I was talking to a non-believer the other day….this person is actually on the other end of the spectrum, but surprisingly, they made it to a Canyon Ridge church service this past weekend.  After this person had attended the service, we got into a conversation about the church.  Their comment, a comment that took them a moment to formulate, was one that took me by surprise.  The comment was one that I would never expect from them, because it was borderline appreciative and complementary to the church (not CRCC, but "the church", the organized religion of America).

They said this, a simple comment, but it invoked a lot of thought:  Your church seems to know the secret.  They said this, in the context of talking about that weekend’s service- how it flowed, how it connected, and how it impacted them.  Their "church history", consisted of MAYBE 100 trips to church, and those 100 trips were split between an early 90’s Baptist church, and a late 90’s Methodist church.  Both very different from the Ridge. 

In the midst of this conversation, I realized the reality of the statement they made.  The fact is, doing church right shouldn’t be a secret….but there are churches all over America that you can walk into this week, and see that to them, it is obviously a secret that they haven’t been let in on.  Why is that?  Why do some churches refuse to learn from others that have figured out a better way?  Why do they insist of staying on a dead or dying path?

This principle isn’t really a secret, and it’s probably something that someone else has said before, but I’ll say it again.  I believe the "secret" to being an effective church lies in two simple ideas: Being Relevant, and being Authentic.  Many churches have heard this relevant idea, and have tried to jump on the bandwagon; but you can see several of them are only going through the motions, just to say they are Relevant.  What is the importance of being relevant?  Well to me, it’s obvious.  Seekers need a church they can connect to.  Having someone reading out of the King James Version of the Bible, using Thee’s and Thou’s….as accurate as the KJV might be, it’s not relevant.  You aren’t going to connect to someone today, in 2007, who is un-churched, with a language that is dead, and hard to understand.  Being relevant means talking to people about real-life issues, and showing them how Biblical principles can help them live their lives right.  To stand on a stage, and recite names, and who begot who, begot who, etc…..that doesn’t help someone overcome addiction, or turn their lives around, or stop beating their wives, or stop being jerks to their co-workers…..but telling them how to live, and what Jesus said about it, and showing examples of how His times reflect our times, THAT’s being relevant.  Doing a teaching series that is a knock off of some reality TV show, or using a very familiar and commercial name doesn’t mean you are relevant…only that you know current events…..how you use those titles as tools, show whether or not you are relevant.  In a sentence, we have to be true to current day needs, convictions and temptations. 

The second "secret", I personally believe, is the one most churches miss.  Being Authentic.  An authentic church is one who is transparent and loving, no matter what.  When someone comes and says "I am hooked on drugs", or "I am addicted to pornography" or anything similar, we have to be an organization that says "you know what, it’s ok.  You are going to be OK, because God loves you, we love you, and we are going to work through this."  To be a church that will come alongside that person, help them if they stumble, and be someone that they can trust, and someone they know won’t judge them- that is being an Authentic church.  I’ve seen too many churches that miss this.  They condemn people who are imperfect (or better put, people who aren’t as good as covering it up), they judge people in the midst of their failure, and they don’t offer hope.  But I thought the church was the hope of the world?   What means more to the lost; a posh church full of suits, rules, and judgment…or a church full of real, sincere, authentic people?

As I was standing in the shower today, mentally going over the rough draft of this blog in my head, I had another thought on this topic.  As I thought about this blog, I realized I was thinking about the "church" as the organization…..but the authentic behavior needs to carry over the "church", the body.  We are the church, not the building.  So this principle has to be carried out in our everyday, away-from-church lives.  This means being real about our faith, and about how Christ forgives.  It’s about breaking the stereotype that church members are hypocritical.  If you live a real, authentically devoted life all the time, seekers see that.

Too many churches, and the people within still think those principles are secrets.  It’s sad, but it’s a fact.  My challenge?  Go out, and live an authentic life for Christ.  We can make a difference for Him, if we show people that Biblical principles are just as effective today as they were 2000 years ago; and that God, as we do, love them, despite their flaws. 

UPDATE:  I have put most of my Set Design pictures up from various sets that we have done around the Ridge since I have been here.  Some of the best pictures were too large for Flickr, but at least you can see some of what we have done over the last couple years.  more Base Camp pictures are on their way soon!

Hey everyone!  Just a quick note, to let you know that I have posted some pictures of the new Children’s Building, the subject of my last blog, on Flickr for you to see.  You can view them HERE.  Please note, I am not a photographer, so they aren’t all that great, but at least you can visualize the things that I have been talking about.  I will add more as I take them.  Also, feel free to check out our new WEBSITE layout here.

News flash: I am a task-oriented person.  I enjoy doing projects at work….installing a new system, organizing backstage, putting a new piece of equipment in, etc. etc.  I thrive off the "1-time-event" mentality….I have a hard time with the everyday upkeep and day-to-day tasks….that’s why I hired Stephen….He does that stuff well.  Over the last 12-15 months, I have had lots of projects come through….King’sFaire, Willow Arts Conference last summer, Worship Under the Stars, installing equipment in the Boardroom, Room 240, Room 320, new speakers in the Auditorium, new console in the Auditorium, several backstage cleanup jobs, etc, etc.  Each one came; was relatively successful, and went. 

Probably one of the most time-consuming projects I had on my plate for many, many months now, as most of you know, was the Children’s Building here at Canyon Ridge.  I got involved with that project within the first month I was on staff here back in September of 2003, and ever since then…in some way or another….at some level or another…..I have been immersed ever since.  When I joined the project, the Audio/Video designers had a very skewed idea of what the rooms were to be used for, so I took it upon myself to take the design….basically throw it in the trash, and start all over again.  During that process, we cycled through several project managers, and even a couple contractors.  Through many, MANY meetings about budget, equipment needs, equipment wants, schedules, more budget meetings, more wants, more budget meetings, more meetings about needs and functionality, and finally, meetings about budget, we arrived on a design; a design that was 99% straight out of my head…a honoring and scary thought. 

During these months, my thoughts were consumed with this project.  I would lay in bed, and sit straight up at 3:00am, because I realized I needed to switch two pieces of equipment, because they wouldn’t work in the order I had them in….or driving down the road listening to the radio, I would suddenly pick up my cell and call the contractor to order a demo of a certain speaker I wanted.  I delegated most of my other responsibilities at the Ridge, so that I could offer 100% of my attention to this new building.  Why?  Because our kids have been getting second rate service and equipment for far too long….and because if my design failed, I failed.  Mentally, I had too much riding on this project to have it not turn out perfect….not because I was worried about what other people would think if it wasn’t perfect….but because I knew something that I kept hidden from the general public:

This project was too big for me. 

I knew it, and the farther I got into, the more it was apparent to me….if I missed even one step, I was sunk.  I had to learn a lot as we went, and pretend like I knew it already.  Doug, our Operations Pastor HAD to have known what a chance he was taking, letting me own so much.  It was a risk he took…a big risk….and for that, I am thankful…I don’t think he knows just how much I learned, how much I enjoyed working alongside him, and how much I appreciated the opportunity to have a leading part in this project. 

Starting about mid-January, I started a 7-day-work-week schedule, no days off, and my shortest work days being 6 hours….my longest weeks totaling 70+ hours at the church.  Again, I am a project guy- I love this stuff.  When I was 15 or 16 at my old church, I would go at 2 or 3 in the morning, just to get in the attic and run new cables to the projectors by myself….but even for me….two solid months of 7 day work weeks can be hard.  But, there was work to be done, and my own self-confidence was riding on this thing….remember, it had to be perfect. 

On a Thursday in February, I was hanging lights in the new High school room….we were supposed to open that Saturday.  I looked around, and was overwhelmed with the amount of work still to be done….I had a list on my computer of things to do; according to that list, I still had seven, 8-hour days worth of work left to do…..in two days.  On the verge of a mini-meltdown (for a calm guy, is a pretty big deal), I didn’t know what to do.  In that moment, Doug walked in, and without really knowing the extent of my stress, announced that we would be pushing our opening back one week…a miracle of sorts….there was still hope. 

That one week is exactly what I needed. 

Last weekend, after months of planning, purchasing, installing, testing, troubleshooting, blood, sweat, tears, several unhealthy words, and lot of waiting and delays…we opened that building to a ton of excited kids.  Things went great….all of the technical systems worked flawlessly (except for a couple user errors, but that’s expected with new gear) in all of the rooms, and the services went well.  The middle/high school services saw about 75 more people than their average this weekend.  They got to enjoy a hired musical artist in their new room; the elementary kids got to see a magician in their room, the preschoolers were amazed by their room, and a puppet show….all going on at once….5 times in two days….without incident.  It was bumpy, and there are things to work out, but nothing failed.

I got to walk around this weekend, and make sure things were all going well, and it was amazing.  I could walk into the elementary room, and see a speaker hanging in a certain position, and think back 10-12 months when I said it should go there, and it was put on a set of blueprints.  I could walk into the preschool room, and see a certain (and expensive) type of connector on the wall, that will help volunteers use the system more easily; and think back to when I specified that very connector.  I could walk into the high school room, and see the theatrical lights hanging in the room, and remember hanging them there myself, and making sure they were pointing in just the right direction.  I could walk in the Lounge, a room with 7 flat-screen LCD TV’s, and remember designing the layout of that room, and then installing it all exactly where I said it would go months earlier.  It was an interesting feeling…because while the technical side of me was happy with all of the equipment decisions I made, it was bigger than that.  What was the most gratifying is that nobody noticed any of it.  2-year-olds didn’t care about my connector on the wall….only that they could enjoy the puppets; the 1st graders didn’t care about speaker placement…only that the magician made a rabbit appear out of a hat; and the high-schoolers didn’t notice lighting placement, or how the TV’s were attached to the truss; they only noticed they could see the band, and that there was a awesome place for them to hang out before the service.  Finally, after 3 years, it wasn’t about cables or light fixtures, or speakers, or microphones or screens….it was about the people who were going to benefit from those tools, and providing them with an overwhelming sensory experience that, in the end, was designed to project God’s Word. 

So, I guess all that to say: Mission Accomplished.  Everyone enjoyed their experience, and didn’t think twice about my work.  The way it should be, and the way I like it. 

I couldn’t write this, without a lot of thank-you’s.  My extensive work schedule took a toll on others besides myself.  First, my wife, Casey.  She dealt with me being at work every single day, without days off, at all hours of the day and night, for several months.  It was hard on her, but she knew it was only for a season, and she hung in there.  Thank you for being faithful, understanding, and loving through it all.  Secondly, Stephen.  I hired Stephen just before Christmas…..I don’t think he had any idea what he was getting himself into….but he hung in there with me every single day…..working without a day off just as much as I did.  Thanks for sticking in there Stephen, your work-ethic and diligence says a lot about you.  Leslie, Stephen’s girlfriend.  I stole Stephen too many evenings that he could have been out on a date with you.  Thank you for being patient and understanding- it makes the stress of the busy schedule easier to deal with.  Doug, as I mentioned above…..he shouldn’t have let me own so much, but he did.  The ability to take my technical vision from conception to implementation, and see it along every step of the way, is something I totally owe to you.  You took a risk…probably regretted it a couple times….but I appreciate it.  Lastly, Mitch and the rest of the Artist Community staff.  You guys accepted my near-non-existence while I was so involved in this project.  You covered for me, didn’t ask me to do things that weren’t pertinent to the new building, and helped encourage me along the way.  To know I had this backing, and that I didn’t have to stress about my other responsibilities, was a blessing.  Thank you everyone.  Without the piece that each of you contributed, I would not have been able to endure the entire process.  Thank you.

So now what?  Yesterday and today were my first day off since mid January, and I have to admit, it’s been interesting.  I really love my job, and what I do, and usually, my days off are spent doing building stuff on my computer….emails, ordering, etc.  But these last two days have been spent doing absolutely nothing…..and it’s freakin’ weird.  I can’t even think about some new thing I need to buy to make the new system work, because it’s all done.  The systems are built, finished, and working.  I can honestly say, other than this blog, I haven’t contemplated a single dang thing for the last 48 hours.  Don’t worry though, it’s far from over.  Even last Monday, they started another major part of the Auditorium expansion.  Tomorrow, I will arrive to work, and technically destroy the remains of Room 100.  After that, we have a huge Projection Screen/Projector install in the Auditorium.  Next week, I have another install project in the Adult Building.  After that, Easter.  After that, yet another install in the Adult Building.  After that, I start working on "Worship Under the Stars" again.  And then King’sfaire again…..all the while, working on the Auditorium project.  It’s fast paced…..and I love it. 

I guess that’s all.  The title of this blog is "A sense of accomplishment…".  I hope you understand, I don’t feel accomplished in the fact that I want you all to look through the new building, and tell me what a great job I did….because I don’t want that.  In fact, I would prefer you to leave such comments out of your reply to this blog, should you choose to leave one.  I feel accomplished because through all the meetings, all the decisions, all the delays, all the logistical issues….the point of it all, was to convey a very important message, in whatever way possible, in the most transparent way possible.  Seeing the kids enjoy their new space this weekend….that IS a sense of accomplishment….and the end to a new chapter written.