OK I caved...

But not on my fast! Nice try! Nope I caved on something I said I would not do but apparently already had done at the time that I said I wouldn't do it! Am I confusing you? Yeah me to a little. Read this post "Fighting the System". Well it turns out that I have had a facebook for some time now and forgot all about it. Someone found me and I got the email. I did click the link to accept them because I didn't know I even had a facebook. So now a bunch of you are requesting to be my friends on there. When I am done with my fast, I will accept you and look around on it BUT I REFUSE to like it. I need another social network like I need a virtual hole in my head!

So yeah whatever, I will see ya'll facebookers in a few weeks or so.

Never more proud!!!

In light of my post about "the church", To day I have never felt better about where I serve and worship. Our new worship pastor recently moved into a house and lately it has been pushing him around a bit. It seems like so many thinks are going wrong all at the same time. Well his ice-maker turned into a water sprinkler and soaked the whole living room. There was a poor attempt at a pergo floor install that warped from the water. Well here comes the cool: Some money was given from our PARTners to put in a new floor for them. Today a bunch of people from the church went over there a busted out a fresh (dry) new floor for them and all before Ella's one year birthday.

This whole event really reminded me of the way churches were in Acts. Were people gave to anyone in need. This was awesome to be a part of and to all of those who came out and helped: Thank You! And I am sure that Randy Thanks you!!!

This is, after all, what it is all about. Putting off of yourself for the sake of others. Thats what Christ did and today, thats what Discovery Church did!!!

We had too many people in the house so some us us hit the yard work while we were there. Look Ma we can walk under the trees now!!!

www.18 days.com (still not a link so don't go there!)

I am on day 18 of my net fast. Thanks to our wonderful town I was thinking of doing a water fast along with it (check here and here).

I am still going strong and haven't been told or felt I should stop fasting. It's weird/great but I don't know if I want to stop! Of course I want to look at web sites (thanks to all my friends emailing me links!!!) but a part of me is willing to lose it forever if thats what it takes to get on track. I have spent more time reading the Bible, praying, thinking about God and even thinking about our friends in Christ and people within our ministry reach than ever before. And I enjoy it! I don't want to sleep in, I want to get up and read! Yesterday I spent most of the day with a heavy burden because of a few friends I have that are in struggles. I was in constant prayer for them.

Confession time: I was in New Bern on Wednesday to see my mom and S.R. 43 was way messed up with construction. I used my moms computer to Google map a better way home!!!! Does it count if it ain't fun? I sure felt like I was letting myself and you all down. It was 2 minutes that seemed like forever. I was very eager to click that little red "x" in the top corner. I know it wasn't for fun or recreation but it wasn't for work or blogging! The walk into the computer room was heavy, finding her internet icon was convicting and typing in a google search (first time in weeks) felt terrible. I know I wasn't sinning but it felt like it because I have said I wouldn't do it! I broke my word and it felt bad. I pray that every area of sin in my life has the same feelings as this let down. That is a conviction that I want.

So on I go with my net-out. Pray for me, that I will continue the desire and effort to get closer to God through prayer, reading and fasting.


To some this may seen dumb or just plain crazy but I ask you this: Is the bad stuff that you or your kids have seen on the internet worth the good stuff you have seen? The internet has made stealing seem justified, it tells lies and passes them on as truth, it hates God more than it loves him, It has made lust easy, it has degraded lives and it has distracted us from a savior who died to be near us. So right now, for a short time I am willing to cut off this hand and gouge out this eye in order to follow God a little closer.

As I stated, I don't know how long I am going to go with this fast but I have decided that when it is over that I will start back slowly and ONLY go to sites that I have bookmarked as good and decent ahead of time. I will not set my home page on a search engine and I will not sit down to browse just to find something cool and fun.

What next?... TV baby!!!! (but that one will be easy for me)
Thank you GOD for not asking me to fast FOOD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

How's Church?

If we were to take care of our church building/property the same way we handle the spiritual side of church, I wonder what our churches would look like.

I was out last week doing some quite time/reading and praying and I came across this old church:

I felt God telling me to stop. So I did. My heart was saddened as I looked at this "beautiful" building. Thoughts started pouring into my mind and I could actually picture what it was like long ago:

I saw a group of people praying on a cleaned off piece of property. They were praying for the building project, for the people to come, for souls to be saved. Then I pictured the opening: Everyone dressed in their Sunday Best. Most of them had covered dishes because there was lunch on the grounds after service. I saw Easter Sunday where kids were running around finding eggs and grown ups played horse shoes and talked to each other sitting on blankets.

I imagined their hymns and all of the voices being lifted up to God.
I saw a true reverence for a Savior who died for us.

What I could not see, could not picture or imagine was how this church turned out like this. Why people left. What happened? Did the Pastor mess up beyond forgiveness? Did they out grow this building? If they did, wasn't there any other churches in need of a nice chapel? Did they as a group fall away from the truth? Was the message of the Cross forgotten?

Then I felt God telling me that THIS is what a lot of churches look like to Him. But those churches have paint, pews and lots of people in them each week. They actually have Prayer (but it's not sincere), they have people coming to the alter (But never discipled to maturity), They dress nice on the outside (But their thoughts are ragged), They have lunch on the grounds (but are spiritually starving), Their kids get candy at church (But Bible learning is scarce), They still talk and fellowship (but it's mostly gossip), Their Songs are still sung (but mostly to each other), They have reverence (for stature and status only).

So how is your Church maintenance program? Is the "Church" today a little run down? Is it even usable? I loved "Work Days"! They were a time when Members came to clean, fix, remodel and landscape around the grounds. It was a great time. A time serving and fellowship. But I never (to this day) recall a spiritual work day. A full day set aside to check on and perform spiritual maintenance.

So do I have an answer? Sure I do... Jesus, Him and a lot more of Him! If and when Jesus is the true focus, we as a church will start to be in a lot better shape. Jesus was never inward but always outward... Let's start there.

So on the next "work day", don't bring your rake... TAKE YOUR RAKE! (do you get it?)

What's the best thing in your town for teens to do?

We are in the Greenville N.C. area and we have... the movies and... well that's about it.
And unless you are rich, you are not doing THAT too much!
So I need Ideas. I am asking my 3 blog readers to throw out some "teen to do's" that can keep them busy and give them some clean fun.

So my nephew Lee is in town with me for about a week. I figured after a day or so he would be bored so I suggested taking him to a movie. Just the two of us. That day a teen (not to mention any names that start with S and ends in N) text me saying she was bored. So I told her to round up a few of the youth group to go with Lee and I. Next thing I know we had about 15 people. Then the cool happened. Someone wanted to see The Love Guru and I asked a few of them what they though. One of them said she didn't think it would be a very "clean" movie and said she would look it up. She Googled it and told me that we were NOT going to see THAT movie. This was awesome! If you are reading this, Thank you and you made me very proud. It turns out that NONE of the movies that were not a cartoon was appropriate. This same teen suggested that they come over to MY house and watch a movie that we already had. So thats what happened. A bunch of kids, a small room, a movie and a few body functions set the scene. We had a blast.

About 10 minutes after they all left, I started getting text about how fun it was and that we should do it again. So I am working up the nerve to ask Sheila (my wonderful, lovely, hospitable wife {who reads my blog}) if she would be up for a weekly movie night through summer. I was thinking of watching all of the star wars movies in order.

So that was my Tuesday evening!

www.15 days.com (it's not a links so don't go there!!!

Still hangin' in there. Some days are easier than others because I am busy. I have been doing a good amount of reading and am amazed/thrilled that I find myself desiring a few minutes here of there to get into God's Word. It feels kinda like a good novel that you don't want to put down. I have also been hearing from God in the form of inspiration. Little thought about what I read, what I pray and how these things can be applied to my/our life.

Day 12 "net-less"

I still haven’t decided how long I am fasting the net. I don’t even think it’s my choice at this point. So for now I will continue until I feel God telling me I am done. I almost got sucked into myspace. I got an email (yeah, I get to email, blog and work only websites) from a band that wants to come do a concert for us and of course I can hear all of their songs on their myspace page! I almost fell for it!

I have been doing some reading in the Bible to fill in my extra time and I find myself looking for a few minutes here or there to get into His Word. I am reading stuff I have been reading over for years and am amazed at what I am finding: Power, lots of it. The Power of salvation, The Power of the Holy Spirit, The Power of the early church, the Power of the written Word...Lots of Power. Honestly, it’s a Power that I do not see in “the church” today. How much more could the church do if (and when) we embrace the Power that God has given us?

I am excited about tomorrows One Prayer service, Craig Groeschel really drives this point home. So for my Pitt county folks, come see, the rest of you have to check the podcast on discoverychurchonline.com under “resources”.

Later Gator

Day 11 with no internet!

Still going, but getting harder. The habit of sitting down in my chair and bringing up some tech news or checking my email for fun or funny sites is getting to me. Valerie and Jason both hit me with a must see web linked email... And they almost got me! But I didn’t cave. Instead I broke my “inbox zero” rule and save them both for when I get done with my fast.
What is God teaching me?
Simply that HE is enough! Yeap, God is enough, all I need.

When I go to Zazbys to get their chicken strips, I have to have their sauce. Why? Because their chicken isn’t enough! It needs more! It’s the same with the chicken biscuit at BoJ’s, I need ketchup on it or it will be so dry that it could suck the moister right out of my body (forcing me to down more of their sweet tea)! A lot of things in life are like this. The lcd hi-def tv is great...would you like to get some hi-def cables with that? How about an extended warrantee (for the product that the salesman just told you was the best on the market!). And a lot of us feel the same about God. “If only I could see a miracle” or “if God would just heal this one person”. Let me tell you something: God is enough and he has done enough. What he did on the cross was ENOUGH!

Nothing else needed! If stepping down from the throne, leaving Heaven, leaving all his riches and glory, coming to earth. walking among a people that hate, doubt and disobey him, healing their sick, raising their dead, feeding them, teaching them, walking on water, controlling the winds, taking a beating, dying for them and lastly, coming back from the grave for them isn’t enough, there will NEVER BE ENOUGH!

So ask yourself: “is God enough for me? Do I expect things from Him?” Maybe we can do a little less expecting and a little more accepting?

Forked!

We woke up Thursday morning to forks! Bunch of forks all over the yard. It turns out that our wonderful youth group was playing a prank on us. My first thought was revenge!!! (They got Jason too, so I would have some help!) But today was/is my GTO (God time only) day, so I put off my revenge planning and headed out to read and pray. My van was acting up so I broke rule #2 (no cell phones), and took mine. Well the youth (not to stealthy) started texting me with “hold on to your fork”. I got 7 text saying this. Then I figured out why, Sunday morning church was a video from Perry Noble and told about his childhood Sunday dinners where his mother would collect the plates and tell everyone to “hold on to your forks” because there was something else coming, something sweet, something better, something saved for last. Perry’s point was that if God was to tell us one thing it would be to “hold on to your fork” because I have something else coming, something great! And better than anything else!!!

So what was meant to be a joke, turns out to be and encouragement and even a message from God...To hold on to my fork! Because I have not seen anything yet. God is BIG and has something special in store for us at Discovery Church!

To Crosslink: Thank you for the gift, it led my day and gave me encouragement.
To Discovery Church: We haven’t seen anything yet, there is something better coming.
To God: I am holding my fork(s)! I am anticipating see you move in my life and your church.
There were a lot of forks, so I am expecting a lot, Bring it on!

Hey, since when did teens start listening in church? :)

Day 8 with no internet

I am still on my net-fast. I will be doing without the world wide web until at least Thursday. If I feel like I should go longer, I will. So far I am doing real good. I have spent more time with GOD on my mind and I can truly see how he is working in and around my life. Things just seem to be working out better in several ways. Today Jason did a food fast and I bet he feels the same. Sometimes it’s easier to be thankful for what we have been given when we do without. Someone wiser than me once said: “you don’t realize what your idols are until they are threatened or removed.” I think for me my sites are/were a controlling issue. I would check Digg, Ebay and Gizmodo over 10 times a day! Even when I was away from the house all day, the fist thing I would do when I got back was check my e-mails and my sites! I know I didn’t pray or acknowledge God that many times every day! And I know when I arrive back home after being away, I didn’t go straight to God in prayer or read in His word. So in your life, what is the think you don’t think you could do without? Why not? Who gave it to you in the first place?

For those just checking in: I am on a fast from the web. I can blog, and check my emails but thats it! For me thats huge but GOd is bigger!

been awhile

Attendance 06/15/08 was 110 and offering was $4973.00
Attendance is low but GOD is GOOD! We have had a blast at church lately!
Attendance 06/08/08 was 135 and offering was $2668.00
Attendance 06/01/08 was 136 and offering was $7428.00
Attendance 05/25/08 was 116 and offering was $1160.00
Attendance 05/18/08 was 138 and offering was $4825.35
Attendance 05/11/08 was 133 and offering was $1699.00
Attendance 05/04/08 was 180 and offering was $7937.00
Attendance 04/27/08 was 185 and offering was $4609.00
Attendance 04/20/08 was 172 and offering was $3695.56
Attendance 04/13/08 was 178 and offering was $3571.89
Attendance 04/6/08 was 190 and offering was $9273.88
Attendance 03/30/08 was 184 and offering was $3891.26
Attendance 03/23/08 was 210 and offering was $5219.00
Attendance 03/16/08 was 163 and offering was $3862.23
Attendance 03/09/08 was 140 and offering was $2694.31
Attendance 03/02/08 was 190 and offering was $7505.75
Attendance 02/24/08 was 199 and offering was $3223.10
Attendance 02/17/08 was 182 and offering was $3452.76
Attendance 02/10/08 was 205 and offering was $2702.00
Attendance 02/03/08 was 190 and offering was $7186.00
Attendance 01/28/08 was 163 and offering was $5461.50
Attendance 01/20/08 was 160 and offering was $2110.88
Attendance 01/13/08 was 206 and offering was $2229.00
Attendance 01/06/08 was 162 and offering was $4096.69
Attendance 12/30/07 was 156 and offering was $5610.70
Attendance 12/23/07 was 145 and offering was $3553.00
Attendance 12/16/07 was 132 and offering was $3213.00
Attendance 12/09/07 was 166 and offering was $3522.00
Attendance 12/02/07 was 153 and offering was $3879.00
Attendance 11/25/07 was 124 and offering was $1215.00
Attendance 11/18/07 was 189 and offering was $3906.00
Attendance 11/11/07 was 169 and offering was $2613.00
Attendance 11/04/07 was 145 and offering was $3459.70
Attendance 10/28/07 was 166 and offering was $2234.00
Attendance 10/21/07 was 126 and offering was $1295.00
Attendance 10/14/07 was 95 and offering was $1015.00
Attendance 10/07/07 was 156 and offering was $4523.07
Attendance 9/30/07 was 140 and offering was $2951.06
Attendance 9/23/07 was 159 and offering was $1612.00
Attendance 9/17/07 was 177 and offering was $4547.73
Attendance 9/09/07 was 163 and offering was $1822.30
Attendance 9/02/07 was 138 and offering was $3394.45
Attendance 8/26/07 was 199 and offering was $4596.00
Attendance 8/19/07 was 127 and offering was $2747.46
Attendance 8/12/07 was 132 and offering was $3945.00
Attendance 8/05/07 was 107 and offering was $2971.71
Attendance 7/29/07 was 132 and offering was $1998.00
Attendance 7/22/07 was 137 and offering was $2557.82

Day 7 of my internet fast

I am doing ok with it. No mess up’s at ALL. For those who don’t know, my accountability partners suggested that I kill the internet for a few days (two to start with). I was allowed to check my emails and go to sites that I had to have for work. I spent two days missing something I love and LOVING something I was missing... God. I spend WAY too little time with him and about him. And my internet is a big chunk of that time. I really like my new found God time and how much He is on my mind so I continue my fast. I have (duhh) started blogging because Jim cannot go long with his Claude fix! I can also read your blogs and comments but thats it. No Ebay, Craigslist, Digg, Gizmodo, I am not even following my podcast!

I am enjoying this time and I think I can and should return to this every now and then.

new address

As of now, you should be able to go to www.claudecannon.com to get to my blog. Yeah, I copied Jason with his name change...What can I say, I am a follower!
My old name (the long boring one (discoverychurchclaude.blogspot.com)) should still work just fine.

Heading to Church

We were out late last night with Benji and Janice for there last hooray as single people. I didn't get to bed till around 1am but here at 745am I feel awake and ready for what God has in store for us today. We are starting the(official) One Prayer videos today. I am excited to have our church hear what other pastors have to say about the church. This is a really cool concept and I look forward to it.

Jason doesn't have to speak so be sure to find out what he IS doing during service...

Pray that I will not mess up what God has for the kids today and that the energy drink last!

Anyhow, off to church... Why are you reading blogs before church anyway????

S3

(Second Saturday Service) is our gift to the community, is a time once a month that as a church we go out to the streets to Bless people by simple acts of kindness.

Today we went out to do a “one dollar car wash” where when we got done washing the cars, we gave THEM a dollar! Man, I love this one! The look of surprise on their faces is priceless (well $1 at least :). We washed a decent amount of cars with very little down time (just enough to wash our own cars for effect).

We got one lady who was driving around to find a cheap fast wash because she was getting married later that day... She found it! We got a chance to pray for her ceremony and her new marriage. Wow what a great time!

Another guy, thinking he had to pay, demanded that it be two dollar. So when we got done... We gave him two dollars!!! He was floored.

We even got to was a decked our Envoy that was headed to be in a car show!!! Him and his son were speechless and it turns out they run their custom car shop non-profit to help needy families in Wilson N.C. And the best for last:

Another guy and lady came up (nice car) and told us they would do it for two dollars, after we gave them their two dollars and politely turned down their donation offer, the guy got out of his car and sang an acappella song right there on the street!!! He was really good AND really brave! So we got some blessings back at us.

Here is a funny one: A guy coming out of the Sam’s Club turned our way. When he saw us out there he stopped his car, backed up and went the other way. That was a trip. He was probably thinking we were going to push our mission trip needs on him or that we were some kind of charity looking for yet another hand out. Well too bad for him. So if anyone saw us out at the Advanced Auto Saturday 14th then you should have pulled in for a wash and a dollar. Oh well, catch us next time (or come by my house, I will still wash your car!)


So that was our day and it was/is great! God is good, He is in control and we love Him!
Thanks for all who turned our on Fathers-day weekend to do a little God work!

This is our first Greensprings trip this year!

We all had a BLAST! 5 cars when down to New Bern at $4.00 a gallon!!!

Click here

Sorry I have not been around. Since before last Tuesday, I have no excuse BUT after that I do. I have decided to spend more time on God than on the net! NOT EASY for me!!! I have not been to ANY websites or blogs all week unless it was strictly for work. And I did it. I was kinda nice and I got a lot done. I was think I am going to continue for a little while longer (I am committing to next Saturday!). So be praying that I can fill in God where other distractions have been in my day/week. I will be blogging though because it is kinda my job to keep people informed. So Don’t send me web links or cool/great/funny videos over the next week because I am not watching them.

I will also be taking my weekly day of REST from now on. When you get paid for doing what you love, it is easy to confuse work for recreation. So once a week I will not be “working on church stuff”. I will work on God stuff and work my tail off showing people His love. But Discovery will have to wait and be blessed for it. I thing the entire staff is going to do this too but check their blogs to see.

Here is my to do list:
Pray with my wife DAILY
Spend time alone with God DAILY
Read DAILY in God word
Avoid distracting or non productive web/internet…sorry Youtube, Gizmodo, Digg and Google but you will do fine without me for a week.
Blog about ,my week DAILY!
Take my Day of Rest and make it Holy!

ouch, it hurts!

Ok, I am with Randy at a church plant conference in Raleigh N.C.. The first session was good and challenged me to look at Jesus, the church and even myself as Prophet, Priest and King. Jesus is all three and we also are though Christ Jesus.

As a Prophet, bring God’s word to the people
As a Priest: Bring the people to God
As a King: be an executive and judicial Power of God to the people

But the second half lost me! Sorry! Theses guys used huge words allot. Being simple like I am, they went WAY OVER me attention span. I cannot speak for Randy but the look on his face makes me thing he is in the same boat.

few more mountain trip pictures coming soon

We haven't uploaded the last few hours in Waynesville yet, but we will soon. So check back in soon and I will have them for you.

Just Checkin in:

Have you ever had one of those days when NOTHING moves fast enough? I have too much to do in too little time. We are about to head over to New Bern to hang with my mom for the evening and I am trying to finish up some work. 

I will post more later...maybe!