Rapha House Gallery Grand Opening

Last night Abbey and I were able to attend the grand opening of the Rapha House Gallery Grand Opening here in Joplin. It was incredible to see the work that has gone into the gallery and different stations set up for you to go through and pray through.

If you are unfamiliar with Rapha House, they are an organization that is dedicated to rescuing young girls from slavery and setting up safe houses for the girls. This past summer, MOVE partnered with Rapha House and made a documentary shot in Cambodia, BAHT, to raise awareness of this terrible movement that is taking place around the world. View the trailer of BAHT below. Yesterday, BAHT had two different viewing during the grand opening.

Rapha House is also our mission at believe this year and the experience station at believe will be a smaller scaled version of the entire gallery.

If you live in the Joplin area or you are in town for a visit, I would encourage you to go by spend some time walking through the gallery. I am going to take my small group of guys from my church over there sometime next semester. If you would like to know more about Rapha House and the amazing things that are taking place, either send me an email or contact them directly at rapha@arm.org.

Southern California Jr High Network

Last week I had the privilege of going to California and sitting in on the network meeting of Junior High Ministers in Southern California. The primary reason I went was to talk about the Anaheim believe coming up in January, but I really enjoyed the meeting and learned some things that I know will be helpful at my church and my small group back in Missouri.

First off, Kurt Johnston, the junior high minister at Saddleback, did an amazing job leading the meeting and also sharing his experience about believe. He has been one of our speakers for the last couple of years and I truly admire him in his leadership and genuine humility. If you are a junior high worker, or even have a small interest in youth ministry in general, you should follow his blog here.

Some of the main topics discussed was how ministry has changed or is changing with the state of the economy, working with unchurched kids tied together with working with the parents of the churched kids, measuring spiritual growth in students and assimilating volunteers and the volunteer process.

In my small group I have the senior minister's son, one boy who's parent's don't go to church and another boy who lives in a foster home and is up for adoption. It was interesting to hear how they mix the churched and unchurched kids and the goal of "outreach" events.

Also, since I was in college, I have been a volunteer/sponsor/small group leader for 4 or 5 different churches, and everyone of them has done things really well (and could improve on somethings) with volunteers.

I also met the youth minister from Rock Harbor, which is the same church that Steve Carter (one of the Believe speakers) is going to starting in January. I honestly had not heard of the church till Steve told me he was going there a few weeks ago and since then I have seen or heard about the church a few times.

While I was out there, I also went and took a tour of our venue, the Hilton of Anaheim. I did not realize it until I turned off the highway, but I had actually been there about 4 years ago for a Youth Specialties conference. This location is a drastic improvement from the previous 3 years (Palm Springs, Pomona, Ontario) in Southern California. Also, there is going to be a California Pizza Kitchen and Jamba Juice inside the hotel. Looking forward to January 30-31.

Oregon Believe

It is always nice to go to the Northwest. I somehow seem to make it up there 2-3 times per year on different trips. This was the first Believe that actually took place on Halloween. We didn't really know what to expect and not sure how many costumes would be worn. I think we did lose a few students to holiday and events at churches such as "Trunk or Treat" or "Hallelujah Carnival". But what do you expect when church is giving away free candy?

• Another "Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives". Matt Gilchrist and I went to the Byways Cafe and enjoyed some hash and organic blue corn pancakes.
  
• Boise Bible College was the sponsor for this event and provided volunteers.
  
• On Friday I was able to sneak away and my main venue contact got me into the back of a Dave Ramsey seminar. It was part of his Entreleadership series and I heard him talk about Adding and Subtracting from a Team, Delegation, and Making Decisions. That hour and a half was better than any book I have read over the last 6 months.
• On Friday, the band didn't wear costumes, but they did all wear ties. Very strong resemblance to The Supertones.
• Had a great conversation with Steve Carter, and his new direction. He has been a blessing to Believe and to me personally. I am excited for him and his opportunity back in California.
  
• We ate Red Robin twice. Probably two times too many.
  
• This was the last Believe event for Krystle Fernandez, who has been apart of the Believe Staff for 2 years. She has done an amazing job and as a result she has been promoted to a position that oversees the bookstore for all high school events at CIY.

Omaha Believe

This was our second time to Omaha in the year of 2008 (our first event in Omaha was in May). We moved the Omaha event to the fall because we heard it worked out for schedules of those attending. We did have to move venues from the Qwest Center to the Omaha Civic Auditorium because of the dates we needed. It is a much older venue, and there was good and bad things to compare to the Qwest Center.

• According to some of the staff that worked there, we were the largest production in the history of the room we were in (I don't think we have heard that before). We had to rig (hang equipment from the ceiling), and I guess nothing had been rigged in the room in over 4 years.
• Josh Walker, our Production Manager, and Amy Girton, the Stage Manager, had a bet going all weekend to see who could save the most food money throughout the weekend (one of the rules was they had to eat something every meal). The winner would win whatever money the loser had left. Josh lost.
• A few of us did get to go to another "Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives." We went to Dixie Quicks Magnolia Room and it was stinkin good. Our whole staff tried to go the night before and we were turned away. They only have seating for about 20 and they only take reservations. While we were eating lunch, I think we saw him turn away about 30 different parties that didn't have reservations. Seriously, YOU NEED TO CLICK ON THE LINK AND SEE THIS RESTAURANT'S WEBSITE. I could teach that guy a thing or two about missed opportunities.
• Steve Carter, the speaker for the weekend, left the hotel, followed a crowd (which he thought were kids for Believe), and ended up at college hockey game. He then realized he was at the wrong venue.
  
• Nebraska Christian College sponsored the event, and they provided a ton of help. One of the volunteers actually collided (head to head) with a student by the basketball goal. The picture of what happened to the volunteer is below.
• The Adult Meeting Room was kind of a mix between a high school cafeteria and church fellowship hall.
• Jared Hall did play bass for one song. Picture below.
  
• The union staff that helped with load in and load out was by far the best union staff we have ever worked with.
  
• There wasn't a single door in the entire venue that actually had a lock. If you wanted something locked up, you needed a chain and a padlock.
• After tear down all our staff went to Spaghetti Works for all you can eat pasta. I think everyone ate way too much.

Chicago Believe

This was the first time Believe had been to Chicago in about 7 or 8 years and it was good to be back. There was no baseball game involved this time, but at least we were in the same city as Cubs. We also had the highest attendance ever for a "new location."

• A few of us tried to go see "Call and Response," but on the way there we found out it actually started a day later. Disappointing.
  
• So, instead we ate at Giordano's and had some great pizza.
• Stayed in the probably the nicest hotel all year, which was also connected to the Convention Center. This is always nice because you can roll out of bed and walk downstairs and be in our room. Or you can go take a nap at lunch.
• There was a tv in the mirror in the bathroom. Really cool.
  
• Yes, I had a fruit trap and some cool Japanese candy in my room.
• Scott Rubin and Jason Raitz, two of our speakers stopped by to see us and the event. It is always great to see those guys.
• The Village of Schaumburg has "quiet hours" and Friday night we cut it close to violating the "village rules."
  
• Why would Chicago ever have two airports, and have them located over an hour apart? And why would we have staff members flying into each of them. Definitely bad planning on my part.
  
• One flat tire, on the way home. Changed and back on the road in 20 minutes. I think we could work for a pit crew we are getting so good at this.

Arlington Believe

This was our second year in Arlington at the Arlington Convention Center, which is about a thousand times better than our previous location in downtown Dallas. The convention center is right off the highway right across from Six Flags (no, we didn't get to go). Here are some highlights from the weekend.

• We didn't get to go a baseball game, but we do have to drive right past The Ballpark at Arlington every time we went to and from the hotel. Scott Rubin made the joke that a requirement for a Believe venue is it has to be within walking distance of a major league baseball stadium. I only wish that was true.
• There was a Quik Trip located within a mile of the Convention Center. I went 5 times. Doesn't get better than that.
• One of the other rooms in the Convention Center had some guys dressed up as the Founding Fathers of our country. I was barely able to get the picture (see below).
  
• Jeremy Weldon (the Foundation Red drummer) and I began an ongoing game of knock-out with the basketball and basketball goal that travels with Believe. After Arlington, I was winning 2-1.
• Some of the students had to recruit Brent the Stunt Guy to scale a wall to get down their hackey sacks they had thrown up in a window sill.
  
• 3 of the band members, Michael, Jeremy and Chris, took the lead in tear down and truck pack this week. It still had a long way to go, but it was awesome seeing those guys take ownership in that area.
• Saturday night Auburn lost to Vanderbilt and then the Cubs were eliminated from the playoffs. I almost gave up sports.
  
• We had two flat tires on the trip. One on the trailer. One on the van. One on the way to Texas. One on the way home.

The Fall is over....I'll start with Baltimore

Well, the Fall portion of the Believe Tour is over. After 5 events in 6 weeks and over 2,000 students, it is good to get a little break. It was an awesome fall and the God moved in amazing ways. Over the next 5 days, I will write a post about each location and include some pictures (if I have any from each event). I'll start with Baltimore.

Baltimore -
This was the first time in Baltimore for Believe, and the first event of the Tour. It had it's challenges of a new venue and new location, but overall it was a great event.

• A few of the staff and myself were able to go to a Baltimore Orioles-Tampa Bay Rays game the night before. See the picture and few people there were. Yes, the game had started and was in the second inning.
• This was our longest set-up of the year, as we had an extra day for rehearsals.
• One "Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives" location, Chaps Pit BBQ, was visited. I had "The Bulldog." The actual location of the restaurant was located in a very interesting area of town. I will leave it at that.
• Some of the girls were able to visit D.C. during some of the rehearsals.
  
• One of the youth ministers was mugged outside of the convention center on Friday night. He had to navigate explaining to his students the difference between showing compassion to a homeless man and a man stealing your money.
• On the same note, one of our production staff was also scammed and lost almost $100 the day before the event.
• After this event and one incident, Isaac Schade will never talk to venue personnel again.
• First event with the basketball goal, and the students loved it.
  
• After Friday night session, a large group of staff went to Cheesecake Factory and got back to the hotel way late that night. I think that was the last time our staff went out eat after Friday night session.
  
• It rained like crazy on Saturday and during the last two sessions water was coming in from underneath the doors of the exhibit hall.
• Truck pack was horrible.
  
• The trip home was by far the longest one-day drive we will have all tour. Something like 19 hours. It's all downhill from here.