Introducing Christ

How do you introduce Christ to others? I hope it's at least a little something like Steve Harvey would do it...

Steve Harvey Introducing to Christ @ Yahoo! Video

A Job for Matt the Intern

Seriously...this is why we're letting him hang out with us this summer...

Nate

Sorry, Andy

For Our Youth Pastor, Andy...

HAHA!

Nate

One of Those Things I'll Never Understand...

Oceanfront Preachers Deliver with an Attitude (newspaper article from VA Beach, VA)

Nate

Go Jesus! It's Your Birthday!

Seriously...Christmas should be that fun.

Nate

I've Been Elfed!

Merry Christmas from the Staff of NHC!


Nate

Fun Talent

This is pretty cool. It gets repetitive half way through, but it's still good. Simply for your enjoyment.


Thanks to my drummer, Chris for sending this to me.

Nate

This Made Me Smile...

...and roll my eyes at the same time...


Nate

Kinda Like the Colorado Rockies

I'll give 50 points to the person who breaks 4000 guests on this blog! (fun to watch, but worthless when it really matters)

Nate

2000!

2 more posts and I've got 2000 people who've checked out my blog in the past month. That's surprising...

Nate

Beautiful Video

Thanks to WorshipTrench for brining this to my attention!



What musician hasn't played the air drums to this song. Lucky monkey!

Nate

Never Forget

Nate

I Actually Hate Oreos...

But this is the funniest commercial in the history of the world...is it just me?



Nate

New Look

Cause it's late and I'm bored...

Nate

Just for Fun: Greatest "Christian" Albums of my Lifetime

This is my list (I think it will be short) of greatest "Christian" albums of my lifetime. This is completely based on my own likes and opinions, mostly from an entertainment and influential standpoint.


"The Great Adventure" by Steven Curtis Chapman (1992)
If for no other no other reason than the title track, which is, IMO, one of the greatest CCM songs ever written. Just about every song (and what do you expect from SCC?) is great songwriting. This CD was the one that realy got me interested as a 10-11 year old boy in CCM. I have loved SCC ever since.


"Jars Of Clay" by Jars of Clay (1995)
This album was so incredibly different than anything else going on in CCM at the time. Poetic, raw, and such a radically different sound than everything else out there. "Rain" is still being played on a daily basis on one local "secular" station. This was one of the first albums I ever bought with my own money. Although not considered to be a "worship" album, I consider this album to be one of the foundational projects for the worship music explosion of the late 90's, early 2000's. Everything else until their latest release, "Good Monsters" was a huge frustration, but let's not go there...


"Jesus Freak" by DCTalk (1995)
Beyond the fact that we're all LU dropouts... Released just one month after the Jars of Clay debut, this is one of the few Christian albums that can stand up against the best of the "secular" world. This album took DCTalk from goofy, somewhat creative Christian rappers to seriously good, thoughtful and impacting artists. I can remember exactly where I was and what I was thinking as I listened through this album for the first time. Incredibly rare to have three lead vocalists mesh with such great sound. The break-up broke my heart.


"SonicFlood" by SonicFlood (1999)
IMO, the best of the best of the modern worship era. Groundbreaking and still just as good today as the first time I heard it, this is the album I learned to play the guitar with and the album that inspired me to become a worship leader. Every song, whether an original or a cover is spotless. It's an incredible disappointment that the original band did not stay together and continue with the same sound and focus.


"40 Acres" by Caedmon's Call (1999)
Caedmon's Call is one of the most talented CCM groups, and this was their defining album. This was the popular choice of groups and albums to be a fan of during my years at Christian colleges...any Christian of my generation will agree with me here. This album is musical storytelling at it's best, and "Faith My Eyes" and "Table For Two" bring back incredible nostalgia for me. I'm glad to hear that the prodigal band member, Derek Webb has returned to the group.


"Offerings" by Third Day (2000)
The album that made me into a Third Day fan, this is the one that took Third Day and Mac Powell from an ok band to the premier CCM group of the past decade. I have used just about every song from this album in corporate worship at one time or another. For whatever reason (I think it's because this was their first true studio album), I still can't listen to much of anything Third Day recorded before this album, and I love everything since. I also considered placing "Come Together" on this list...


"The Beautiful Letdown" by Switchfoot (2003)
The breakout album for this group (and IMO, the last real album before their "fame" went a little to their heads), this project can stand up musically against anything from this era. I can't tell you how many times I've listened to this album. "Meant To Live" (not even the best song of the album) is one of the few, if only songs from the past 10 years that the majority of people in and outside the walls of the church can recognize and sing along with.


"Downhere" by Downhere (2004)
My favorite Christian band ever, this was their first major release. While I believe this is the most overall talented group in the industry today, unfortunately, they're also the most unkown. Musically, lyrically, vocally, these guys are incredible, especially when you consider there's only four of them (in the studio and on the live stage). I love this album, and they've only gotten better since.

I could probably also put a few Chris Tomlin and Hillsong United albums on this list as well as Lincoln Brewster's "All To You: Live" album, but I wanted to try to stay away from "worship" albums as much as possible because I have a hard time listening to those albums from an entertainment point of view.

Anyway, let me know what you think of my choices, and feel free to post your own list.

Nate

"RockStar"

Let's compare the following two songs, one from a Christian perspective, and one...not so much...but, are they really that different?

"Rock Star"
Third Day

Seeing my face up on the TV
Hearing my songs on the radio
People waiting all day in line to see me
Doing my pose for Rolling Stone
Well it's all right, yeah it's all right

I wanna be a rock star
But I ain't got what it takes
Well the drive and the determination
And the lucky breaks
I wanna be a rock star
But I ain't got the face
Yes and I wanna be a rock star
But I ain't got what it takes

Living lifestyles of the rich and famous
Turning all heads in the music scene
Flying in my own jet plane to Vegas
Riding in a big black limousine
It's all right yeah it's all right

No I ain't got nothing
But to You I'm something
Something so much more
Well it's all right yeah it's all right
Said it's all right yeah it's all right


"Rockstar"
Nickelback

I'm through with standing in line
To clubs we'll never get in
It's like the bottom of the ninth
And I'm never gonna win
This life hasn't turned out
Quite the way I want it to be

(Tell me what you want)

I want a brand new house
On an episode of Cribs
And a bathroom I can play baseball in
And a king size tub big enough
For ten plus me

(So what you need?)

I'll need a credit card that's got no limit
And a big black jet with a bedroom in it
Gonna join the mile high club
At thirty-seven thousand feet

(Been there, done that)

I want a new tour bus full of old guitars
My own star on Hollywood Boulevard
Somewhere between Cher and
James Dean is fine for me

(So how you gonna do it?)

I'm gonna trade this life for fortune and fame
I'd even cut my hair and change my name

'Cause we all just wanna be big rockstars
And live in hilltop houses driving fifteen cars
The girls come easy and the drugs come cheap
We'll all stay skinny 'cause we just won't eat
And we'll hang out in the coolest bars
In the VIP with the movie stars
Every good gold digger's
Gonna wind up there
Every Playboy bunny
With her bleach blond hair

Hey hey I wanna be a rockstar
Hey hey I wanna be a rockstar

I wanna be great like Elvis without the tassels
Hire eight body guards that love to beat up a**holes
Sign a couple autographs
So I can eat my meals for free

(I'll have the quesadilla, ha, ha)

I'm gonna dress my a**
With the latest fashion
Get a front door key to the Playboy mansion
Gonna date a centerfold that loves to
Blow my money for me

(So how you gonna do it?)

I'm gonna trade this life for fortune and fame
I'd even cut my hair and change my name

And we'll hide out in the private rooms
With the latest dictionary and today's who's who
They'll get you anything with that evil smile
Everybody's got a drug dealer on speed dial

Hey hey I wanna be a rockstar

I'm gonna sing those songs
That offend the censors
Gonna pop my pills from a pez dispenser

I'll get washed-up singers writing all my songs
Lip sync em every night so I don't get 'em wrong


Any thoughts?

Nate

Conversing With The Unchurched

Tricia (my hot wife) and I have had two separate opportunities to have God-centered conversations with some unchurched people in the last few days. This is good for me, because it's been something I've been asking God for (opportunities) lately...the only way it seems these conversations happen when you're fulltime church staff is when you're incredibly intentional about finding them.

The first was with a woman named Dianne. We met Dianne through an unfortunate circumstance...good friends of hers were vacationing on the OBX last week when the husband suddenly died, leaving the wife all alone and 7 hours from home. Dianne was in need of a ride to the OBX to be a friend and help the wife home, and through some very clearly God-orchestrated situations, we were able to give Dianne a lift. We spent most of the 6 hour trip talking, and spent much of that time talking about NHC and the stuff that we get to be a part of here on the beach as well as Tricia’s upcoming double lung transplant...from that part of our conversation, Dianne asked us about our faith. If I remember her correctly, her basic initial question was, “As a Christian, do you believe that you faith is the only way to get to God, and why?”

What a great question, and certainly one that, from my experience, is one of the first questions being asked by those who are seeking. This question gave Tricia and I a completely open door to share our personal God stories.

The second opportunity that God gave us also came completely unexpected. Tricia and I are helping to organize a Great Strides Walk for Cystic Fibrosis that will be taking place in just a few weeks. Back in January, when we first began on this particular journey, a local newspaper reporter, Paul became interested in our efforts and wrote a story about Tricia and our walk. Through the grapevine, Paul heard about Tricia’s upcoming surgery and contacted us this past Monday asking for another interview for another article. We immediately drove to the newspaper office, along with Sophia, our CFF Special Events Coordinator and spent about 45 minutes explaining the upcoming surgery and giving updated details about the walk. Through a series of questions, we were able to share how our “positive attitude” is simply a result of our faith in God. Both Paul and Sophia and anyone else within earshot heard about what God has done and is doing for us, as well as about what God will do for us no matter what happens to Tricia in the coming months.

So, basically, thanks, God, for giving us these opportunities. We pray that you were pleased and that those we spoke with this week will remember what we said and that you will use it for Your glory.

Nate

PS. I’ll work on getting a link for the newspaper article, which came out this morning.

Untimely Amens

I traveled with Light Ministries while I was a student at Liberty University. I was a vocalist and the road manager for two years (repectively) for the band. We traveled most weekends during the school year to local churches up and down the east coast. Most of the churches we traveled to were smaller, SBC churches, and one of our favorite things to do was to keep track of what we called "untimely amens." If you've ever spent much time in a traditional church, especially a southern church, you'll know exactly what I'm talking about. Somebody says something with zero spiritual significance from the stage (I know, I know, everything can have some spiritual significance...but you know what I mean), and somebody in the congregation let's out a robust "AMEN!" We would actually write many of these untimely amens down, and the best of them became inside jokes with our team.

While most churches have a few good untimely ameners, ours does not, so when we do get an untimely amen on rare occasion, it's a pretty big deal, at least to me. This morning, we had one of the best untimely amens I've ever heard. My pastor was talking about growing up around the pig farms of our great state of North Carolina (I honestly can't remember why he was talking about this...), when he made the following statement; "There's nothing that smells quite like a pig pen on a North Carolina summer day." A woman (a guest, and I'm assuming a Christian because I can't remember the last time I heard an unchurched person let out any kind of amen in our church...which makes me feel OK about sharing this story because I don't mind making fun of other Christians) sitting right near the middle of the worship center, about 3 rows in front of me (which means it must have been fairly loud, and I know that others heard it and also made note) expressed her holy agreement with, "AMEN!"

Anyway, I just thought I'd share...feel free to share your own untimely amen stories.

Nate

WOW!

Check this out for some new inspiration for your acoustic guitarists...

Nate

Definitions

In order to make our conversations on this blog a little easier, here are some of my personal definitions of some of the words you may see me use on my blog.

"Purpose" - I use this word to refer to the meaning of existence of a certain something. For examples, the purpose of my truck is, "Getting me safely, reliably and quickly from Point A to Point B." The purpose of my church is, "Reaching people to discover life in Christ." While many use "purpose" and "mission" interchangeably, I do not.

"Mission" - I usually use this word to describe an action that involves living out The Great Commission of the Christian life as found in Matt. 28: 18-20. My basic definition for this word is, “Anything a believer(s) does to serve an unbeliever in the name of Christ.” Mission usually takes place outside the walls of the church.

“Missional” – I use this word to describe a person, church, etc. that is living out The Great Commission.

“Ministry” – My basic definition for this word is, “Anything a believer(s) does to serve another believer in the name of Christ.” Ministry often (but not exclusively) takes place in the walls of a church or in another “Christian” setting such as a Bible Study or Small Group.

“Worship” – I use this word to describe any thought, action, behavior, etc. that brings glory to God. My basic definition for this word is, “Worship is our response, both personal and corporate, to God – for Who He is! And what He has done! Expressed in and by the things we say and the way we live.”

"Unchurched" - I use this word as an synonym for "unbelievers", "seekers", "the lost", "pre-Christians" or whatever else you want to use for people who don't know God.

I’ll add to this list as questions come up. Thanks!

Nate