Can You Spell Creative?

I think this ad campaign is genius & VERY creative. Enjoy!




Watch even more of them here.

Can You See Me Now?

I have had people talk to me about what we are doing to "Market" the church...we need to get the word out. We need to advertise and those conversations have been very good and insightful.

I have been praying about and asking God to reveal some clear directions for us as a church and where do we go from here and how do we take advantage of the great location that we have being on a major road in the NorthEast Tarrant County area.

Then I ran into this on Johnny Leckie's blog. It helped to show me that our "FOCUS" is where it needs to be. Here's what he said...

The visibility of your church in your community should not be “limited to” or “solely dependent on” the physical location of your building, meeting space, or church sign.

A great location is a great thing, but it’s not the most important thing.
A good marketing strategy may help, but if you are:

- Passionately following Jesus.
- Serving and having a positive, active role in your community.
- Striving for life change when you gather.
- Creating a culture of inviting, welcoming and sharing.

…Before long, people will begin looking for you.

We've got our work cut out for us...Are You In?

Can You Hear Me Now?

This video really got me to thinking...how many times do we (as a church) say stuff...but the community can't hear us?
It's not because of what we are saying--it is because of how we are saying it.

Listen to this illustration Mark Beeson shared with his church.

Change Is Good

Why Are You So Involved In Adventure Week?

I have had some people ask me...how come you are so involved in Adventure Week. Don't you have better things to be doing than learning skit lines and getting up in front of kids and trying to get them pumped up?

To that I would say..."NO!!!"

I love doing what I did this week! Here’s why…

- God Wants Me To!
Yep, playing the God told me too card! =)
But…can't use that against me…it’s the truth. Everytime I am asked...I can feel God tug on my heart strings and I know what I need to do.

- I Believe In Our Children!
I love our kids! Seriously, much more than you could ever imagine. Someone told me that this is the future church...to that I would say "I don’t believe they are the future of our church - they ARE our church!"

Second of all, I honestly believe that the next senior pastor of NewLife Fellowship could have been at Adventure Week this week! I am not going to do this forever. One day I will either die or pass the leadership reigns over to someone else! I believe that there were future worship leaders and children's directors and small group leaders were here this week! So I want to spend as much time with them as I can!

- It Allows Me A Chance To Form Relationships
Sunday’s I teach the "BIG" kids! =) I don't get to go back in the back and get to know our children...BUT this week I was able to focus and spend time with the kids…talk to them, high five them, pray with them, encourage them…and so on. I wouldn't trade it for anything.
And…when I see them a few weeks from now there’s a bond there that is absolutely priceless!

- I Love Our Children's Staff And Volunteers!
I love the peeps that work with our kids…they are amazing!
Seeing them serve Jesus challenges and inspires me!
Church we CAN’T INVEST enough into both our student and children’s ministry!!! With BOTH our TIME and our MONEY!!

NewLife…I can’t wait to see what happens in our children's ministry this next year…the next ten years…and beyond. We have some amazing kids who love Jesus and are going to accomplish far more for HIS Kingdom than we’ve ever dreamed.

Our Children Have Great Leaders

Debbie is leading our kids this week with great faith and devotion. I'm proud of her and the rest of our children's staff and volunteers! I'm glad that our kids are under their influence.

It's been an honor to serve along side of them this week!

Psalms 78:1-7 O my people, hear my teaching; listen to the words of my mouth. I will open my mouth in parables, I will utter hidden things, things from of old-- what we have heard and known, what our fathers have told us. We will not hide them from their children; we will tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord, his power, and the wonders he has done. He decreed statutes for Jacob and established the law in Israel, which he commanded our forefathers to teach their children, so the next generation would know them, even the children yet to be born, and they in turn would tell their children. Then they would put their trust in God and would not forget his deeds but would keep his commands.

Count The Cost

I knew it would happen! This week teaching the kids has taught me!

This week we're teaching our children through Adventure Week about team work and giving your all. We're teaching them how to share what they know and what they can do to help others and God has just taken it a step deeper with me.

When I'm pouring out my life, I'm exchanging my remaining days for some purpose or cause.

My ability to stay engaged is in correlation with my conviction of it's worth. In other words, my ability to continue making a sacrificial investment with my life is fueled by my sense of its importance.

I can say I care about seeing our church grow and being committed to helping those who come grow (knowing Jesus commanded we "go make disciples" we taught the kids that last night), but I'm not likely to offer prayer, time and money to the effort if I don't care a lot.

I might say I love Jesus (aware the most important commandment is that we "Love the Lord" we learned that in the Bible lesson on Tuesday night) but the investment of my life in worship, service and devotion to His Kingdom is unlikely if I don't care enough to act.

Whether we say we treasure children, care about the poor, love justice or cherish honesty the truth is obvious. It's easy to say we care. It's hard to care enough to act. (We're teaching the kids that tonight)

Our problem isn't that we care. Our problem is that we don't care enough to do something to make a positive contribution.

What we really care about, we'll support. What we truly value, we'll give our lives to accomplish. Supreme love empowers absolute devotion.

So today I'm praying I'll love what God loves, value what Jesus values, and cherish what our Lord declares worthy.

Like the kids have been learning from the Bible this week, we need to learn the scriptures so that we know what God values. Otherwise we might give our hearts to some cause that's simply not worthy of us.

There is a cost to caring.

James 2:14-17 - "My brothers and sisters, if people say they have faith, but do nothing, their faith is worth nothing. Can faith like that save them? A brother or sister in Christ might need clothes or food. If you say to that person, “God be with you! I hope you stay warm and get plenty to eat,“ but you do not give what that person needs, your words are worth nothing. In the same way, faith that is alone—that does nothing—is dead. "

Adventure Week Is Here!

Twitter Community

I know many of you don't understand Twittering. You mock it, refuse it, and ignore it.

You say things like..."Who has time?" "What a waste of time!"

I will say this...it hasn't changed my life yet. And I'm not holding my breath.
But... several of my conversations with those who do are interestingly more connected than they were. I'm up-to-date with my friends more than I was.

So, I'm hangin' around Twitterville for good. You can follow me here. I know - why?

Why not?

Start following now for up to the minute Adventure Week updates...

Too "Casual"

I don't wonder about the impact of a "casual" Christian.
I've never seen any great thing accomplished in a casual manner.

I've never heard of an athlete who became great because she was casual about her work-outs.
I've never known of an accomplished and successful musician who was casual about their technique.
I've never seen a great marriage built through casual commitment.
I've never experienced an incredible worship service that was prepared in a casual manner.
I know of no great art, great architecture or great organization created by casual people taking a casual approach.

"Casual" produces the meager results of a low-living aimless life.

No coach ever sent players on the field with an admonition to, "Get out there and casually run some plays." No. Coaches say, "Fire up! Put some effort into it! Whoever wants it most will win!"

There is nothing casual about following Christ. Great lives are the result of passion, purpose and devotion - so is great faith.

I don't ever wonder about the impact of a "casual" Christian. I make no attempt to measure the results achieved through "casual" effort. Those results are too small to be noticed. They're to undersized and petite to grab your attention. They're often so meager they're inconsequential.

Who wants a life like that?
I don't.

I want a life that counts for something. I'm sure you do too.

Let's do something great together as we make the name of Jesus famous one life at a time.

Are you in?

2 Peter 1:3-8 - His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires. For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Adventure Week Starts Monday

This Monday Adventure Week starts for our children. It's going to be incredible. I can't wait to see kids from the community as well as NewLife kids cutting loose as they celebrate a great God.

Start praying NOW!!

I'm convinced prayer shapes every aspect of Adventure Week; prayer will lay the foundation for what God is going to do this next week. Prayer bathes every moment of each day. Thank you in advance for praying for us.

For those of you who have stepped up and said I will serve the children of NewLife Fellowship...I'm honored to serve Jesus beside you.

Your kids matter to me. Your kids matter to Terica. When we can help you with them, we want to. We pray for your kids. We recruit, train and look for great leaders for your kids. We strive to put your children in life-giving, God-honoring, faith-enriching relationships. We want to help.
It’s an honor to help you with your children. Thanks for the privilege.

This week while Adventure Week is going on...there’s no place else I’d rather be.

Proverbs 22:6 - Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.

Metro-Rednexual

My willingness to go get pedicures and massages has gotten me tagged by some of my closest friends as being "metro-sexual." Urban dictionary defines a metro-sexual by saying: "An urban straight male ranging in age from late teens to mid 30's who is: good looking, stylish, fashionable, trendy, cultured, & well groomed. A metro sexual is very conscious about his image and looks in public. A metro sexual is often associated with getting pedicures, facials, & massages, as well as using "products" and shopping at nice clothing stores. However, metro sexuals don't necessarily engage in each of these activities." I decided that I can live with that.

Tony Morgan had his blog readers help him with come up with another category that I thought might be appropriate to the area of the country that we live in. Here are his "Metro-Rednexual Results":

You might be a metro-rednexual if…
1. You have a gun rack in the back of your Audi.
2. You have highlights in your mullet.
3. You have matching throw pillows and an elaborate bedding ensemble for your double-wide.
4. You chew Red Man tobacco and spit in a Starbucks cup.
5. You’ve programmed “Achy Breaky Heart” as the ring tone on your iPhone.
6. You enjoy fishin’ on Saturday morning and eating $30 sushi on Saturday night.
7. You use car grease to “style” your hair.
8. You stop and get a latte on the way to your deer stand.
9. You know the release dates for the fall clothing line and the flavor rotation on the freezy drink machine.
10. You own Gucci cowboy boots.

Can you think of any more?

Craig Groeschel Interviews Satan

Philadelphia Pics

I am back in the office this week. Last week was nice getting away and having some time to spend with family...seeing my Grandpa and cousins that I haven't seen in along time.

Here are some pictures from Philadelphia from this past weekend. I thought that I had posted these but I guess I didn't. You can see them all HERE.

It IS Funny...

I know this is old...I remember watching it sometime ago but I stumbled back into earlier this week. I never get tired of seeing that that kid get mad at his mom. Or aunt. Or whoever she is...

Back In The Saddle

This past weekend was my first weekend to speak at NewLife in 3 weeks. I mentioned Monday on my blog how great it was to be back in the saddle again. I love what I do! I wouldn't trade it for anything.

Do you love your job?

There are times in our life where we have to make some Big Time life decisions. Where we have to decide what we will do with the rest of our lives and making that kind of decision can be quite the challenge.

I know that I received good advice and I always try to pass that along to those who might be facing similar decisions. I think there are a couple of things to keep in mind...

1. Find what makes your heart beat fast and DO THAT!
2. For the time being...DO WHAT YOU GOTTA DO.

Most people can understand and GET #1 because it makes logical sense and everyone at the root wants to do things they actually like doing. But sometimes, as we look for our "dream job", we have to just do whatever it takes SO THAT we can still pursue our dream.

It doesn't do a lot of good to be unemployed and not be able to eat or put food on the table because we're looking for our "dream job". Sometimes we have to put on our big boy/big girl pants and find a job AS we look for our dream job.

I'm writing this for students who are looking at what to study in college, students in college looking for the NEXT THING, for all the Post-College students who can't find satisfaction with the status quo in their life, and for all the people who are stuck in jobs they don't know how to get out of.

Find your sweet spot, pray, and trust God for that job in the area of your passion/strength.
Your longevity depends on it.

Baltimore Day 2

Here's some pictures of our day in Baltimore. We left there this afternoon and are now in Philadelphia for my cousin's wedding tomorrow. Just thought I would share these with those of you who are intersted.

To see the rest click HERE.

On The Road Again

Braden and I flew out of DFW early this morning with my Mom & Dad to attend my cousin's wedding in Philadelphia Thursday. We are going to do some sight seeing along the way.

Today we drove down to Baltimore and are staying the night here. Tomorrow we'll see some sights on our way back toward Philly. Here's some pics from today. You can also follow us by Twitter.

If you want to see more of the pictures I took you can see them HERE.

Guest Blogger: Terica Nicewonger

B'loveD presents...True Colors

Create your own runway…a celebration of who you are. From soccer moms to business women, we’ve all been fearfully and wonderfully made, unique and one of a kind. Come dressed in your TRUE fashion and let’s celebrate who God, the Ultimate Designer, fashioned us to be.

Make plans to join us ladies Friday July 11, 6:30 pm. Register by sending an email to register@newlife-fellowship.org and you will entered into the drawing to win a gift certificate to Serenity Day Spa and don't forget to let us know if you will be needing child care.

For more information you can watch this video I did or feel free to email us at ladies@newlife-fellowship.org.