So, I’m finally moving here cdenning.com. So, change your blogrolls and rss feeds cause this place will be history. Everything is moving over to cdenning.com. So go ahead, change what you need to. I’ll wait . . . . . Ok! Now head over to the new site. Things might look different for a while, but we’ll be back to normal (but better!!!) in no time.

Special thanks to Tom for makin this happen.

So, I’m taking my contribution for Creative Chaos this week from something a good buddy of mine started. He is in charge of a lot of the production details that goes on at our church. So he started a site for his volunteers and for others to check out what is going on with the ministry. The best part, it’s put together so well! He’s got it setup as a blog, but he’s got videos of the services and of the work they did on Sunday mornings up there. Its boss. So check it out, maybe you’d like to start something like this for our ministry. It’s a great way to get volunteers interested in your ministry and to get the word out about what you’re doing.

Go here to check it out.

So, I’ve had several people ask me, since they’ve seen me use it on facebook or on my blog or other blogs, what the heck is this twitter? The easy answer: It’s like a status checker for your friends, like on facebook, but better. Maybe this can help:

You can follow people and see who is following you. See what your friends are doing. So hop on the Twitter train. Go here.

Make sure you find/follow me once you’re there!

So, if you haven’t noticed, i’ve kinda been sketchy the past few days. I’m sorry, i’ve been busy, and preparing for changes. My Web Wizard, Tom, is helping me switch over to my new domain. Its gonna give me more freedom to do some of the sweet stuff I’ve been wanting to do. Just wait and see. I’ll be launching it in a few days. Stay tuned for that and don’t forget about the SUPER BIG FUN CENTENNIAL CONTEST!!! It’s commin up quick, so be ready . . .

I mean seriously. I hope this is for real . . . but seriously. A man can hope.

Yes.

So, this may be weird, but Saturday night was the first time that i’ve ever actually read through the crucifixion and resurrection in the Bible on my own. I read it in Matthew. I wanted it to sink in. It did. After reading it, the word in this song had a whole new, more personal meaning to them.

It’s all because of Jesus I’m alive
It’s all because the blood of Jesus Christ
That covered me and raised this dead man’s life
It’s all because of Jesus I’m alive

I was dead, and now, because of Jesus, I’m alive forever. The kind of alive that you can’t manufacture. The kind of alive you can’t buy. It’s the kind of alive that you can only accept.

I’m alive.

Now I know what it feels like to do all that you can personally do bring the kids to the Cross during a service, and see no reaction at all. None. Just blank stares and uninterested chattering. Jesus DIED for you, a horrible death, just so that you can really live. You don’t have to be perfect anymore. You don’t have to be a legalist. You can be yourself and know Jesus on a one-on-one basis! He knows you down to your dirty, sinful soul and loves you anyways. How can you not react to a love like that? How can you hear words that depict the love and care that Christ has for us and not be moved? How can you look at Redemption’s Hill and say, “Thanks” and just go on your way? Tell me, how does this happen? God loved us so much that He sent His Son to die like a disgusting, worthless thief. He took every bit of real pain that the world could ever throw at us, and took it because He loves us. Jesus is the only one who can open the hearts of these kids. I pray for every kid who walks through our doors or through the doors of any church, that their hearts would be soft and that they would listen and embrace the story and redemption of Christ. I pray they would be so moved that they can’t help but live their lives for Him. Why doesn’t that shake you? Why doesn’t that move every bit of you? Why don’t I live in the shadow of this every day?

Why?

Do you guys ever look back on stuff that you’ve written (whether it be songs, poetry, prose, talks, what-have-you) and just wondered what you were thinking? I mean actually questioning whether you wrote it or not because it seems like a totally different person? This thing has two sides to it.

1. It’s pretty awesome to see where you’ve come from and to be able to see how you thought and where your head was at the time. Progression is neat to look back on.

2. You also look back and say, thank Jesus I’ve come from that place. The only way I am the person I am today is because I have taken steps of faith with and towards Jesus. By the way, that’s true for the me of tomorrow too.

What do you think?

First off, I’m really enjoy reading all of these great ideas that everyone posts on here. Way to go guys, we’re really doin it.

So, here’s my contribution for the week. Something that we try to do from time to time is we try to write tracks to fill out the band. Not just stuff to fill in what isn’t there, but stuff that is just nice to have on top and it fills it out. Or even just have a sick little beat (See Fee’s Beautiful the Blood) to have just a little more complexity goin on. For instance, I started to write a track last night based off this rendition of Amazing Grace that Hillsong did (Check last post). All I did was I found some decent sounding string combos and started writing it out. I added a little glockenspiel on top to give it that little extra clarity and brightness I wanted. It’s goin well, but I want to get some ears on it to see if we’re headed in the right direction. However, this isn’t the creative part of the post.

Here’s my point: You have volunteers, use them. I’m a volunteer. I don’t get paid for what I do to help the ministry. I love writing musing and composing stuff, so I jump at chances to do it when Brooks and I talk about it. Talk to your volunteers and see if they have a knack for writing tracks, or writing charts, or something that could help out the ministry and give them ownership of the ministry. Once people own the vision that you guys are putting out there, get ready. There is no limit to what God can do with willing servants.

Thoughts?

So, I was doing hw and listening to music the other night. Tom looks up at me and asked if I had seen a video that Brooks had showed him. I said no. He showed me this video. My life is changed.

This is what a church can do if they really go for it. Granted, Hillsong is huge. Granted, their budget is incredible. But this whole thing began with a simple idea, and grew. Excellence is achievable and it is honorable if it is to glorify our God. So good.