Archive for the ‘powerplant’ Category

Why I Dig Powerplant

Oct 21st, 08 / Comments Off

This year marks the third year I will be a Project Coordinator for Powerplant, and the second I have been able to work on material for it.  I thought I’d share a few reasons why I truly enjoy serving in this ministry.

In case you don’t know what Powerplant is, it’s a student summer mission trip that mobilizes students to partner with church planting.  The activities involved are typically up to the church planters we partner with, but with 18 projects all over the U.S. and now Central America – it is a great way to gain a vision for what God is doing in our own backyard.  As Project Coordinator, I oversee the youth groups that come and the overall programs during the week.  We PC’s partner with Ministry Coordinators who are local guys that organize the church plants and ministry that we will be doing through the week.  
So, here is why I love it:
1.  It combines my heart for student ministry with my passion for missions and church planting.  I love seeing students GET IT and head home inspired to see God grow their own church and possibly even pray about getting involved in a church plant later in life.  
2.  I have been able to learn from church planters and group leaders from across the U.S.  The first year I served was in VA Beach.  Last year and this upcoming year I will be serving in the San Francisco Bay area.  It is very different from where I serve and I LOVE learning from others.
3.  God has really brought some incredible people to work with Powerplant, and I am honored to call so many of them friends.  These guys (and a few ladies) are high caliber, and I always have a blast hanging with them.  Often it’s an instant connection and I feel I have met a kindred spirit.  I have learned a ton from my fellow P2 freaks.
4.  It stretches and challenges me.  I love that P2 puts me in countless unique situations, only stretching me and helping me grow as a leader.
5.  It helps students see a different part of the kingdom than they are used to… and they don’t have to travel overseas to do it.  I had never heard of church planting until seminary, so exposing students to it at an earlier age is a major plus for the Kingdom.
6.  I LOVE to travel.  Even if it means sleeping on an air mattress in a dusty room.  It’s always fun to see new places and make new friends.
The list could go on and on… maybe some P2 friends may even add some of their own in the comment section.  But if you are a youth leader (or even a pastor) and looking for an excellent mission trip next summer that is affordable and helps your church partner with what God is doing right here in the U.S… then definitely visit www.power-plant.net and get some more information.  In fact, you can even go ahead and sign up without putting any money as a down payment and reserve that project!!
End unpaid advertisement. :)  I am passionate about this ministry though!

Jul 17th, 08 / 3 Comments
Only one day left here at Powerplant!  It’s gone by so quickly!  I think we have worked with some really great churches, and I’m praying for some future church planters out of this group!  
I’m the ‘bad’ kid and typing this during one of the training times we have in the mornings.  :)
Here’s a shot of me ‘thugging it up’ down on the pier in San Francisco.  The guys thought I looked skater (sk8r?  Our theme is Reger8!) so they snapped a pic.

Now I need to buff up and get a few tats and maybe I’d be intimidating!
Today I also read Part 2 of Perry Noble’s posts that I’m really getting into.  Check it out here.

Crazy!

Jul 14th, 08 / Comments Off

It has been crazy for a few days!

Since the last post I’ve been to Monterey Bay, then packed up and headed north of the city.  I picked up a Powerplant Summer Staffer early and we got started on getting the church ready to go.  Saturday we welcomed the youth groups and here we are Sunday (late here, even later on the East Coast) finally winding down.  I may be the only one awake at this point. :)
Mel and I had a great time at Monterey.  Our hotel was less than awesome.  It was an amazing hotel, but the service was horrible — they didn’t even let us into our room until 5pm and that was after several ‘badgering’ moments.  In fact, as expensive as it was (thanks again stimulus check), they charged 10 bucks a day for internet!  How lame!  (hence why not post complaining while I was there)
We LOVED Monterey though, so we will most likely return (but at a different hotel) another time.  I wish we had more time to spend there.  Honestly, I’ll be doing Powerplant again next year and if we can afford it, I’d like to do the same thing we did this year… minus Shay maybe. :)
Here’s my BEAUTIFUL wife in front of the bay.
and me and Shay on the one beach we could find… he was staring off into the distance so I did too.
This is a common view for us… when he fights sleep his eyes get huge!
After our trip, Mel went to stay with her awesome roommate and our great friend Deana in Danville.  I wish she would post some pics of the mansion she stayed at on her site. :)
While Mel was there, I came over and started working with Powerplant.  I LOVE Powerplant.  It’s an excellent combination of my love for students and church planting. (if you haven’t signed up for next summer yet, do it now!)  My summer staff this year is great!  2 of them I had last year, and 3 are new.  They are way cool and fun to hang out with.  It’s great how well we all gel together.  We’ve got a great project, some great church plants, and some very great youth groups here to make a huge impact in the Bay area.  This week is going to rock!
Here’s our summer staff (Preston had to head home for a few days, so we had to improvise for him)
And our super great MC Howard Burkhart.  
I do miss my family – but I’ll see them soon!
Hopefully I’ll have more thoughts and rants soon – instead of mere ‘journal’ type entries!

Back home…

Oct 24th, 07 / Comments Off

I’m finally back from Phoenix.  I enjoy being around other people involved with church planting (but honestly, I love being home with my wife much more!).  I made some great new friends, and also reconnected with some other ones.  It is relationships like this that can often be the most important in our church.  I learn so much from other guys who do what I do.

Now that I’m back, I’m leaving tomorrow for South Carolina.  It is my grandparents 59th Anniversary, so it will be a great time with family!  I love Charleston, even if it is a little too cool to hang out at the beach.