Another great weekend at Imagine Fellowship. Here’s how it went down…

• Woke up a little late, probably because I was tired from three long days at Catalyst in Atlanta.
• I was just to tired to shave so I didn’t and no one at Imagine even mentioned it. Hmmm.
• I thought I’d be more sluggish but I get so pumped up for Sunday that the tired didn’t affect me.
• I beat Kevin to the Palladium! I was surprised because I never beat him. The only reason I beat him was because I told him I was going to be late and then ended out being not as late as I thought I’d be.
• So I started taking the net off the trailer and it was an odd, lonely feeling being there by myself. I feel bad for all those church leaders that don’t have a team around them.
• With that said, I’m so grateful for our team. They are all hard workers and committed and Imagine is better because of them.
• Sound was set up super quick! Good job Ralf.
• Set up seemed easy today, not sure why but I know it’s because we have some key leaders setting up.
• Kevin threw a tennis ball at me! He missed but I foresee more tennis ball throwing in the future.
• Linda Solis’ sister was here with her friend Roger. He helped set up the lights and did an ok job.
• We did some tweaking with the lights and stage props and I think it looked pretty darn cool.
• Bubbles in kids! I think….
• Charles Coulter, a marriage coach (as Kev likes to call him) hooked us up with some good insight for our fear buttons. He offered group sessions which I really hope our people take advantage of.
• Check out the latest additions to the twitter family Chelsea, Heather, Carrie, Ted & Daniel the Drummer!
• So right in the middle of service, that stupid preflix recording comes on. I didn’t even move. I knew Israel would be on it. It’s good to have good people around who take initiative.
• And right after that, Israel sends a text letting me know that the curtain that cuts the room in half is falling down and pvc pipes are exposed. I HATE WHEN STUFF LIKE THAT HAPPENS!
• Propresenter Guy got to pretty much take the Sunday off since there were no sermon notes and only two songs. I was pumped about that and I wasn’t even the one doing it.
• We started doing a play by play twitter update this Sunday and it worked very well. I heard from a number of people who weren’t able to make the service that they were able to follow exactly what was happening on twitter. That’s a win.
• Everything we do at Imagine is done for a reason with lots of planning and thought. If you’re wondering why we do what we do, just ask. I’d love to share our philosophy with you so you get exactly what is happening and why.
• Band rocked Hoobastank’s What Happened To Us to start service and that song is cool.
• I’m really looking forward to this week. Tons of stuff to get done and I’m ready to work.
• Staff meeting starts early tomorrow. I hope I’m not late because that would not be a good way to start off pep talk about excellence.
• It’s time to unite the college students. Be looking out for a mixer coming soon. Anyone interested in planning it?
• The Relational Web: So Easy a Caveman Could Do it! Don’t miss next week! It’s gonna be fun.
• Your Life on Screen starts in two weeks and I’m pumped! That series is going to be one of the best we’ve done so far.
• So I skipped out on break down and I always feel so guilty as a leader when I leave early. That’s not my style. I prefer to lead by example but my daughter needed some time with her daddy and I heard a fantastic motto this past week that I plan to live my life by: I will not sacrifice my family on the alter of ministry. With that said….
• I’ve decided to give everybody a Sunday off for breakdown (not set up). Hit me up on twitter for more details.
• We need some serious help in kids. When your cell phone rings and you see my number on the screen, there’s a good chance I’ll be asking you to pull out your calendar to see when you can help.
• Texas Baby!!! AP Rankings came out and The University of Texas is  ranked No. 1!!!!!
• Cowboys lost! No wonder I was in such a bad mood this evening.
• If you haven’t signed up for twitter, you need to. No need to get twitter updates on your cell. You can use the website to keep track. There will be a lot of Imagine info flowing through twitter from here on out so sign up here.
• I so want one of these!
• Mervyns is having a ridiculous going out of business sale! We’re gonna buy some rugs!!!!
• Bedtime.

~ ralph perez, leader’s pastor

Ok, so we (Kevin, Nan, Ralf, Linda, Sara and myself) were in Atlanta the past couple of days for Catalyst. This conference is just amazing and we fit right in. This conference is all about an out of the box, intense, over the top experience. The leaders who spoke were top shelf as was the music. This conference was all about excellence and I walked away feeling really uncomfortable with where I am in so many areas of my life. Here are a few observations…

• My first impressions of the conference were naturally formed as I walked into the auditorium. What I heard was great music and what I saw was an amazing stage with lights flashing and circling the auditorium. The mood was intense and in your face and I couldn’t help but think that Imagine is on the right track. More on the lights later.
• When we walked in, there was the funnies guy MCing the thing and then they played a video he shot which was very creative.
• Andy Stanley kicked off the conference and ended it as well. He’s a top shelf communicator and he brought an amazing message about Moral Authority. I felt so challenged to serve God and the Imagine Fellowship family in a more sacrificial way and I’m going to do it.
• Jim Collins was the next speaker to rock my face off. He’s the author of Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap and Others Don’t.
• I need a personal board of directors and so do you. Pick people who are higher caliber leaders than you are and then let them teach you how to be better.
• JC also told me to make a “to stop” list instead of just a “to do” list. I’m going to make a short list tonight of stuff that just doesn’t make me better.
• I was also challenged to do life unplugged every now and again. What’s that mean? It means to turn off my cell (so hard it hurts), turn off the tv (ugh), no computer, internet or anything else electronic and just think. I don’t want to do it but I bet I’ll be better for it.
• Steven Furtick is freaking nuts! I’m sure he has a blog or a podcast and you need to sign up now (I haven’t but I will).
• I wasn’t ready for that guy and he totally unloaded on me! Being faithful during the process between the promise and the payoff! Wow! That stuff was just good. I have no doubt about what God is doing at Imagine but I know that there will be days that it doesn’t seem like we’re making progress. God’s still there and he’s going to give us the big payoff! Kev!!!! Don’t you let go of those numbers God gave you! The payoff is coming.
• We did some really creative stuff. Stuff you’d absolutely never do in church! So we decided to do it at Imagine. More coming soon.
• I know….what a tease….
• I was surprised that I didn’t meet more people but I did meet some great guys. I’m following them on twitter and maybe you should too. tpeezy tylermedina rafaelferreria
• Seth Godin was smart and fun.
• He had the most creative powerpoint I’ve ever seen and it broke all the rules. I swear there was a new slide every five words or so. Wow!
• He spoke about tribes which is also the title of his new book. He gave everyone a copy of the book which is not on the shelves yet! Cool.
• We’re building a great tribe at Imagine and we’re going to rock SA and the world!
• Drove around all night last night for food. Frustrated….
• We found this hole in the wall called Eats. Good food and great conversation.
• My inlaws were there and they were fun to hang out with.
• Oh, forgot something….
• So it’s Wednesday evening and we’re at buckhead church here in the ATL (Google it). Amazing building and an amazing story.
• So were there and the security guard is telling us that there are no tours without an appointment and Nan was like, “Yeah there are!” Nan knows how to work people and ten minutes later, we’re touring the place with Lisa and Susanne and they are giving us the expensive tour because we saw every part of that place. Very cool stuff.
• Billy Graham got a lifetime achievement award. That dude is just amazing. If you were touched by his ministry, send him a note here.
• So Dave Ramsey was one of the speakers and I’m preparing myself to have him step on my toes about all the ways I’m breaking the rules with my money. And then……He decides not to speak on money but on leadership! I was disappointed at first until he blew me out of the water with some deep leadership stuff.
• Sanctioned incompetence is when we empower people to be mediocre. Stop doing it! Be excellent. That’s the challenge and that’s where we are going and you need to follow us there!
• Matt Chandler, pastor at The Village in Dallas, Texas was fantastic. He was relevant, smart and funny! Spoke out of Timothy chapter 4 which is one of my favorite passages in one of my favorite books.
• Take good care of your doctrine! Teach it right and faithfully. Gaurd your stuff and it’s going to save you and the people who are lucky enough to hear you!
• After that they took this break and people went crazy. It was auditorium fever setting in! These little toy missiles were flying all over the place. Streamers flying from the balcony. Balloons floating all over the auditorium. That was a fun little interlude before the end of the conference.
• Andy Stanley came up and gave us a nice farewell with some interesting observations…
• The great ideas for the next generation rarely come from this generation.
• If you want to reach people no one is reaching, you have to do things no one is doing!
• What thing, if you did it, would transform your area of ministry?
• When your memories exceed your dreams, the end is near.
• He was great and so was the conference.
• Nan was an amazing person to have with us. He’s funny and smart and a little edgy which makes it fun.
• Ralf and Linda are absolutely amazing. I love those two. My wife and I have a special bond with them (wink wink) and they’re special. This was their first time to fly! Ask them about it.
• My wife was here with me and I wouldn’t have wanted to experience this conference with anyone else. At one point, we held each other and sang to Jesus and it was a powerful moment. I love you Pregnant Sara.
• Kevin! What can I say?? None of this happens without you. Thank you so much for all challenges you’ve ushered into my life. I’m better because of you.

~ ralph perez, leader’s pastor

Have you seen the new pc commercial? It’s a live camera shot of people who think they are looking at a new product called windows mojave, but unkowingly they are looking at windows vista.  The people look amazed and dazzled at this new product called mojave, then they are even more surprised when they find out it’s windows vista.
I say all of this because, in the commercial, we never find out why it’s better…no explanation, no reasoning,  it’s just better…We live in a “one look” society today…Often times you get one chance with someone and Windows vista has too strong of an association of the word “failure” around it…it is more difficult to break someones mindset than to start fresh.  Not impossible, but more likely.
Maybe they should have created mojave

The great thing is God gives us unlimited chances!!!

Yesterday, we were just about to start our weekly staff meeting and my food really wanted to see daylight again…I kept thinking, “what did I eat that was bad?” “Was it the chili or the sandwich?”  Our meeting was over quickly and I went to bed…I was hot then cold, throwing up, you name it I had it, I pretty much slept 24 hours.  

All of this being said I want to thank my wife, she had a stomach ache also and did not feel well at all either, but she took care of our son.  My wife does so much for our family.

 I want to encourage those of you who have wives, to stop by today and pick up flowers, or something that they like, and let them know that you love them.

This morning I had a great meeting!  We talked about the relational web and how it works within the context of each individual and how it works on an organizational level.  Here are the three overarching guidelines we came up with:

1. “Ever changing”- The relational web is always changing.  That is because people are always changing.  What might work today might not work tomorrow, so it is a continual process in how we reach and change the people around us. 

2. “A natural flow”-Relationships have to be natural, they cannot be forced. This truth exists in life and cannot be broken just because it is within a “church” context.  

3. “Increasing balance”-As we become closer and closer to God, our life mirrors His, allowing us to increase the lives of those around us and ourselves.  

The “people” are the church.  That means that we are intentionally reaching those around us, encouraging them and caring for them, so that we can all grow in Him.

Choose a financial plan and stick to it!

Choose a career and be passionate about it!

Choose a movie and enjoy it!

Choose a college and learn like Einstein!

Choose a church and support it like crazy!

Choose your relationships, and care for them!

Choose a workout plan and follow it!

Choose to love your spouse!

Choose to spend time with your kids!

Choose today, to be a day that you are going to be happy!

People may not agree with you, but don’t live life on the sidelines.  God gives us choice.  Choose!