Executed

How's Your Inner Life?

noreply@blogger.com (Andrew Cromwell) — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 20:32:00 +0000

for The Hanford Sentinel

Our culture is focused on all things external. It is all about what you look like, what you are doing and what you own. It asks questions like, "Are you beautiful? Are you thin? How big is your paycheck? and, by the way, What do you drive?"

The people that we read about in magazines and watch on television are the beautiful ones who are often ridiculously wealthy and morally bankrupt. We are entertained by their antics—we want to know who is sleeping with who this month, who's the latest to drunkenly crash their Mercedes into a telephone pole and how much money was spent on that lavish new mansion, Italian sports car or over-the-top party.

At one moment we marvel at their lack of common sense, and the next we applaud their commitment to the latest charity fad. And rather then stop and ask ourselves whether this overemphasis on all things shallow and superficial is problematic, we simply excuse our worship at the altar of the cult of personality with a glib, "It's just entertainment."

And it is entertainment. It is packaged in glossy magazines with racy covers, in highly edited and stylized pop culture news programs and in continuously updated websites the likes of TMZ, Popeater and Perezhilton. I have nothing against entertainment, but I think we would be wise to note that a culture's forms of entertainment are indicative of the state of its inner life and potentially of its future (think Rome and the Coliseum).

The problem with our culture's focus on the superficial is that it ignores the importance of the inner life. You might be the most beautiful person in the world (and have the People magazine article to prove it) but that says nothing about whether or not you are a good person. A good person is one who has developed virtues like patience, self-control, forgiveness and servanthood. Rare are the magazine covers given to people who have developed these qualities.

Jesus said "Do not fear those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell." He said this to underline that the body is not the most important thing in life. Chiseled abs are not the key to heaven's gates. It is the soul we should be the most concerned about.

Your soul is the only thing you get to take with you when you die. You will carry with you what you have allowed your soul to become. Will your soul be full of anxiety or peace? Will it be fearful or faith-filled? Will it be bitter and condemning or contented and forgiving? You get to decide the kind of soul you have.

The challenge is that developing your soul takes work. A good soul does not happen by accident. You do not develop a healthy soul by passively consuming whatever entertainment comes easily to hand. You have to cooperate with Father God and choose to be loving, be patient and be content.

I must warn you, choosing to do these things means going against the current of our culture. It will not be easy. But it will be well worth it.

This weekend, the pastors of Kings County would love to encourage you to make the right decisions and develop your inner life. Why don't you swim against the current and start paying attention to your soul?

New Year Course Correction

noreply@blogger.com (Andrew Cromwell) — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 18:09:00 +0000

For The Hanford Sentinel

On days when it works, technology is wonderful. I carry in my pocket a phone that not only can place a call to anyone, anywhere in the world, but it can surf the internet, give me a list of the lunch options within a mile radius of where I stand and fill my ears with the sweet sounds of whatever music best fits my mood. My favorite feature is the GPS. If I want to know how to get from where I am to where I need to go, I have a virtual guide that leads me step by step.

It is wonderful to have such clear guidance. The GPS does all the work for me. It knows where I am at all times. I simply sit back and obey what it commands. Of course, if my battery goes dead, my life is held hostage and my location suddenly disappears from the virtual map. I am powerless before this abject electronic terrorism.

And while GPS is a wonderful tool for our daily point-to-point travels, it is of little use in the journey of life. We cannot type in our desired destination and have a nice female voice whisper in our ear, "Turn right in 300 yards." Life's journey is, at least from our perspective, not quite so precise.

Much like the captain of a ship 200 years ago, we chart a course, select a heading and venture out into the open waters of daily life. A few tools were essential for the ocean journey. For the ship's captain, these tools were a chart demonstrating the major landmarks, a leadline to evaluate the depth of the water, a magnetic compass to indicate general direction, and a sextant to determine the ship's latitude (when a clear sighting of the sun was available). Knowing exactly where you were in your journey was next to impossible, but it was also not essential. The most important thing was to be sure that you were moving in the right direction!

Our tools are different in their makeup but similar in their function. Our chart is God's Word that gives us the landmarks of life. Our leadline is our close relationships that help us know when we are in danger of running aground. Our compass is the Holy Spirit who guides us in all truth and keeps us moving in the right direction. And our sextant is the regular evaluation we must do to determine the "position" of our lives. We do so by getting our eyes on the Father and allowing Him to speak to us about where we are and where we need to go from here.

This is not an exact science, this is life. We often make the mistake of overestimating the importance of today and underestimating the importance of a month or a year. We get focused on "this moment" when we need to remember that God is working on the big picture. We anxiously worry and wonder why we can't hear God tell us what the exact next step is, when He really is more interested in the direction we are going over a long period of time.

So as we move into the new year, let me encourage you to pause for journey evaluation and course correction. Get your eyes on the Father and ask Him what He thinks about the direction of your life. Take a look at your chart and make sure that you are heading for the right landmarks and that you are not going to run aground and make a shipwreck of your life.

One of the best ways to get perspective on your life is to get in God's house and into His presence. The pastors of Kings County would love to help you chart His course in your life. Don't wait too long to do it though, because you will hit stormy waters and will need to know you are headed in the right direction!

How to Leave Your Church

noreply@blogger.com (Andrew Cromwell) — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 20:35:00 +0000

Tim Stevens over at Leading Smart has a great blog entry on how to leave your church. I've often wondered why people don't feel any obligation to talk to the pastor or someone in leadership before bidding adieu.

Check it out.

Mossy Foot Christmas Letter

noreply@blogger.com (Andrew Cromwell) — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 23:02:00 +0000

"When the boy pulled up his pant leg, I gasped, shocked by the horrific sight of a gaping hole extending about six inches in length and two inches in width, fully exposing his dead, broken leg bone. The stench was nauseating. A swarm of flies immediately descended on the oozing, infected wound."

Continue reading the rest of the Christmas letter from the Mossy Foot project.

WARNING: You might be challenged to look at your life a little differently.

Visit Mossy Foot Project here.

This Year Turn on Your Ears

noreply@blogger.com (Andrew Cromwell) — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 16:46:00 +0000

The new year is the time to make resolutions, set goals and revisit life plans. It's the time to shed those extra pounds you put on during the holidays, get your finances back in shape and generally get your house in order. But in the midst of the normal fitness, financial and family goals we all set for ourselves as the calendar flips to 2010, let me suggest a spiritual goal that has the potential to kick your new year up to a whole new level.

This year, purpose to listen and respond to the still small Voice of Father God. It is amazing how often God speaks to us and we don't recognize it. God wants to take your life and elevate it to a whole new level of effectiveness, joy and divine purpose. The key is listening and acting.

We have all had the experience of someone who we normally don't see everyday coming to our mind out of the clear blue and then within a matter of days we run into them or hear news about them. Often we chalk this up to a coincidence, but more often then not, God is trying to talk to us. Usually He wants to use us to communicate His love and care to the person, other times He wants us to pray or even share a message from heaven with them.

These "impressions" generally come to us when we are thinking about something else entirely. One of the clues that God might be talking to us is that our mind is actually going in another direction and His Voice communicates something that is not in line with those thoughts. When we pause and say to ourselves, "that's weird", we should then ask the question, "Am I inspired to do something loving, caring or considerate for that person?" If the answer is "yes", then you should very quickly pick up the phone, write a card, get on your knees in prayer or jump in the car to go visit.

The great thing about this is that you can't go wrong. You see, loving on people is always a "God-thing". Even if you make a mistake and that particular impression was not actually God's Voice, but was the bad pizza from the night before, what's the worst that can happen? You have simply fulfilled God's commandment to love your neighbor. Not too bad.

And when you get it right, when it actually is a "God-thing," then look out! You will be amazed at the impact that a simple word of love and kindness can have when it is delivered on God's timing. Never underestimate how powerful of a tool you can be for heaven if you will only be willing to follow God's Spirit.

So this year, purpose to listen and obey. It will change everything.

Now, if you're not sure God speaks to you, my advice is this. First, make sure you have invited Him to! Tell God you want to follow Him and you want to hear Him speak to you. Ask Him to fill you with His Spirit so that His still small Voice can interrupt your agenda whenever He wants. Second, trust that He will speak! God promises you and I that when we are His children we will hear His voice (John 10:4). Finally, have fun seeing what God will do through you!

The pastors in Kings County would love to teach you more about how you can hear God's Voice and live at a higher level in 2010. Make a resolution to get you and your family in church this weekend and start the year out right!

How God Speaks

noreply@blogger.com (Andrew Cromwell) — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 15:17:00 +0000

God speaks to us in a variety of ways and many times we are unaware of it. We must learn to be on the alert continually because if we are a people filled with the Spirit of God, then we must expect that His Spirit is going to guide and speak to us frequently. Because His methods are often quiet, they can often be mistaken for our own thoughts and are often disregarded, but if we begin to respond we often discover that those thoughts/impressions were not just random but Him speaking to us.

One of the ways that God talks to us is through impressions. Impressions are thoughts or "a sense that" which come into our minds or perceptions from the Spirit of God. These impressions are generally not directly in line with what we are thinking about at the time and as such often seem out of place.

Most of us have had the experience of someone coming to mind out of the clear blue and then running into them shortly thereafter or hearing some news about them. Very often these are not "stray thoughts" but impressions from God's Spirit. Often He wants us to pray for them, or more frequently, contact them and love on them.

The next time someone drops into your mind from out of nowhere, send them a note, pick up the phone or drop by and see them and just communicate your love and care for them. This doesn't have to be a "God told me to tell you" thing, it works really well just to say something simple like, "You came to my mind and I wanted to tell you that I appreciate your friendship and that God is on your side." And if it happens that it really was a stray thought, no big deal, but if it is a God thing (which you'll discover it is more often than not), you will find out that your simple contact was well worth it.

More to come....

Tiger's Transgressions Expensive

noreply@blogger.com (Andrew Cromwell) — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 13:55:00 +0000

A recent study found that the financial impact on the companies that Tiger Woods was/is a sponsor for were affected negatively by the news of his infidelities. I guess there are repercussions for bad decisions.

Check the article and study out here.

Here Comes the New Year

noreply@blogger.com (Andrew Cromwell) — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 18:40:00 +0000

for The Hanford Sentinel

Here it comes again. The New Year is just around the corner and with it have come all the reflective retrospectives of the past year and the cautiously hopeful forecasts of the coming year. Many have been anxious to bid adieu to 2009 and to its economic downturns, financial scandals and political and celebrity meltdowns. Uncertainty has been one of the main hallmarks of the year—uncertainty about job security, uncertainty about keeping the house, uncertainty about financial investments and retirement and uncertainty about what the future holds.

But now we stand on the brink and look to a new year. We stand at the door and knock on the door of the future and wonder if it will be any different. On the one hand we are anxious to cross the threshold between yesterday and tomorrow, and on the other we are hesitant to rush in with too much optimism lest the future be no different than the past. We have been disappointed before, dare we hope for a better tomorrow?

I believe that we can hope for a better tomorrow. More than that, we should believe that tomorrow will in fact be brighter and better. But this shouldn't be a blind hope. I am not suggesting wishful thinking or positive self-talk. This hope must be based on a firm and solid foundation that is unswayed by sagging economic indicators and lousy housing markets. This hope must be based on something that is solid no matter what the surrounding conditions may be.

That is the great thing about trusting in God. He is not challenged by what challenges us. He delights in taking difficult circumstances and transforming them into divine victory celebrations. With God, "how pleasant it is to see a new day dawning" (Ecclesiastes 11:7 NLT). Peter reminds us that we can "cast all our cares on Him because He cares for us (1 Peter 5:7 NKJV). In Him we are more than conquerors and able to face whatever the world may throw our way (Romans 8:37 NKJV).

So whatever 2010 may hold for our country economically—be it a quick recovery or a downward spiral—if we put our eyes firmly on Him, we can be assured that He will keep care of us. This is one of the things that gets missed frequently in media and political circles. The solutions to challenges as vast as those confronting our world today are rarely found in human wisdom. That's why even the best thinkers in the world are constantly proved wrong.

The moment we put our faith in human wisdom, we have misplaced our trust. Human wisdom is great, but God's wisdom is best. So when it comes to the new year, believe the best, not because it will make you feel better (even though it will) but because when you trust in God, it will be better!

The pastors in Kings County would love to talk to you more about the good things God has in store for you this year. Why don't you plan on shifting your thinking this year and focus on the One who is always solid and secure?

New Experiment: Dynamas Testing Online

noreply@blogger.com (Andrew Cromwell) — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 02:29:00 +0000

I spent a little time yesterday and today prepping a small website dedicated to the Dynamas personality tool. Dynamas is a scaled down and oh-so-thankfully-simple version of the Birkman personality indicator. Birkman is an world-renowned tool for such things as personality identification, job matching, stress reactions and more. Dynamas takes all that and distills it down in such a way that it can be simply understood without a certified coach (which is required for the full Birkman).

Anways, check out the site.

http://www.yourpersonalityinsight.com

If your interested in using this tool for yourself, your spouse or your team, feel free to contact me for more information.

Some Truths from 1 Timothy 2

noreply@blogger.com (Andrew Cromwell) — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 14:46:00 +0000

1 Timothy 2:3-6
This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all men—the testimony given in its proper time.

I love these verses. In them we see:

God's desire is that all people come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. He does not want some to be destroyed and some to be saved. He wants everyone to be in heaven with him.

Jesus is the mediator between God and man. For anyone to get into heaven, the sacrifice of Jesus is necessary and sufficient.

Jesus died for all humankind, not just for some. There might be some that reject Jesus' sacrifice, but that will be their decision.

Gifts that Last

noreply@blogger.com (Andrew Cromwell) — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 15:40:00 +0000

for The Sentinel

Remember the words the Lord Jesus himself said, "There is more happiness in giving than in receiving." Acts 20:35 GN

The Christmas season, according to what the television tells me, is all about getting great deals on stuff. Some of this stuff I will need to buy for others and some I will keep for myself. But ultimately it is about buying stuff in order to make me and others happy.

The problem with this is that it's a lie. Christmas is not about buying stuff. Christmas is about giving stuff. And you don't have to buy stuff and go into debt in order to give stuff. The truth of it is, the best stuff to give is usually not physical stuff anyway. The best stuff is to give of the resources that you have in and of yourself.

Inside of each of us are precious resources that God has given us. We can give of those resources or we can hoard them for ourselves. If George Mueller is right that "God judges what we give by what we keep," then we would be much wiser if we chose to invest in our family and friends by giving them of the rich resources that we have.

What are these resources? Really, there are too many to list, but a few that none of us should go very long without investing into others are love, words and energy.

First, LOVE. It seems almost too obvious to mention, but love is one of the best gifts you can give to your family and friends this season. Scripture says that God loved us while we were still sinners. What that means is that love is not about performance. It is not a reward for good behavior. It is not a resource that we use as a tool to make people do what we want.

Love is the constant decision to not judge, not withdraw and not lash out in retaliation. It is the choice to continue to love that family member that always says the wrong thing at family gatherings, always drinks too much and continues to make a mess of their life. It is the recognition that our job is not to try and control people, but to demonstrate that they are valuable because they too are made in God's image and are His children.

Second, WORDS. The book of Proverbs says that the tongue has the power of life and death. All of us have been marked by words in our life—some words have breathed life and possibility into our situation and others have chilled us to the core and left us bleeding and broken. Words are a precious gift that we can give to others. They cost us very little, but a word spoken at the right time and in the right tone can heal relationships, inspire confidence and break the power of hopelessness.

Third, ENERGY. You and I have the ability to invest ourselves emotionally, physically and spiritually in people's lives. When we are there to listen and give the best of ourselves, we bring our energy to the table. Our energy is like a flame that warms and brings light to others. It may be the decision to get down on the floor and wrestle with the kids, to sit down and give time to your spouse or just making sure that you are there when you friend needs you. Your energy is a life force that can be used as an investment into people's lives.

So this Christmas make the choice to give of yourself. I believe what you will discover is that when you give of your resources, you are actually investing in the future. So who do you need to stop judging and start loving? Who needs to hear your words of life and acceptance? Who needs to receive your gift of energy?

This weekend the pastors of Kings County would love to share with you the greatest gift of all—the gift the Father gave to us of His Son Jesus. Why don't you give a gift to your family that could alter their destiny forever and take them to church this weekend? It just might change your experience of Christmas, and your life.

What Decision are You Delaying?

noreply@blogger.com (Andrew Cromwell) — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 20:47:00 +0000

for The Hanford Sentinel

For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. — 2 Timothy 1:7

It seems that nearly everything on this Earth challenges growth and expansion. People that dream big dreams about their lives, about how things can be better, about their families and the future are always challenged. Other people make sure to inform these dreamers about all the reasons why their dreams will not work. They patiently and fervently explain why the dreams simply cannot happen.

And while we are surrounded by dream-crushers on every side, there is an even bigger enemy that we must deal with if we are going to dream big and see God's purposes fulfilled in our lives—FEAR. We are experts at imagining all the worse case scenarios and tragic repercussions of big decisions. We spin glorious tales of how the imminent and unavoidable failures of our dreams will result in very massive and very public crash and burn fiascos.

It doesn't even seem to matter whether the dreams are big or small, the fears spring up like mushrooms that emerge overnight. We imagine that if we told the truth, we would lose everything. We imagine that if we make that change in our life we know we need, we would fail miserably and end up worse then before. We imagine that if we went back to school, we just wouldn't be able to hack it. And on and on.

So all too frequently, instead of moving forward into that preferred future, we stay frozen in fear. Crippled by our imaginations, we stop growing, believing and breaking through to the next thing God has for us. We stop believing what God says—eye has not seen and ear has not heard the good thing that the Lord has prepared for you (1 Corinthians 2:9)—and choose instead to agree with the voice of fear.

What fear is controlling you today? What fear is keeping you from moving forward in your life? Maybe you need to come clean in a relationship. Maybe you need to step out and grow in a new area. Maybe you need to risk losing some comfort to do that thing which is hard but is right. Don't delay it any longer. Don't wait for the perfect time, no such thing exists.

Dorothy Thompson said, "Only when we are no longer afraid do we begin to live." Is it time for you to stop delaying and start living?

This weekend the pastors of Kings County would love to help you be set free from fear and move towards all that God desires for your life. Don't put it off, it may be the start of a new day for you!

C.S. Lewis' View on Education

noreply@blogger.com (Andrew Cromwell) — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 15:09:00 +0000

Just finished reading C.S. Lewis' article "On the Transmission of Christianity" — he argued that the answer for the decline in Christian morals and the Christian life is not to go after education per se, but rather to go after individuals. It may be an important reminder for those embroiled in our culture wars here in the U.S., that to transform a culture, you transform the individuals within the culture first and then the institutions follow. To attempt to transform the institutions without changing the individuals is useless.

If I can be critical for a moment, it seems that the "Christian agenda" has been too focused on "prayer in schools" when it needed to be focused on "prayer in homes." How sad would it be for Christians to "win" this battle, only to discover that no one is interested in praying in schools because there are no Christians left there to pray.

His article is available here at Google books.

Entertaining Angels

noreply@blogger.com (Andrew Cromwell) — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 14:24:00 +0000

I think it is pretty clear that they weren't actually angels, but my family was treated to a special visit from a missionary couple that was driving through our area on their way up north. It was an unexpected visit from a couple that we had never met before, but because of a mutual friend, we were able to host them over night.

My wife and I have often prayed that we want our house to be a place of blessing for others and we want our family to be a part of that process so that they can learn this important part of life. This unexpected visit fit the bill. Rarely is it convenient to host someone in your home, you simply have to make the decision that it is an important thing to do.

And now we have two new friends, we were encouraged to hear about their work overseas, and hopefully we were able to encourage them. This is the kind of thing we need more of!

Local Media Features Hell House

noreply@blogger.com (Andrew Cromwell) — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 19:24:00 +0000

This year our youth pastor, Paul Wilcox, decided to put on Hell House for the teens in our area. Here's what the local media did with the story.

Kindness

noreply@blogger.com (Andrew Cromwell) — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 19:19:00 +0000

for The Sentinel Life Notes

As a parent of young children, I often forget that my job is not to create little robots that snap to attention whenever I speak. The problem is that I really like it when they do. It makes me feel like I'm doing a good job. When my kids misbehave in public or conveniently fail to hear me when I speak to them, I feel that I have been slighted and my authority is being challenged. So I find myself focusing on their behavior and demanding that they "act" the right way.

But this is all wrong. As a parent, we are given a great responsibility and the goal is not to create little people that "do" the right things. It is not that doing the right thing is unimportant—all of us want our children to grow up and do great things—it is just that "being" is much more important than "doing."

We can program computers and robots to "do" the right things, but their value to us only lasts as long as they continue to do their task well. People, on the other hand, are valuable because they are beings and not just doings. Just because people get old or break down in some way, their value does not change.

People's value is in their being. It is found in who they are, not what they do. And that is why as a parent, I have to constantly remind myself that I am developing a "being"—a person who is much more then just a sum of their activities. More important than my child doing the right thing, is whether their actions flow out of a heart that has been developed the right way.

We all know the difference between doing something because we have to even though everything within us is rebelling and doing something because we want to. Good parents are more interested in developing their child's heart because doing flows out of being.

I think that is why Father God really is the best example of a parent that there is. Think of how infinitely patient He is with us. He takes the long view of developing us as people. He is not nearly as interested in what we do as He is in who we are. We get these things reversed all the time and that is why churches can be such mean, judgmental places.

God is so infinitely patient with us, He keeps giving us chance after chance after chance. He sees our failures simply as an opportunity for us to grow and is always kind enough to embrace us when we turn back to Him. I love the verse in Romans that says it is "His kindness that leads us to repentance."

Not only as a parent, but as a friend, as a spouse, and as a person in relationship with others—we all must remember that the best way for us to respond to other people is with kindness and grace. People are not just a means to an end, they are valuable because they are created in God's image. They are valuable because they are human beings, not human doings.

So the next time you are tempted to treat your kids, like I so often do; or the next time you are on the verge of reacting to others in anger or in an attempt to control, remember how God works with you. Try operating out of kindness and concern for the other person, it just may change your life—and theirs.

This weekend the pastors in Kings County would love to help you learn more about the character of Father God. He really is the best example that we have, we would all do well to pay closer attention to the way He responds to people and use Him as our model.

David vs. Saul — The Difference

noreply@blogger.com (Andrew Cromwell) — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 14:21:00 +0000

Great blog post over at Resurgence on the real difference between David and Saul. At the end of the day, the ultimate contrast between these men was not their appearance or experience; it was their spirit.

How's your spirit?

• Are you full of His Spirit or are you full of yourself?
• Are you full of His Spirit or are you full of entertainment?
• Are you full of His Spirit or are you full of anxiety?
• Are you full of His Spirit or are you full of ?

Saul never seemed to understand how to yield to the Holy Spirit, David, on the other hand, was known as a man after God's heart because He did know how to yield — He yielded to the Spirit's call to repent, change, boldly step forward and so much more.

U2 at the Rose Bowl

noreply@blogger.com (Andrew Cromwell) — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 13:04:00 +0000

I was fortunate to be able to attend the U2 concert at the Rose Bowl this past Sunday evening. Because of a variety of scheduling conflicts I was not planning on attending either the show in Vegas (on Friday night) or at the Rose Bowl, but then I won two tickets in a raffle on Tuesday. So, long story short, I was thrilled to be able to be a part of a friends wedding and then jumped into the car with Jeff and raced down to the Rose Bowl.

Fortunately for us, the concert was streamed live on YouTube so the band did not come out until about 9pm. We were able to be in our seats for about 10 minutes before they came on. The show was nothing short of impressive. I've long been a fan of the band, but seeing them in person was a true thrill.

Over 96,000 people attended the Rose Bowl concert and so you can imagine the sea of people. One of the things that bowled me over was the stage they have built for this concert. I had read about it and even seen pictures, but to see it in person is something else entirely. It is massive — bigger then any other stage created for any touring concert ever.

The stages are built by the Belgian company Stageco, and construction of each requires the use of high-pressure and innovative hydraulic systems. The steel structure is 164 feet tall – doubling the size of the stadium set for The Rolling Stones' A Bigger Bang Tour, the previous highest – can hold up to 200 tonnes underneath it, and requires 120 trucks to transport each of the 3 sets constructed to support the tour. Each leg of the structure contains its own sound system. The cost of each structure is between £15 million and £20 million each. The 360° tour crew consists of 137 touring production crew suplemented by over 120 hired locally. Daily costs of the production are approximately $750,000, not including the stage construction; the majority of this comes from truck rentals, transportation, and staff wages. The tour is not expected to break even until the conclusion of the second leg.

Read more about the tour and stage here.

Is It Time for a Checkup?

noreply@blogger.com (Andrew Cromwell) — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 21:23:00 +0000

Submitted to the Hanford Sentinel.

Everything in our world needs care. Engines that are regularly serviced often run for years without a breakdown. Relationships that are cared for usually stay healthy and vibrant. Houses that are maintained and not neglected require far less attention then those that are ignored for even a short time (think of the state of the vacant foreclosures in your neighborhood).

All things tend towards breakdown and decay. The second law of thermodynamics states that all systems, unless they have constant energy input, will eventually run down and stop. Beautiful bodies break down, marvelously manicured yards go to seed and even the most state of the art structures slide inexorably toward decrepitude.

This is the reason why we are encouraged to go to the doctor at least once a year. Those that are disciplined submit to this annual poking and prodding so that they can catch problems early and avoid major breakdowns. But those of us that do not, often suffer the consequences of years of neglected maintenance.

Your spiritual life is no different. Without regular maintenance and care, it tends towards disrepair. Perhaps once upon a time you were sensitive to the things of God and your ears were attuned to that which was just and right, but if you are not careful, the busyness of life keeps you from doing the basic maintenance. This is especially easy to do because your spiritual life is largely invisible. It is only seen through your actions and your speech and the state of your heart.

So we find ourselves putting off those essential activities that would maintain our spiritual flame. We stop talking to God because there is no time. We stop reading His Word because we are too tired. We stop bowing our knee to His soft corrective call. And before we know it, we are far down the road, headed for a breakdown.

Hearts that are neglected have attacks. Homes that are neglected cost you an arm and a leg. Spouses that are neglected will destroy your family and your finances. A neglected spiritual life will cost you your soul.

When was the last time you submitted to a spiritual checkup? The pastors of Kings County would love to help you make an appointment with the Great Physician. He's the only one that can really heal your heart and restore your soul.

YouVersion Live

noreply@blogger.com (Andrew Cromwell) — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 23:25:00 +0000

My favorite iPhone bible software has recently released a Live tool that allows you to post sermon notes, scripture references, polls, and the like so that you can leverage people's mobile devices during your sermon. I love the idea because I now take all my sermon notes on my phone and use the Bible on my phone all the time.

Here's a link to the first Live event I'm setting up to use during this weekend's sermon.

Book Burning

noreply@blogger.com (Andrew Cromwell) — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 13:00:00 +0000

A North Carolina Baptist church to burn ‘Satan’s books,’ including works of Mother Teresa — I'm shocked that Harry Potter isn't at the top of the list, but am heartened to see Billy Graham, Rick Warren and those other Satan worshippers will be submitted to the flames.

Perhaps we could learn something form this -- a tiny 14 person church across the country gets nationwide publicity from this stunt. Maybe it's time for us to do a book burning?

Here's a video of the news story too:

Community Church of Joy Leaves Lutheran Denomination

noreply@blogger.com (Andrew Cromwell) — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 16:20:00 +0000

A very significant church in Phoenix, has recently voted to leave their denomination because of, among other things, the denominations increasingly open stance to the acceptance of homosexuality. The mainline denominations seem to be losing their moorings one by one. More here.

Trying Something New: Video Teasers for LifeLab

noreply@blogger.com (Andrew Cromwell) — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 20:48:00 +0000

For more on LifeLab click here.

Evernote - Do You Use It Yet?

noreply@blogger.com (Andrew Cromwell) — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 20:50:00 +0000

If you're like me, you are frustrated with the reality of the incredible amount of information we need to keep at our fingertips in order for our lives to run smoothly. Whether it's keeping track of login usernames and passwords, travel itineraries, receipts, notes to self, PDFs, sermon notes, and just about anything else digital — Evernote is my new friend.

I have the Evernote client installed on both my work and home computer and my iPhone. All notes are kept synced and up to date. Changes on any client immediately appear on the others. You can even access your notes online.

Here's a good article on 14 Ways you can use Evernote.

Check it.

The Psychology of Tipping

noreply@blogger.com (Andrew Cromwell) — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 15:24:00 +0000

I knew that certain tactics were used in the food service industry to increase the likelihood of receiving bigger tips. There is actually studies that back this up. I like the "spontaneous extra piece of candy" method the most.

Cornell University's Center for Hospitality Research conducted several studies revealing some other interesting facts about server habits that can boost tip percentages. Here are a few of them:

Touching - Waiters experienced a tip increase from 11.8 percent to 14.8 percent of the check total when they briefly touched the shoulder of the customer. Both men and women left higher tips when touched, and although younger customers increased their tip amount more, all ages increased the tip by some amount [Source: Center for Hospitality Research at Cornell].

Squatting - Two studies showed that waiters who squatted next to the table when taking orders and talking with customers increased their tips from 14.9 percent of the bill to 17.5 percent of the bill in one study, and from 12 percent to 15 percent in another study. Apparently, the eye contact and closer interaction creates a more intimate connection and makes us want to give the server more money [Source: Center for Hospitality Research at Cornell].

Giving candy - A study that involved giving customers a piece of candy with their bill showed an increase in tip percentage from 15.1 percent to 17.8 percent. Another study in which servers gave each customer two pieces of candy with the bill increased the tip from 19 percent to 21.6 percent of the bill. Still another study showed that the way the server gave the customer the candy had the largest impact on the increase of the tip: This study had the server initially give each member of the customer's party one piece of candy and then "spontaneously" offer a second piece of candy. This method increased the tip to 23 percent of the bill [Source: Center for Hospitality Research at Cornell].

Being helpful - A study of hotel bellhops revealed that just taking a few extra minutes explaining to guests how to operate the television and thermostat, opening the drapes for guests, and offering to fill the ice bucket increased tips from $2.40 to $4.77 [Source: Center for Hospitality Research at Cornell].

Borrowed from HowStuffWorks.com