Matthew Robinson

I love my church.  It’s been an amazing two weeks at The Moon and I’m pumped for one more next Sunday.  In list-style fashion, some comments from today:

• Getting a 6:45 a.m. call to let you know the power at The Moon is out is not the best way to begin the portable pilgrimage to our meeting location.  After a quick prayer and some contingency planning, all ended up in order by the time 11:05 rolled around.
• I have been so impressed, so encouraged, and so grateful to serve along side of our amazing volunteers.  It literally takes dozens to transform The Moon (or Warehouse or a high school auditorium) and to see them work so early and stay so late makes me believe all the more in what we’re doing.
• We’ve set two new non-holiday attendance records these past two weeks.  If everyone brought one person next Sunday, we’d be standing room only.  Why not?
• Todd.  Giana.  Chris.  Oh.  My.  Check out the full service online tomorrow for some amazing music (and preaching!)
• Loved seeing the First Impressions team under the direction of Sarah Cowart decked out in The Well Tallahassee shirts.  So cool to see how that team and those individuals are being used.
• Every single baby was crying at the 5:30 service at the same time about a half hour in.  God bless Teri and Megan and all those kids volunteers for loving on those children so much.
• I love how The Moon staff loves us so much.  It’s been so cool to develop relationships with them.
• Our interns are THE BEST you’ll find.  Hands down.
• Over the past few years Jovanna has become a dear friend, and her story was told in such a compelling, straightforward manner.

The song is The Only Moment We Were Alone by Explosions in the Sky (thank you, Friday Night Lights) and I learned a lot with some new cinematography stuff while producing and editing the vid.

• The more stories about life change we tell, the more stories of life change we hear.
• I love that I can see people in Venezuela, Jacksonville, and South Florida updating their facbeook statuses and twitter feeds with live quotes from an 850 service.  So cool to be so connected.
• It was awesome to see one of my youth pastors from back in highschool in Tampa with her son at The Well tonight.  Made my day.
• If you tuned in to the service about 20 minutes before 5:30 began, you may have caught a special edition of Dance Party USA with our very own Chris Pope.  Who knows what next week might bring.  Tune in!

• Honest truth: I don’t really care about UM or FSU football.  But I love that Dean does.

Some Dean-isms:

• “Don’t you dare claim to believe it but live your life like you’ve never heard it.”
• “Image isn’t everything. But for Christians image is important. Don’t believe me? Ask your lost friends.”
• “We were made different to make a difference…distinct lives point to a distinct God.”
• “You are the impression of God that they are seeing.”

At the Warehouse: the stage has been built, and we’re moving stuff at 6:30 Monday night–we need your help if you can come join us!

Pumped about this week and all that’s in store.

Why not Tallahassee????

A little over three years ago I ran into what really was just a friend of friends who asked if I could meet up sometime.  It was the Spring of 2007, and in the midst of teaching at TCC, FSU, and finishing my dissertation, a 7:00 a.m. breakfast at Jim & Milts was all that would fit in.

Dean and I met for three or four weeks straight, and I heard about his life, his wife, his baby, and all things I knew about him from a distance.  He began casting vision for a new church he was planting with a core group called “The Well.”  Preview services were about to launch, and scared to death he was going to ask me to lead a bible study (I was already teaching 7 1/2 classes at the time) I was taken aback when, at our last breakfast meeting, he made the statement that would forever change my life:

“I don’t know what I need you to do, but I know I need you to do it.”

“Whatever you need.” was my reply.

We had no clue what we were doing.  I had no clue what I was getting in to.

And two days away from our three year anniversary, we still have no clue.

And I’d have it no other way.

Because I believe the words in 1 Corinthians 2:9.  And I know that if God’s hand is upon it, if it’s His will…then nothing can stop it.

From day one, Dean believed in, encouraged, supported, and trusted me.

As I grew into roles as a key volunteer, a Director of Sunday Services, a Church Administrator, and an Executive Pastor, Dean’s stood by me as first a friend, then as my Pastor, and then as my partner in ministry.

We could, on paper, not be more opposite.

But the passion for following Jesus and making his name known trumps all of those opposites.

I do not feel called to support and lift up the arms of someone.  I do not feel called to help lead at any church.

I know I’m called to support Dean and help lead The Well.

And that’s huge.

I’ve been asked if we have disagreements.

Sure.  But we’ve never fought.

I’ve been asked if Dean knows what’s going on.

Yes.  But to the extent that he doesn’t have to worry about things so he can exploit his talents.  And he lets me exploit mine–I’m a really really really good worries-about-things-er.

I’ve been asked if the vision really will maintain, and never waiver, and continue to take bolds steps through faith to do anything short of sinning to help people take their next steps towards Him.

Yes.  Yes.  And Yes.

Dean’s become my best friend.  We do life together.  And it’s the only way I could possibly think it could work and would want it to work.  He’s one of the most gifted teachers and leaders I know.

I can’t think of any better way to reflect on three years than by simply saying:

Happy Anniversary.

With prayers and thanks for a huge God who has only huge things in store for us.

If THIS is what’s happened…life change for so many…in the first three years,

I can’t even begin to imagine what’s in store for the next three!

We’re in the get-this-done-to-get-the-final-inspection phase.  Here’s what HAS to happen!

Friday: Concrete floors (8,224 square feet) have to painted by midnight. We’ll start in the morning and be going all day.  You can find rollers and the paint in the auditorium.

(We’ll also be painting trim black, painting the bathrooms, and cleaning up)

Saturday: 9:00 a.m.  We need as many hands as possible to form a 75 yard assembly line to move 500 chairs into the auditorium (from Well Kids).

(Depending on when this gets finished, we’ll start moving furniture from Well Kids into the auditoirum)

(Throughout the day, we’ll finish trim painting if not completed on Friday)

Sunday: 6:00 a.m.  Cleaning The Moon and setting up chairs.  Services at 11:05 a.m. and 5:30 p.m.

Monday: 5:30 p.m.  finishing moving furniture from Well Kids to auditorium

We’re pumped.

Like really, really excited.

And the past 2 days have been CRAZY praying huge prayers and making huge (change of) plans.

Delays happen.

(The Warehouse just isn’t ready.  It’s 4 days behind, and who knows what that could have turned in to.  We’ll be there September 12th for sure!)

But God is not surprised.

When you ask for more than you can ever imagine,

You’ve got to expect that’s just what might come your way.

Well-ers, give us a day to continue to sort things through. To see where we are and what we need.

And then be ready.

Because for three Sunday’s we’ll gather for church in a nightclub (a really, really gross nightclub that’s going to need your help cleaning)

And there’s still a ton of work to be done THIS week AND next at the warehouse.

And you are part of this…you are this…and that’s going to take time and energy and efforts from us all to do what He’s called us to do.

Sundays August 22, August 29, and September 5.

Join us at The Moon at 11:05 a.m. and 5:30 p.m.

(we’ll be streaming live online, too).

Why not Tallahassee?!?!

On Sunday night I asked people to do four things these next two weeks:

(1) Pray: for The Well, for our staff and volunteers, for all those that need to be reached

(2) Share: Your story and invitations for people to come and join us–family, friends, anyone with proximity to your life!

(3) Give: Generously and sacrificially as we, together, take these huge steps of faith, and

(4) Serve: Lend your time and talents for massive amounts of work that need to get done.

Here’s how you can help with number four:

Friday, August 13th: We need as many trucks and vans as we can get at 1:00 p.m. at Northwoods Baptist Church to haul 500 chairs to the warehouse.  Even if you don’t have a huge hauling vehicle, we need hands and strength to accomplish this huge load of work.  They’ve got to be unloaded and loaded one at a time!

Friday, August 13th:  We’ll be unloading chairs and priming walls to get painted in the new warehouse.  This fun will start at 5:00 p.m. and last all night!

Saturday, August 14th: The fun will start at 7:30 a.m. and last all day until it’s finished.  What needs to get done?  I’m glad you asked!

• Painting every wall and room in the warehouse
• Cleaning bathrooms in the warehouse
• Sealing floor in the warehouse
• Building stage in the warehouse
• Sealing the front boardwalk deck of the new warehouse
• Exterior painting of Warehouse Editions
• Yard work and grounds cleanup (bring weed-eaters and Round Up!)

Sunday, August 15th: Starting at 7:30 a.m. we’ll be moving everything from Well Kids into the Warehouse, emptying our trailers, and our storage unit on Capital Circle.  We’ll work up until noon thirty and then head over to Thomasville Road for our 5:30 p.m. service

After the service on Sunday at Thomasville Road, we need help tearing down and loading up from there, and then heading over the The Well’s new location to unpack everything we will have just loaded.

Next week, we’ll be canvasing colleges and neighborhoods around the area.  Starting at 7:00 p.m. each night, we’ll be meeting at and putting doorhangers on the following:

Monday, August 16th: Piney Z

Tuesday, August 17th: Weems Plantation

Wednesday, August 18th: Polo Clubs Apartments

Thursday, August 19th: College Apartments and FSU Campus

(We’ve got thousands of doorhangers and invite cards you can also pick up on Sunday to lend a hand in the community where you live).

Questions, comment here or send me an email at matthew@thewelltallahassee.com.  This weekend is going to be huge!!!

I haven’t updated the world via my preferred conduit here at ol’ doc-rob-dot-com because I’ve been tired at each day’s end of all of the other text, email, g-chat and facebook messaging I’ve been doing.  I’m not sure what my daily character limit should be, but I’ve typed a whole bunch of them.

Can we agree on a new social norm and courtesy?  If you didn’t listen to my voicemail and you call me back 90 seconds later, lead with telling me you didn’t listen to my voicemail.  It sets me up for what’s to come.  I will try to do this for you, too.  Thanks.

In hiring new adjuncts, I have to review application materials and transcripts.  It AMAZES me how many people failed many classes in college.  You wouldn’t even believe.  And because FERPA law states I can say no more, I shall say no more.

There’s a deck, and drywall, and lights, and ac (almost!) in The Well’s new warehouse.  and by week’s end, it’s going to look like it’s almost home.  I can’t wait.

This past Sunday I spoke about Expectations at The Well.  This Sunday, the theme is Commitment.  And next, Action.  These three thoughts I’m (and we’re) chewing on so much as the Fall approaches.

I’m becoming much more of a Captain in both of my jobs as new Soldiers are coming on board.  I really really really like being a soldier.  And I’m really really really good at being a soldier.  But growth dictates I learn how to be more of a Captain.  Always moving forward…

The thing you should get involved in and help fix is the thing you complain the most about.

10 years in Tally.  About to start my 8th year of teaching.  And I’m more pumped about life than. ever. before.

Excitement.  It’s all around!

Revelation 2:4
But you walked away from your first love—why? What’s going on with you, anyway? Do you have any idea how far you’ve fallen? (The Message)

“We WILL NOT lose our first love…I don’t want to be church as usual.”
~Dean Inserra~

an everlasting truth, in an ever-changing culture

If you stayed around for a few minutes after the service you saw this clip run during the credits.

Don’t ask.

And don’t encourage James Parsons (A.A.) or there will be more..

In Heat on the Street.  Volume 2.