I love that we have a team that never gives up. I love to watch out guys run and gun. The loss may really help us in the end. If UT gets focused they can win a national championship and I can not wait for next Thursday and the big dance to start. Forget a #1 seed, bring the 2 seed and lets roll. I am stoked about our regular season sec championship and ready to see what the big orange machine can do. Go Vols.

We spent the past 2 days in Shelbyville to celebrate some new members of our family. My in laws adopted 2 wonderful children they have been raising for the past several years. Chelsea has a new brother and sister! God led her parents to adopt last year and they took the plunge of being 54 and parents of little kids. I am so proud of them. This move does not make sense in the eyes of man. They are not wealthy but they are simple following the barbarian way of Jesus and obeying the guidance of Father God. It makes no senses but it is such a Jesus kind of thin to do. we threw a big party for the kids and it was an amazing time. It was such a picture of what God has done for us as His children. We are HIS! God did the unspeakable and adopted us into His family. well, enough of being sappy - I am just amazed that my IN LAWS did what they did. welcome to the family Kamyia and Tristan!

Not much else to type, It has been an amazing week and God keeps teaching this guy about His way and His will. Trying to focus more on what matters and less of the temporal traps of this life. Enjoying God is the goal...

snow in march!

My family drove back from a week of vacation in Va Beach and we found SNOW. As we drove in we saw a snow man in many yards in our neighborhood. Most of the snow and the snow men were melting but Koz so wanted to make a snowman. we looked out the back window and there was snow so we did it, OUR FIRST snowman!!! It even got a UT hat! Go vols!

Yes, we were in Va beach and we went to see Brandon Reed get married to an incredible young lady named Kara. They made it and are now married and spending their honeymoon in Jamaica! Brandon is such a great friend and I am so happy for those 2! Way to go Brandon and Kara.

Gonna blog about some ministry stuff on the GCC website this week. Go check out our posts out at www.gcomchurch.com and check out our student ministry website at www.relevantstudents.com

what a sweet picture...

The power of the mac, that is where that pic came from...yea, this is my little brother Adam and I from Atalanta this past weekend. we had the chance to go to the Sundays at North Point conference, a 2 day experience where we got to see the environments at NPCC and got to meet with staff and talk about the ministry flow at the church. Great weekend, great experience to see the church up close. North Point has been so influential in my life, and seeing it up close did not disappoint. Adam and I both learned so much but what I took away from the weekend was seeing how far God has allowed GCC to come with family ministry in Clarksville. We have been putting new methods of family ministry into action in Clarksville for the past 2 years and so much we discovered though the team at NPCC. Really I am just proud of our volunteers, our staff, and the GCC church family for all the work over the past 2 years. As i watched the North Point team go for it Sunday I was thrilled to think that back in Clarksville our team was going for it with the same passion. I am thrilled with the difference God has allowed us to make so far and I am so excited to see what is next for our team. Lets dream big, trust God, and go for it!

Last week, Chelsea and I painted and finished Kelyn's BIG GIRL BED. yes both my girls are now sleeping in their own bed and it is so cool. yea, I know we are moving out of baby stage, but man we are thrilled. we have loved our girls as baby BUT man it is sweet to see them both grow and play together also. Both beds were beds that my brothers and I had when we were kids. Love my girls and so glad we could pass the beds down to them.

This is a big week at GCC, Daniel Doss released his CD today, yea it was on Itunes and in stores! Daniel is a great friend and he leads us each week at GCC. I am so thrilled that God has given him this chance to lead others in worship of Jesus Christ. Go out and get that CD!

wow, our team is amazing!

Well, it is Sunday and I have been here in Atlanta all day checking out North Point Community church. (http://www.northpoint.org/) Andy Stanley, Reggie Joiner, Steve Fee, the North Point team have been such an influence in my life and ministry and it has been good to finally see their environments up close and it has been well worth the time. All this time and this is the first Sunday I have ever been to the church.

Will say more about the experience later but I had to just get on here and type out my thanks to our team back and GCC, wow...gone all day and we had an incredible night at REMIX. It is so great to have an amazing team that will work to hit a home run every week. It was also amazing to be able to leave for a Sunday and have my pastor invest in the teens at our environment. Thanks to all who made it happen this week. Can not wait to see everyone next week for the DDB cd release concert!

More coming from last week with some new pics of the girls. Kelyn got her BIG girl bed!

I broke it...

You see that board...yea...I broke it on Sunday night at REMIX. (www.relevantstudents.com) we launched into a new series call THE GOOD FIGHT that is trying to help teens fight for a relationship with their parents. To help set the series up Taylor Hughes a friend I know who is a black belt came up and brought me a karate suit, and taught me how to break a board and in front of a ton of people broke that thing. I had to post it and I am keeping it in my office. You do need to come by and check that out. It was so much fun.

Today is Valentine’s Day and man I am blessed with an incredible wife. We are going on a date on Friday and I am ready for the time with her. God so blessed me with such a beautiful woman with such a love for life. She is an incredible mom and wife and I love her so much. Chelsea you are the best! Oh yea...we had a sweet party for my little girls also. They know their dad loves them.

This is a week that I have needed to step back and get better perspective on life and ministry. It has been challenging but God has brought me through to see things a little clearer. For me when things are going well I still go through times of self introspection and find myself evaluating the ministry going on around me. There is a balance to find in evaluating, creating, improving, and stepping back and RESTING in the God that this is all for. My life is for His Glory. There are times to step back and embrace that truth. I am His and I live for be fully pleased in God. This is the day to step back and REST and TRUST. Thanks God for all you do.

good stuff...

Yea, Grace Community church got a visit by the Catalyst Road Trip (http://catalystroadtrip.wordpress.com/) Yep, those good looking guys are Ben Chad and Bayne with LV and Mack from the Road Trip. You can go to the blog and check out what these guys are up to. You have to go see this van they are rolling around America in. It was great to share with the guys what God is doing at GCC. God is on the move in Clarksville and it is so great to be a small part of what is going on. Moments when we get to talk about GCC to other people are times when we realize that God is allowing us to create a culture of worshippers who are different. We are not a copy of any other church...yes we have learned from others but we are striving to allow God to give us our own unique environment. Great to have a visit from the Road Trip crew. If you have never been to the Catalyst Conference you have to make plans now!

This weekend is going to be wild. I get to speak to fathers and daughters at a Clarksville event called the Purity Ball put on by the Hope Pregnancy Center. It is so cool because yep, I have daughters and it is one of those dress up nights. After this I am speaking in Cross Street Sunday morning then Remix Sunday night - 4 talks in one weekend. Need God's strength for sure!

Good news, I have heard the new Daniel doss band Cd and I have to say - it is amazing. All of you who have been led by D over the years at church, camps and retreats are in for a sweet surprise. This is an amazing CD. Get ready to get it...the CD release party is Sunday night March 2 at Rossview High with DDB in concert.

conclave 2008 in Chattanooga

Been here in Chattanooga at Conclave 2008...(http://www.southeastconclave.0rg/) thinking and dreaming about student ministry. In my new role at GCC I work with our team to minister to kids from preschool to High School, wow...it has been good to narrow the focus and just dream about student ministry. Conclave moves to Atlanta next year for 2009, great conference and one I will bring some of our team back to next year. With that said the picture here is Charlie Hall leading us in the session tonight. I want to say thanks to the people at Grace Community for allowing us to create an environment in Clarksville that moves beyond "contemporary" (what is that anyway) TO an atmosphere of creativity that allows people to get beyond distraction and focus on the love of Jesus Christ for humanity. I used to go to conference and wonder why I had to go back to worship gatherings that made were founded in traditions of years past. Why could the gathering not be today? Why could it not make sense? Thanks Grace for allowing us to create a place like this. All of you would have felt right at home here at the conference. Hope Charlie gets to lead us in song at GCC sometime. Thanks Daniel D and Michael H for leading us each week. I appreciate it and how you strive to lead us to see Jesus clearly in the songs we sing.

Tonight Erwin McManus said this about the church today...
"We have loved traditions more than our children...we have been willing to lose a generation of our children to protect our traditions inside the church" WOW...chew on that a little. Thank God teens and college students are finding community each week in our Sunday morning gatherings at Grace. When our gatherings become foreign to teens and college kids we might need to evaluate our traditions. It is amazing to create student environments not to supplement the CHURCH or create a separate teen church but rather to simply help teens become fully devoted followers of Christ (this gathering is what we call ReMIX at GCC). That is what I do now because on Sunday mornings our services are making sense to today’s generation. Our traditions are not sacred. Methods are not holy. Our Savior Jesus Christ is sacred and this is all for Him.

what happened to fun...

When people start yaking about work and fun many of us just shut down. Many of us work at jobs we hate and honetly the best part of our week is Friday when we clock out. I have had jobs like that, walked in those shoes but hope to never put them on again. When i think back about work I think of so many times when we made what we did fun. Yes even at Food Lion when I was in college we had fun while we knocked out our 40 hours during the week. Fun was always relational...yes I connected with the people I worked with and we made it fun. Even as a teen my brother and I found ways to have fun while we worked our rears off on the farm. The thing with the work idea is that it was not our idea. God made it right off the start and gave man work right at creation. Adam was created and began the process of naming the animals...WORK. Can you imagine being the first human to see a elephant and have to name it. That had to be a fun job. We were all made to work, to create, to add value to the world around us by what we "do".

With that said this week at staff meeting to celebrate the 50th anniversery of Lego our co-pastor brought out a box of Legos and we all went to work creating what you see in that picture and yes that is Daniel Doss as a backdrop. We all helped, we all felt a little dumb and first, and we all laughed in the process. We were in staff meeting and had fun. Let me type that again. In staff meeting at a church we had fun. There are not many times where staff meeting and fun merge but many times lately we have found ourelves having fun being with each other. It seems like every time we have fun together we get closer to trusting each other and enjoying the work we do more.

Just a reminder this week that we can relax and have fun in the church world. Our staffs our churches our weekly gathering can be fun and should be a place where leaders want to work and volunteer. We miss it when we do not help our people have fun. When we enjoy what we do in the church we are free to serve in the joy of the Lord at every turn. We are free to bless others with kindness and a smile because we love what we do. Because of a email conversation this week between a few pastors and leaders in the area I have been reminded of how quick FUN can be zapped out of serving God in the church. Problems, doctrinal issues, distrust, arguments and busy work can drain the joy out of serving and being with other followers of Christ. I know, I know there are times to be serious and focus, but come on and lets have fun while we serve the one true God who made us. Today is a new day - live in it to the fullest and take some time to have fun.