Matthew Robinson

Dean’s promise about this Sunday:

It’s taken a year and a half (time) mixed with several thousand dollars (money).

And it started with a vision.

That’s become a reality.

On average, 382 people watch one of our weekly video links from The Well.

And that’s going to just continue to grow.

I hear stories of Well alumni all over the country (and world!) who keep up with us.

And we’ve heard on many occasions that people showed up after they tuned in.

We’re working on some new video techniques with finally having all the new equipment in place.

And assisted by Technical Director James Parsons, it’s all going to continue to only improve.

Stay tuned.

As we continue to take an everlasting truth to an ever-changing culture,

further than any of us could have ever imagined.

10 days.

11 flights.

6 airports.

9,299 miles.

Saw Dog the Bounty Hunter and his entourage at Hartsfield International Airport in Atlanta (keep it opening day clean, folks).

And the flight attendant in the Delta safety video (the blonde one who waves her finger when she says “no”) in Portland.

Best text I received while I was gone:

“if u find any panties or anything in ur house sadie rearranged my clothes in the night but i think i got everything” lol.”

Home.

And so glad to be so.

Easter on the Moon Promo from The Well Media on Vimeo.

My favorite part of this?  It’s The Well’s band on the background track!

There are days like these, when there are just days like these…

Non stop.  Filled with living life.  Ready, set, go style.

I’ve been on five planes in the last few days.  And have six more this week and weekend to be on as I travel for work.

I’m about to go out of my mind with EasterOnTheMoon.com excitement.  It’s our fifth time at The Moon, and it’s going to be the most amazing yet.

I can’t get Rise and Sing out of my head from The Well yesterday.  What a fantastic Sunday!

There’s five weeks left in a semester that’s flown by.  And I don’t want May to come just as much as I do want May to come.  There’s going to be too many goodbyes and too many changes and just ignoring it all isn’t going to make it go away.

And above all else, I know that the best is yet to come.

And I can’t wait!

For the first time in 2 1/2 years I sat (in seat L-7) for an entire service at The Well, my church that I love.  I had nothing wired to me.  I couldn’t communicate behind the scenes, and though I planned the whole thing before I departed for Spring Break Twenty Ten (yay baby!) I had no day-of responsibilities for carrying out our production.  A few thoughts:

-It was REALLY refreshing to just “go” to church today :)

-My friend James Parsons, though admittedly a wee bit awkward, has incredible leadership potential, and Dean and I had complete confidence in him at the directing helm.  I thank God for James and the role he is going to continue to play on Sundays.

-Our team stepped up today, and our people rose to the occasion.  Both our worship leaders were out, our Sound Engineer was out, and I was out.  This church does not depend on us, but rather Him! (and thank God for lots of hims and hers who wore their hats so well today!)

-It was weird for so many to see me sitting in the crowd (I know this because they told me).  And that’s weighty on my mind to constantly be reminded that though I’m normal (okay, I have my quirks, but so do you) , I’m totally not in my church role and to and for our people.

-I’ll never understand why people won’t sit closer to the front

-It was so refreshing to see the way Chris Pope and the Crusade Band lead.  They were tight.  No sheet music or stands.  Into and loving what they were doing.  Inspiring!

-I love love love Sing to the King.  Have for so long now.  And I always change the line to “He is all I [rather than we] need” when I sing it.  And I was captivated as Giana sang it that way, too.

-Dean’s my best buddy.  My boss, too.  But he’s also my Pastor.  And he’s a damn good preacher.  I’ve heard about this series and today’s message for weeks now, and I’m more excited than ever as we approach Easter.  Some Dean-isms from the night:

• “The Gospel is nothing more or nothing less than the good news that Jesus Christ came to save sinners.”
• “He’s [Tommy's]  all about that question: who are the good guys, and who are the bad guys?”
• “We don’t ask that question, but we approach life in almost that same exact way…”
• “Being humble: honestly assessing yourself in light of His holiness and your sinfulness.”
• “The greatest form of idolatry you could ever commit is being confident in your own self righteousness.”
• “”You think “I can’t measure up” and Jesus is saying “You’re right!  If you could measure up to the code you wouldn’t need me!”
• “Here’s what’s awesome about the Gospel: He gives mercy to those who ask.”
• “The Gospel begins in seeing God is holy.  And we.  are.  not.”

Back at it next week for me, onstage and behind the scenes, and can’t wait.

Welcome back everyone!  Let’s do this!

My journey began around 11:00 p.m. the other night while on the way home.  I needed peeps for an Easter promo.  And I needed a lot of them.

You see, I’ve done a lot of research concerning peeps.  Of the marshmallow variety.  I’m a trained academic.  I can corroborate and triangulate and make connections among tangentially related information.  I crave data.  And I can put it together and take it apart.

And my research findings related that Walgreens (full disclosure: I prefer CVS) had the cheapest price per carton on marshmallow peeps that I could find anywhere online or in store.

The first location had 100 boxes.  The second, about 175.  When I pulled into my third 24-hour Walgreens of the evening, I had already made many new friends in my quest to garner 400 boxes.

The cashiers thought I was crazy.  The store managers were suckered into waving the 6 per customer coupon limit (I totally pulled the church card) and I’ve got invite cards for Easter on the Moon to drop off next week to many a Walgreens employee.  I never thought I’d have an easier time talking about why people should come.

And by the way, I CAN’T STAND peeps.  They’re one of the grossest things in the world to me.

Here’s a nice profile on the beginnings of The Well by Ben Arment.  We think he’s a genius (and have had the privilege of talking to him a few times and getting some amazing tidbits of insight and wisdom).  I can’t wait for my pre-ordered copy of Ben’s book “Church in the Making” to get here!

Good ground, rolling rocks, and deep roots.

Greater things…

We’re starting a new series next week at The Well which will lead us through Easter on the Moon (and yes, we’re having two services at The Moon on Easter!  And yes, I did say today that our first crew will be there at 4:30 a.m. Easter Sunday.  And your butt better be a part of that crew!)

How will you respond?  Who do you need to invite???