Cumberland Church Blog

Pray for Kevin! I'm not sure he's going to make it.

2008-08-02T08:44:10-07:00

Well, he's our friend. And he asks for our prayers. But to be honest, I'm not really sure what we are praying for. :>) This picture is supposed to be Kevin "resting" at the dreaded NFL pre-season training camp.

Our buddy Kevin Mawae is at his 15th, yes that's right 15th, NFL Training Camp this summer with our beloved Tennessee Titans. He's told our staff countless horror stories of the NFL pre-season camps with 2-a-day practices, horrible accommodations, bad food, hazing of the new players and so forth...but I had a friend email this picture and video blog today of Kevin at Titan's camp this summer. You make the call. ;>)

All I can say is, being a 15-year veteran and the current Players Union President sure has its perks, doesn't it!? :>) Nice "dorm room" Kev! Does every Titan get these perks?? Check out this video blog Kevin did for the NFL Network website. Great insights into the Titans training camp and Kevin's summer so far. Very insightful and funny stuff!

All kidding aside, we love ya Kev. We're excited for the season and we're proud for the leader and missionary you chose to be in the field God has placed you in. We're praying for your health, your leadership and your "leveraging" potential every day. Praying for a Super Bowl appearance and a 7th Pro-Bowl for you bro.

Stay strong! Go Titans!

My hectic but GREAT summer (part 2)

2008-07-31T18:28:35-07:00

Here's the second cool story of my summer... my trip to South Africa and Kenya with African Leadership. Unbelievable is all I can say!! Words can't express all that I saw, I experienced and am feeling...but I'll try to pen some thoughts here to add expression to what God has been impressing on me. I can't thank my good friend Glenn Wilson enough for bugging me and bugging me about Africa and how I needed to go. Thanks Glenn! You were right...it was life-changing. Thanks for challenging me out of my comfort zone bro!

I think one of the coolest things we did while we were there (and the thing I'm most jacked up about) is the training and equipping African Leadership is doing with local pastors and church leaders in all of Africa. They use a 2-year curriculum called BTCP which stands for Bible Training Center for Pastors. African Leadership partners with Dennis Mock and the BTCP team to equip pastors and church leaders in Africa. Right now there are over (get this!) 9,000 leaders in BTCP in Africa. Can you believe that!? 9,000! Wow, now that is exciting.

What was moving for me is that I have a lot of experience and training with BTCP since I was taught the exact same curriculum when I was starting off in ministry here in the United States. While I was in Dallas preparing to go to Dallas Seminary, I was involved in a discipleship program at Denton Bible Church in Denton, Texas that used BTCP as their main training program for training church leaders here in the States and abroad. It is really amazing curriculum and I'm excited that our church is getting to get behind African Leadership, BTCP and the African pastors who are using this training to further the gospel in Africa. I know from personal experience the potential power and impact of a leader trained and fully equipped to lead spiritually in his/her community. What a great partnership!

So, while I was in Kibera, Kenya I was able to speak to some local pastors and church leaders in the BTCP program. I have some very rough video footage that I thought you might find interesting and compelling. (again sorry for the quality!)

BTCP (Bible Training Center for Pastors) in Kibera, Kenya (part 1) from Cumberland Church on Vimeo.

BTCP (Bible Training Center for Pastors) in Kibera, Kenya (part 2) from Cumberland Church on Vimeo.
BTCP Training in Kibera, Kenya (part 3) from Cumberland Church on Vimeo.

My hectic but GREAT summer (part 1)

2008-07-31T18:09:47-07:00

Well, where do I start. Sorry I've been away so long from the blogosphere. Life and ministry have been hectic as of late...but I can say with a high degree of certainty and conviction, I've never been more encouraged and excited about ministry than I am right now. This has been a GREAT summer. I'm going to try and post over the next few days some of the cool things that God has been doing.

First, after two frustrating, nail-biting years of living in an apartment, trying to sell our home in Georgia and dreaming of owning our own home in Franklin...we FINALLY moved into our new home at 182 Cottonwood Drive!! Woo Hoo!! God is good!

And can I say, it really is our dream home. Great neighborhood, great schools for our kids and a nice 7-minute drive to the church. Life is good!! Great to finally have a place to call home.

A special thanks to our wonderful (and extremely patient:>) real estate agent, Chris Elrod. Thanks for coaching and helping us find our dream home! We love it and we're excited to be FINALLY home!

Back in the Saddle Again

2008-07-31T08:34:40-07:00

Some organizations have extraordinary environments that attract people to its doors. But like a visually appealing movie with no plot, is there something of substance behind the doors? And in the case of a church, is there an extraordinary message at its foundation? Is there a message that speaks to everyone who walks through its doors? Take Cumberland Church for example...what extraordinary message is at our foundation? Eddie will address these questions and more as he closes out his two-part series with Andy Stanley: Just Ask.

Eddie's just returned from Africa where he spent 11 days touring the continent with Cumberland's partner, African Leadership. Along the way, Eddie was privileged to speak at church services in both South Africa and Kenya. He was also afforded the opportunity to encourage and share his vision of the local church to 50 pastors in training. He's been back for nearly 2 weeks and the amazing stories are ceaseless!

Join us this Sunday as Eddie shares his unique experience in Africa while exploring a certain common denominator that blurs the distinction between the earth's second largest continent and one of Tennessee's 95 counties. This Sunday, the conclusion to Just Ask: We Have an Answer.

Music:

Andy Sperry and the Cumberland Church Band will be leading worship this weekend. In case you're one who likes to practice before you preach, here's the set:

You Are (Todd Fields)
Let me Sing (Todd Fields)

See ya Sunday,

Billy

This Sunday at Cumberland: July 20

2008-07-17T08:24:02-07:00

Well here we are, just into the throws of summer, and the back to school ads are in full swing. And just when I was getting used to school-bus free roads...Not that I have a problem with kids, mind you, I have more than a few of my own. And actually, I have my 4th one due any day now. And speaking of pregnancies, I can honestly say they've all been a piece of cake - hardly even noticed them. Now cutting the grass in the summer sun, however; that's another story. But enough of that....

This week we conclude Andy's Defining Moments series with part 8: Playing God. Control is a myth. Attempting to control our own lives opens the door to fear and anxiety. Letting God take His place as Lord enables us to live in freedom. Join us, won't you, for the conclusion of Defining Moments.

Music this weekend:

Andy Sperry leads the musical worship experience this weekend. How cool is it to worship alongside the guy one Sunday, and then have him lead it the next? Gotta love the body of the local church! The set for this weekend (should you like to prepare :)

Salvation is Here
Glorious One
Free

Eddie and Bruce are still in Africa, working their way through the continent along with our partners from African Leadership. Like you, I look forward to hearing about the stories of life change and I'm sure they'll both have lots to say on the blog upon their return! Check back at the end of next week for more on Africa! (The picture above was taken during a lunch break in Cape Town.)

Hope to see you Sunday!

Billy

Seeing is "Believin"

2008-06-19T07:01:38-07:00

We don't have to understand everything to believe in something...do we? After all, the blind man didn't know how Jesus healed him, but he could not deny that He did. We believe, then, that wise men and women practice faith even when things don't make sense. Join us this Sunday morning at 10:00 for part 4 of Andy Stanley's Defining Moments series: Seeing is Believin.

Music

So if you missed Father's Day here at Cumberland, you missed a guest appearance by 80's rock band The Scorpions. Not really, but you did miss Cumberland's band doing the opening 16 bars of one of their totally kickin' songs. (Rock You Like a Hurricane ring any bells?) So what's going on this weekend? Well, rumor has it that Billy Idol's leading worship this weekend...or is it Billy Ray Cyrus? I can't remember. Either way, we'll worship loud and proud! The worship set this weekend:

All Because of Jesus (Steve Fee)
Marvelous Light (Charlie Hall)
Let Me Sing (Todd Fields)

Also, you'll catch a glimpse of our upcoming series Twisted!

And remember, during the summer, we have but one service that begins at 10:00am. UpStreet and Waumba will, of course, be available!

See ya Sunday!

Changin' it up.

2008-05-27T15:29:10-07:00

New name, new focus.

Stay tuned for the details!

Who When Where Mawae

2008-05-16T06:49:57-07:00

This weekend at Cumberland Church we're excited to welcome Kevin Mawae to the platform! Join us this weekend at 9:30 and 11:00 for the passionate message of this 14-year NFL veteran, 6-time Pro Bowler, President of NFL Players Union and starting Center for our Tennessee Titans! Our leadership staff has had the privilege of hearing Kevin speak and he's as great a communicator as he is a player. And he's as nice a guy as you'd ever want to meet...especially if you're alone in a dark alley somewhere. This is a special opportunity for Cumberland Church and we hope you won't miss it! (And...I'd come early to get a seat.)

Music:

Danny Dukes and the Cumberland Church band will be leading us in worship this weekend. Danny's been with us from the beginning and it's always an amazing worship experience with Danny at the helm! On the order for the weekend:

You Are
You are the Light
Blessed Be Your Name

And hey, there'll be a few surprises "in the air" this weekend, as well. And what would a church service be without a tailgating experience, huh? After both services, hang out and enjoy some hot dogs and treats on us!

Hope to see you Sunday!

Titan's Kevin Mawae @ Cumberland Church, May 18th

2008-05-09T13:58:15-07:00

Eddie Johnson

Where you been Ed?

2008-05-09T13:45:32-07:00

Thanks for the emails and concern. I promise, contrary to Billy's gossiping, I am not dead!

I've been on the road the past two weeks in Orlando on a family vacation and in Atlanta for the Drive Conference at North Point (thanks to Carlos for the pic!). GREAT to be back!!

Highlights of my past 2 weeks? Here you go:

We took Keegan (6) and Kaylee (3) to the Magic Kingdom and Hollywood Studios. It was really cool to see them "mesmerized" by the Disney experience! They were old enough to enjoy it which was awesome. The highlight for Kaylee was Cinderella's castle and for Keegan it was Aerosmith's Rock-n-Roll Roller Coaster ride (like father, like son!).
I used to live in Orlando and it was really cool to be back in the town I lived in for so long. Neat to see all the cool stuff going on by my old condo by Universal Studios. GREAT area!
Karen and I had a GREAT date night dinner at the Loew's Portofino Bay Hotel in the Universal Studios park. It was like we were in Italy. VERY cool place. You should check it out.
Played a lot of Putt-Putt with Keegan and my Father-in-Law this week. I'm thinking about going on tour. ;>)
Made a very LONG and depressing drive back from Orlando to Nashville in 1 day. Long because it took 11 and 1/2 hours with two sad kids who wanted to be back at Disney. Depressing because I drove through Atlanta on Saturday night only to turn around the next day and drive back for the Drive Conference. Who says being a pastor isn't difficult and sacrificing!?
Drive Conference was really incredible this year. 325 folks from North Point's Strategic Partnership world and another 2,025 church leaders from around the world. It was cool to see so many different denominations (and even a Catholic Church, wow!) there worshiping God, taking communion together and learning how together we can change our communities for the cause of Christ by creating irresistible ministry environments that lead to life-change. Very cool.
You can tell the staff, and in particular Andy, had put a lot of thought, creativity and legwork into this thing. I think Andy's 3 main sessions were some of his best material to date.
Got to hang out with some of the bravest and most inspiring people I know...the 15 other North Point Strategic Partner church plant teams. Love these guys! Always enjoy catchin' up with everyone. Love our team.
My big takeaway from Drive? I'm wrestling hard in my mind with Andy's quote, "To reach people no one else is reaching, we must do things no one else is doing". As a church planter who wants to make a difference in my community and reach people far off from God, I know I have to keep challenging myself to discover and be willing to try new things to accomplish what I've been called to do here in Nashville....lead people into a growing relationship with Jesus Christ.

More later. Glad to be back!!

Talk to you more soon!