Laugh. Love. Learn.

I’m so excited about this weekend; we’re starting a new series about the Ultimate Fighters in the Bible. Check it out:

We’re currently finishing a series called KINGDOM at The Vine, and we decided to brand the series with a Medieval theme. Remember how there’s a guy in the movie Dodgeball who thinks he’s a pirate? We thought it might be funny to open the services with a 30-second glimpse of a guy who’s convinced he’s a knight. Very fun. I think the third one is my favorite; the photoshopped pictures crack me up. (We also gave away Medieval Times giftcards to a couple of dads on Father’s Day…just to continue the theme!)

This post is a part of Creative Chaos at ragamuffinsoul.com.

This weekend we started a new series at The Vine called Kingdom. It’s based on this book, which is incredible and a definite must-read, and…you know…the sayings of Jesus. It’s completely rocking my world. But for this week’s Creative Chaos, I wanted to show you what a set-change looks like…time lapsed to 60 seconds.

Those three guys in the video — Nick, Kris, and James — a.k.a. Triple Trouble — are amazingly crafty, and I’m so thankful for them!
Here are some pictures of the finished product:

Creative Chaos at ragamuffinsoul.com

This week at The Vine we finished a series called theRomans8LIFE, where we discussed Life in the Spirit. Here’s a funny video we used to illustrate how cool it’d be to have an internal GPS…and then we discussed how the Holy Spirit wants to be your personal, internal GPS.

the secret is out: we have the best worship intern ever.
and he’s tall. and dashing. and collegiate. and, ladies, single.
introducing mr. jake decker.
(a two-and-a-half-minute glimpse of this morning at the vine.)

Creative Chaos / 11.

We saw something similar to this at the Granger Film Festival last fall, and decided to make our own version to recruit some volunteers for the Tech Team. Gregg wrote the lyrics and he’s singing in the background….and the congregation found it to be hilarious. The actors are some of our actual volunteers….

lessons learned from the back row —
theRomans8LIFE: Week 5

“if life is a game, you either win it or you lose it, right?”
“not only are we going to win this game of life, we’re going to win it DECISIVELY.”

apparently DW is SERIOUS about some Candy Land.
he’s also serious about Braveheart and the whole paint-your-face-blue-and-wear-a-kilt manly shin-dig that goes on in said movie.

“you were created to be in fellowship with God. that’s the point. nothing more and nothing less.”

“don’t just write it down on a piece of paper, write it down on your heart: God is FOR you.”

We made this fun. 25-second video to remind people what it’s like to choose teams…

who would you want on YOUR team?!? We are in a rare position, because of God’s love for us, that we’ve been given the freedom to choose! Are you willing to take inventory of all the competitors and say, I choose God?

It’s not really a matter of “If God is for you who can be against you”…it’s a matter of, “If YOU are for God, AND God is for you, who can be against you?”

What does it mean to be “justified” in Christ?
“it’s JUST as IF You’ve never sinned.” (thanks, GG)

“what is your LOVE cause? who are you willing to fight for?” guys, lemme tell ya, there’s not much a wife won’t do when she knows her man will FIGHT for her and she’s his priority. wow.

“what is your LIFE cause?” what is your full potential that can only be found in Jesus Christ? how were you created to serve?!? what is your life’s mission? what’s your calling?

did you know that there are 38,000 people in a 5 mile radius of The Vine who are unchurched or dechurched?

and, finally, you can check out the podcast here.

Today we discussed this passage about how the Holy Spirit intercedes in our weakness… wow, what a huge concept to grasp.
Some points of interest:
- theVine[band] is flippin’ AMAZING. Wow. They totally owned it today.
- Apparently Pez dispensers dispense life.
- DW compared Paul to Rambo. Listen to the podcast.
- When the presence of God is in us — that’s abundant life.
- There is something IN you, ministering TO you, and that is the Holy Spirit!
- Life is good when you’re in the presence of God as long as you’re getting what you want, right?
- We have to lean into God; even when we feel like pitching a fit or slapping him in the face. What if it doesn’t feel abundant anymore? What if you feel worn out and tired, and you think, where’s the abundance in this?
- He sees the whole picture….reminds me of one of my favorite promises.

Creative Chaos // 9

So I’m late because last week owned me, but I wanted to share an amazing illustration we used last Sunday. We’re in a series called theRomans8LIFE, and here are some of the things we were discussing:

- When we sign on to JC, we’re saying we’ll be obligated to God instead of obligated to the flesh.
- We should choose to be obligated to God because He chose us first. We’re not Plan B — We’re Plan A. And He wants us to have all of the rights and privileges and obligations that come with being HIS.

To illustrate the way God chooses us, we flew Gregg to Illinois to interview a couple he knows who are in the process of adopting…this is SO cool; check it out.
It’s 6 minutes. 6 very worthy minutes.

“We are not God’s fall back plan….before the foundations of the world; we were chosen to be adopted!”

Interesting quotes from the Leadership Retreat:
(D.Dubisms? I need to think of a cool name.)

- “At some point you’re going to realize that God’s in control, and we want you to realize that before it’s a matter of destiny.”
- “God has entrusted us with resources, and these resources are to be used to institute the Kingdom.”
- “The church doesn’t have to be relevant, because Jesus is relevant. He’s the same yesterday, today, and forever.”
- “Two seconds left in the game. You’re down by one. Who takes the shot?”
- “Work like it’s all up to you; pray like it’s all up to God!”
- “A tenacious person quits when the job is done, not when you are tired.”
- “EVERY person matters to God, because they were created uniquely by Him, and created in His image and His likeness.”

And this isn’t really a quote, but it was mentioned that God provides the rain to the righteous and the unrighteous as a reminder that His love and goodness is impartial and available to all…I love that.

Lots to think about.