Matthew Robinson

Two weeks with two services down.  We just keep going and going and going…

And for the first time we had over 500 people join us a Godby.  We’ve prayed and planned for some many months for the Fall, and to see the work in action, to see His blessings and to see our team rally behind truly making a difference…it’s worth every second of it.  We’re praying for 800 by October.  There.  I said it.  It’s out now.  Will you join us in that prayer?

And more importantly, will you do your part?  Every step we take forward is designed to create an environment for friends to bring friends.  Just get them there…you know they’ll hear the Truth!

Some highlights today:

Dang!  Giana Lopez who joined us on stage for the first time today belted Hallelujah, What A Savior.  She was great!

I think I was a little too much for my favorite red headed electric guitarist this morning!  There are morning people, and there are not-a-morning-people.  I’m the former!

Renee Lawson is a beast as the Assistant Director of Guest Services.  We had over 20 info cards and prayer requests turned in today.

So cool to talk with a guy who had talked with his friend who he knew went to The Well about coming tonight (and showed up!) because he heard the radio spot.  Keep ‘em coming!

The Well’s (well, really Dean’s) Uncle Rich was in the house (Aunt Sue where are you!?!?!)

Tear down is always more fun when Paul Peavy’s involved.

And setup is so much less taxing when Sarah “Tuna” and Lawton Graves are around.

Dean definitely said “we’re a pro sex church here.  A very pro sex church…” tonight.  You had to be there!  Funny, funny, funny!

College Student Blog Reader special announcement: In the coming days, you’re going to hear more regarding something Dean and I are pumped about.  We’re accepting applications for Fall 2009 College Interns.  We’re looking for a hopeful guy and girl, there’s a $500 stipend involved, and we’re excited about the possibility of serving a few hours a week with some of our finest in a leadership (and responsibility) position.  We’re anticipating doing this every semester, and hopefully growing the program.  If you’re interested, or know someone who’d be great, visit here and pass on the information.  Applications are due by Thursday, September 10th. And don’t count yourself out!  Anyone in college can apply!

Stoked to start “we’re just not that into You” next week (here’s the trailer we played tonight) and some new Craig’s List find stage screens.  UPS says they’re “at delivery unit” whatever that means.

Don’t hate.  I like big screens.

And I can not lie.

Happy Sunday!

In my education classes, on the last class day of the first week of school, we have Show & Tell.  Old school style.

And yes, there’s a point.  In my education classes, there’s always a point.

Many beginning teachers think a classroom community just Harry Potter magic style happens.  They like you and you like them and all is sunshine and lollipops for the next 180 days.

Yeah, um, it doesn’t work that way.

So I force them to do a few things.  They have to memorize everyone’s first name in their section.  By class four, we’ve had a name test.  If they can remember their and 44 other names, they get a 100.  If they can’t, they earn a 0 until they are able to.  The way I see it, at some point, they’re going to have to know the names of upwards 150 students, so they better start practicing now.

It’s also part of one of my in-class principles: the-give-a-damn-principle.  I let them know that if one of their peers is not in class on any given day, I want someone, other than me, to give a damn.  This is tough to convey to college students, because most (the majority!) of classes are filled with nameless people who sit in the same seat each day and you better not decide to sit there tomorrow because it’s my seat, but never talk to those around them.  If I’m not worth coming to listen to when it’s raining outside or when it’s freezing-November-Tallahassee-cold, then maybe they’ll come because someone who’s name they’ve learned is worth listening to.  So they take the name test.  And all end up passing.  And it makes the experience that much more worthwhile.

To help remember names, to help get a glimpse at some of the personality of who I’m teaching and learning with, to gain some insight into who these young men and women are, I devote 35 minutes on the last class of the first week to Show & Tell.  Yes, of course they roll their eyes at first.  But by the end of it, we’re hanging on every word, rooting for that-girl-who’s-name-is-on-the-tip-of-my-tongue-and-I-know-she-said-she-was-from-West-Palm-Beach-and-Beach-starts-with-B-and-oh-yeah-it’s-Bethany, and have something else to remember them by.

Some of my favorites from yesterday: ballet shoes.  A picture of his brother who’s serving in Iraq.  A rock her dad gave her for her birthday.  Her dog (really, her little cute yorkie).  A bunny (yes, a live one).  And a picture from her son that he drew on his first day of kindergarten, which was Monday.

Weirdest Show & Tell item of all time, about five years ago: His pet, tamed, squirrel.  Gross.

And those who love it the most: the former home schooled kids.  They never got to do show and tell and get so into it!

What I brought yesterday: my original pound puppy, Brownie, and a picture of me on my very first day of school.  They laughed.  It was fun.

Other first week random: there is such a thing as umbrella etiquette on the sidewalk, folks.  I don’t get those of you who don’t carry one when it’s been pouring all day, nor do I get those of you who think daisy dukes and rain galoshes look good together.  But those of you who walk right down the middle of the sidewalk with your 56″ diamter golf umbrella, you’re taking up way too much space.  And you need to learn the duck and bob.  You can move that thing up and down to be courteous to the rest of us.

And please, while I certainly value multitasking…your Starbucks coffee, your cigarette, and your actively-texting-mobile-device along with your umbrella: it’s not working with us being on the same sidewalk.  Get out of our way!  Please!

Since I began teaching college students full time I’ve gotten to have two first days of school every semester. There’s the MWF crowd and the TR crowd. Two sleepless nights. Two “what should I wears?” Two opening day shpeals. Two days of throat lozenges in my pockets because inevitably by the end of it all I no longer have a voice.

I love me some first day of school action. And I didn’t even need them, but I stopped into Staples on the way home last night just to pick up a pack of gel pens. I love me some school supply action, too.

Welcome back, students!

Here’s the run-down:

-All my classes are packed. Bad economy = surge in community college enrollment.

-My one online FSU graduate education course = 1 former intern, 2 former colleagues, and 4 former undergrad peers of mine. That last one is the crazy part. I last went to school with these people seven years ago.  They were great friends and we had great fun.  But now I’m their professor.  In my head, it’s awkward, but they’ve all made it easy so far.

-First melt down…that broke my heart: 23 year old Tony enrolled in my summer section and after three weeks disappeared.  An email from Student Affairs a few weeks later said his dad had been diagnosed with a terminal disease and he was being granted a medical withdraw on his behalf.  Tony came back to Tallahassee this fall.  My classes have no seats.  He wanted in one.  I asked him how his dad was.  And this man just started crying right there out in office lobby.  His father passed away about a month ago.  There’s no mom.  And his 18 year old sister who’s a freshmen at FSU and 17 year old brother who’s a senior in high school moved to Tallahassee to be with their older brother to finish being raised by him.  Pray for Tony.  He’ll be at The Well this Sunday.  We had a long talk.  And yes, in a heartbeat, I let him in my class.  I’ll teach 45 extra Tony’s if I can.

-I have my first 100% officially deaf (is it hearing impaired???) student.  Her sign language interpreter arrived with her in class today.  I was thrown off at first. A woman plopped herself down in front of the room and started having at it fingers in tow.  I didn’t know who to look at.  I’m a naturally fast (and loud) talker at the front of my classroom.  I’ve learned much from teaching the blind.  I learned much from teaching the severely physically handicapped.  This deaf student who I already admire so much: I’m certain I’ll learn much from.  It’s going to be a huge adjustment!

-The honest-to-God-I-can’t-make-this-stuff-up-folks first name of a student on one of my roles: Quiounanakaii.  I swear.  And I didn’t sit at my keyboard and just go like this: dsfldsafhdjhdjshar23q@#f.  Give me your best phonetic spelling of how you think it sounds.  I’ll tell you later what I think she told me in class.

-They laughed at my jokes.  Smiled and clapped when I needed and wanted them to.  And at the end of it all, one of my new favorites said “Dis cracka’s dang cuh-razy but he’s funnizle.”  I think that’s a good thing.  I just smiled and belted “I believe in you!”

-Students I taught in SEVENTH grade are now college freshmen.  Ouch.  It’s weird seeing them on campus.

The start of my seventh year getting paid to do what I love…only hoping day “next” for the following 16 weeks are as fun as the first two days!

Thank you, God, for that cold front this morning.

And thank you for the 10 tens guys that showed up at 7:30 a.m. to help make the day begin.

I have a man crush on this guy’s voice:

DANG! can he sing. What a great job Todd did leading our band.  So cool a father (Rod Jones on lead electric) led with his son (Chris on drums).  Those guys are a fun bunch on and back stage, and their commitment and enthusiasm is contagious.

And this girl:

She’s a stud.  We all love Rebecca Stewart.  And I think a big part of it is because Rebecca doesn’t realize she’s the-bomb-dot-com.  Rebecca gets what we’re all about, and has embraced and become of a part of it since her first day.  Any girl that attended today could relate to Rebecca and her story.  And, she’s pretty funny.  We rocked that couch twice (it was weird and normal all at the same time) and she cracked us up on both occasions.

And this guy:

He changed outfits between the services.  Diva.

Kidding.  Actually, this week’s blog game: what’s Dean saying in this picture?  Best caption wins a signed glossy 8×10 of The Todd Doss.  Promise.

Clint Mayo: his excitement over running the lights, and how serious he takes it…he’s the man.

Ellie Meyer: by far the best videographer we’ve seen at The Well. Check out the service online and thank Ellie for her great work.  We’re glad she’s back.

The Graves: So glad they wised up and came home.

Vonna Hall: Queen Bee of el Parking Lot.  She’s laid out her vision, rallied the troops, and I’m betting sooner than later we’re going to have a hard time getting people to actually come inside!

Pat Kelly: I look up to him.  Way up.  He’s a cool guy and we’d be lost without his efforts on Sundays.

And the dozens of other people who serve to make Sundays happen: it’s a privilege to lead and work alongside this group.  They’re the backbone of it all and more are joining the team. It’s part of what it’s all about.

Strangers in a foreign land…and residents of one we can’t wait to see.

Strangely Normal my friends.

You and I.

Let’s do it again next week!

God sent a cold front through.

And He sent us people, too.

We’re off and running.  An 11:05 a.m. start and a 5:30 p.m. service finish.

Some sights from the morning:

The very talented James Barnett came through with some stunning shots from our service last week. Check them out on our flickr stream!

I stopped by my closet…er…office…at FSU to pick some things up, put some things down, and make a few copies this morning.

And while walking back to my car, desperately day dreaming about AC in 90 degree 8:00 a.m. 400% humidity August Tallahassee, I saw three of my most most favorite scenes play out:

-The mom and dad and little sister waving goodbye to their son as he walked into the dorm (sorry, sorry: the Residence Hall) as they said goodbye for the 17th time.  Mom started crying.  Little sister started sobbing.  Dad put his arm around both.  I remember when this was me, going back into my triple occupied Gilchrist Hall first floor room 10 years ago…I sat in the middle of an empty floor with boxes and just balled.

-Another family, mom, pissed off daughter, and dad with piled bags in stow, holding up the campus map and arguing about which way to go.  Welcome to FSU, Class of 2013!

-Looking onto the band practice field by the circus tent (and for those of you oldie-but-goodie-alumni out there, that view of campus is unrecognizable these days!) and seeing the Marching Chiefs and flag girls and twirler people doing their thing.  I stopped for a minutes and listened.  And thought to myself:

All is right with the world.

I’m glad I’m here right now.

And welcome back, Fall.

I’ve been waiting for you.

There’s the My Story video that we premiered right before Dean’s sermon.  Warning: you might need a tissue.

There’s the footage from God of this City, mixed with our live version.  Suh-weet!

And there’s the drumline.  And their standing ovation.  Can we please start church like that every week?

And then there’s what a dozen people have asked me for.  And I don’t know the legality of it.  I do know we have a license, and I know I’m not making any money off it, and I know that if it touches you and you put it on your little iPod and it draws you closer…well then dang it it’s worth something.  Right-click-and-down-load and the songs from our Two Year Anniversary service are yours.  In-cred-i-ble I tell you!

A Grateful People | Salvation is Here | Psalm 118 | Holy Roar | You Are the Light | God of This City

“We just wanted to start a church where people would want to bring their friends.  Where we were more concerned with people meeting Jesus than we were catering to judgmental, traditional, man-made religion.  Two years of life-change later: Happy Anniversary, guys.  It’s good to be here.”

With those words Dean opened his sermon this evening.

And with a crack in his voice we saw the man, the vision, and the commitment as he closed us out tonight.

I have a million thoughts swirling right now.  And I’m spent.  Totally.

What.  A.  Night.

This service has been in my head and in the works for three months now.  And to see it all play out.  To see our team rally.  To hear the Truth spoken.  And to celebrate greater things to come.

Man oh man.  Let’s do it every Sunday!

We.  are.  fixing.  to.  explode.

His hand is upon it.  It has been since day one.

Here.  We.  Go.

I’ll have videos up and snippets galore as the week progresses.

There was the drum line.  Oh the drum line!

And Scott.  And Rachel.  And Todd.  I think the combination of those three are illegal in some states!

Holy Roar?  And the live God of this City with Tallahassee from the plane?

And a vision cast sermon.

Oh.

My.

Happy, happy, happy anniversary The Well.

The best is yet to come!

Our party starts at 5:30 p.m. this Sunday.  Join us!  And I promise you wont want to be late!

It’s been a fun week of looking back.  There’s so much that wasn’t covered in this space, though.  Stories of lives changed, people impacted, and only the beginnings of a city moved.

We truly, truly believe that greater things are yet to come.

And Sunday night is going to be a real celebration.

Of where we’ve been.

And where we’re going!