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the seed
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The SeedBlog
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Christianity has gained more conversions in the
United States over the last 200 years than any other religion. However, the influence made on culture by Christians
seemingly has decreased drastically. God desires His Church to create culture, not merely respond to it. This
is the page to come and discuss that goal. Read the SeedBlog (found on this page) as we discuss issues
relevant and important to Christians in today's society. Also, watch for Art Exhibits, Film Festivals, and Concerts
when THE SEED begins. We look forward to THE SEED creating a new culture in Lexington.
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Friday, August 24, 2007
2 weeks
We started
dreaming of The Seed over a year ago. Time has come. Time has gone. Now we stand just two weeks from our
launch. Electricians, plumbers, carpenters, audio engineers, and countless numbers of volunteers are working feverishly
around the clock to prepare the building for opening night. Many of you have been praying for The Seed for the past
six weeks each time you see your prayer magnet. Many of you shared with us your participation in our day of prayer and
fasting earlier this month.
We feel like God is preparing to move at Broadway through the ministry of The
Seed. Not because we've designed a program or remodeled a building, but because of the college and post-college
community involved with The Seed. I could tell you countless stories like the Junior at UK who felt so strongly about
The Seed that he started a Facebook community to lead up to the kick-off that has grown to nearly 200 members. I could
tell you about the Senior at Transy that plans to visit every Greek house on Transy's campus and present The Seed to over
800 of her peers. I could tell you about the young couple with the dream of owning their own eatery finding the opportunity
to cook for hundreds at The Seed this Fall. The stories go on and on. I can't wait to hear the one's we've
yet to meet.
That's why I believe that God is about to move through Broadway and her vision for The
Seed. It's our prayer that countless hundreds of college students and young adults will become a part of His movement.
Monday, July 9, 2007
an hour with an ant
I
spent an hour with an ant one time. I know that sounds a bit strange...ok, really strange....but it's true.
I was working for a landscaping company in Orlando, Florida, and was sentenced to endless weedeating at massive apartment
complexes each day. One such day I found myself settling down for my lunch break all by myself.
As I sat
under the tree eating my turkey on wheat, I noticed a single ant struggling to move a morsel of my bread. It was, on
a hot summer day in a boring environment, extremely entertaining. I watched as the ant struggled with the bread for
nearly an hour. Eternally determined, the ant tried every imaginable position, style, and form of moving the bread.
But it wasn't the hour of watching the ant attempt to move the bread that stuck with me, it was what happened
right before I got up to go back to work. It was the other ant that came to help that has stuck with me for more than
a decade. The two ants easily lifted the bread and went about their way.
Those two ants taught me a lot about
Galatians 6:2, "Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ."
I think that Paul understood that it breaks the heart of the Creator of the Universe when He watches us constantly trying
to carry the burdens of our lives alone. Enter the second ant. Paul says that when we as Christians help shoulder each
other's burdens we fulfill the law of Christ. What is the law of Christ? Love.
It breaks God's heart
to watch us struggle with the pieces of bread in our lives- relationships, pain, abuse, substance abuse, stress, loneliness-
whatever it is, it breaks His heart. We are called by God to carry each other's burdens and to live in a community
of love. We hope you find that sort of community this Fall at The Seed.
Monday, June 18, 2007
7 seconds or less
I'm
a sucker for talk radio- sports, politics, history, news, religion- you name it...and I'm probably listening. I
think it's because I love conversing about the journey of life.
I heard something the other day on a
nationally syndicated political talk show. The host said that the President of the United States has 7 seconds
to make a point. At first I railed against that idea. Then, it made great sense. While the President's
speech may last for 30 minutes, he gets a 7 second sound clip on the evening news. The President of the United
States has less than 7 seconds to make a point.
I have to admit, for someone who talks for a living, that
scared me to think that the most powerful man in the world only gets 7 seconds of your time. The Church is really
good at coming up with slogans, mantras, sermons, and practical things for us to say to our community about our relationship
with Jesus. None of them fit in the 7 second time slot. Is it possible that what we do means more to a lost,
broken, hurting, and dying world than what we say?
Don't get me wrong, we've got a lot to say about what
being a follower of Jesus has meant in our lives and we should say it. But how are we living in between 7 second
sound clips? Does the way we live acually speak louder than the words from our lips?
One of the things that
truly excites me about THE SEED is a chance for College Students/20 Something's to begin to shine in a darkened world
by the choices they make and the lives that they live. Remember, out of the President's next 30 minute speech, 7
seconds really matter. If the community around you examined your life for 30 minutes, would the 7 seconds
match up with the other 29 minutes and 53 seconds?
Friday, May 25, 2007
taking Jesus to the movies
As an avid fan of creative film productions, I was excited to find out that FOX would offer a new
reality show this Summer featuring a sort of American Idol for independent and uber-creative film makers. The
show, designed by Mark Burnett (of Survivor fame) and Steven Spielberg (Star Wars, Indiana Jones,
and many huge blockbuster films), debuted this past week and I was immediately hooked.
I was even more intrigued
by the show when Kelly Brandenburg, the Camp Director at Bluegrass Christian Camp, alerted me to the fact that one of
the shows contestants, now in the final 24, is a guy by the name of Jason Epperson. Epperson is the owner of Eppic Films
based here in Central Kentucky. http://www.eppicfilms.com/Music_Videos_Folder/Music_Videos_pages/Sawyer_Brown.html
Some of you may remember that Jason actually directed a music video for Country music act
Sawyer Brown on the property of the camp not too long ago. The video struck me due to its beautiful portrayal of a baptism
in creek running through the camp. Now, Jason has made it to Hollywood in large part due to short films featuring his
faith. Jason has made it from the original group of 12,000 to the remaining 24 finalists. Will he win? I
don't know. The judges seem to like him in some of the shots of the show. But I think Jason Epperson has already
won. He's proven that faith-based art can be beautiful, inspiring, provocative, and of good quality.
Jason,
in essence, sums up what we hope THE SEED will be. We want to engage culture so badly. It's time that we stop
reacting to Hollywood, Nashville, Paris, London, New York, and the Internet. It's time that they should react to
Jesus. I for one am glad that Jason Epperson is taking Jesus to the movies.
Note: You can view Jason's
videos, blog entries, and info about the show through the following link provided by Kelly Brandenburg:
http://community.thelot.com/profiles/profile.aspx?un=eppdidit
Friday, May 11, 2007
my grandfather met johnny cash
My
grandfather met Johnny Cash one time. The chance encounter happened on a hospital elevator as both men were visiting
relatives in the hospital. My grandfather told me the story from his hospital bed in the Hospice Care Unit a couple
of weeks ago. I had no idea.
My grandfather happened to notice a large man dressed in black next to
him in the elevator and thought to himself that the man reminded him of Johnny Cash. Eventually he got up enough nerve
to turn and speak to the large man clad in black. It was the one and only Johnny Cash. Cash was extremely friendly
and shook my grandfather's hand. My grandmother teased that he'd never wash the hand again.
My grandfather is about to meet someone greater than Johnny Cash. He's about to meet Jesus Christ.
Not just in a Spiritual way, but in a very personal meeting. My grandfather will walk, talk, and maybe even shake hands
with Jesus (note: my "hand shaking theology" is a bit weak). In the coming days, my grandfather will
transition to his eternal reward. He'll meet Jesus face to face and he'll never wash that hand again.
My grandfather will get to meet Jesus because of a relationship that developed after they were introduced a long time
ago. That's what THE SEED is all about. We're not launching THE SEED to be different. We're
not launching THE SEED because we're bored. We're launching THE SEED to simply introduce a new generation to
the same Jesus. We pray that in the years to come, people will meet Jesus face to face in eternity due to the relationship
they developed together at THE SEED.
My grandfather was really taken with how big Johnny Cash was. He's
about to meet someone bigger.
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2007.08.19 |
2007.07.08 |
2007.06.17 |
2007.05.20 |
2007.05.06 |
2007.04.08 |
2007.04.01 |
2007.03.25 |
2007.03.18 |
2007.03.11 |
2007.03.04 |
2007.02.18 |
2007.02.11 |
2007.02.04
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