Sunday Afterthoughts!

Hey all you Element Followers or Elementers (slang for "attenders of Element"). We had a great time of worship this sunday morning. Wow what a time. 10 child dedications today. That is awesome. We dedicated a 15 year old that wanted to be dedicated. That is awesome. We took Elements first communion together. A lot of first time things today at Element. It was great to take communion together and no better way to take it than after Jeff's message. Go Jeff. Everyone needs to listen to today's message. We opened a mini series called "thanks:giving", and he covered "thanks" today. It was good. Worship went great. My band gets better every week. I have a new drummer coming on next week to alternate with our current drummer. Looking forward to getting him plugged in the mix. He is good. I love both of my drummers. Its a privelage to be able to find 2 GREAT drummers in a church.

We are getting ready for Element's first Baptism today at 4:00pm. We are baptizing 2 people. Looking forward to this time together.

We have a very simple stage setup for this series. We are pouring some time and energy into our next series called "Believe". Not that this is more important. Its just going to be really good and we need a lot of time to build some things. Looking forward to that.

We have a cool announcement coming up for our next Outreach to the community as Element Church. Not sure if I have the freedom to say right now. But its good. I love blessing people, just to bless them, regardless if they come to Element Church or not. I will announce it next Sunday.
Cheyenne WILL know that Element Church is here for them. That we love them and will never stop serving them. Thats what we are about as a church. Meeting practical needs and blessing their socks off, so we can point them to Jesus and bring them to a place where they might meet.

Set List for Sunday November 18th,
Forever - Chris Tomlin
We Lift You Up - Desperation Band
Open the eyes of my Heart - Paul Baloche
You Never Let Go - Matt Redman
Amazed - Desperation Band


Worshipping Him,
Adam

10 hours from home

Jeff and I came to Great Falls MT which is about 10 hours north of nowhere. HA. Its a long way from home. We are at a conference here for the denomination. It was actually quite interesting sitting in on the business meetings, which I have never been a part of before due to being non denominational. However I was able to meet some really cool guys today. I was able to connect with another worship pastor here that is part of a 2 year old church plant. It was very good to connect and see that I am headed on the right track and yet also get some insight on where to go from here. Let me strongly encourage any ministry pastor to surround yourself with people and resources that understand the game. It is so valuable to be able to bounce ideas of and steal ideas from other pastors. Blogging has become a great form of communication lately. I have tried to get every worship leader to start blogging, so we can all stay together on topics and issues related. Also we post our set lists and designs here so we can share songs and such. What a great tool.

Not sure whats on the aggenda tommorow however I look forward to connecting with some other worship guys to pick their brain.

I miss my wife a ton and cant wait to see her. We are growing so much right now in our marriage and ministry together. Love her to death.

I also love HEROES. If you are not a fan I am so sorry. But tonights episode was unreal. Still like LOST better but this comes in for a close 2nd. GO WATCH IT NOW.

worshipping Him
adam

Sunday AfterThoughts

Had a great sunday. More new people, which blows me away how God brings them in. 201 was the numbers today. Jeff talked about "significance", our 5th Core Value, for a phenomenal delivery. Make sure you watch the service online at www.elementweb.net.

Tried a new way to do offering today. DIDNT LIKE IT. Ha. But that is what is great about being new is that you can try it and if it doesnt work you dont do it again. Still trying to find the best way to do it and make it feel a part of the worship service.

One more week of our "IT" series. Looking forward to all the upcoming series. Our next series is called "THANKS/GIVING an Element mini series" Then we start our Christmas series which you wont want to miss.

Todays Set design:
2 Card board Cutouts: 1- marilyn monroe 2-Elvis Presley
3 Posters of Lebron James, Tom Brady, Brett Farve
(I will post pictures once I get them)

Todays Set List:
Take my Life - Jeremy Camp
We Shine- Steve Fee
Everything Glorious- David Crowder
Live To Worship - New Life Worship
The Stand - Hillsong United
The noise we make - Chris Tomlin

Worshipping Him,
Adam Cruz

New Blog Face

I have been wanting to reface the blog a little. Like change some layout and colors. Then I read Jeff's a couple days ago and its a new layout. So of course I had to update, so that mine could remain "THE WORLD"S MOST CREATIVE BLOG". HA. Green is my favorite. Their you go.

Looking forward to this sunday. Jeff's message will be fantastic. I am excited about our worship set, and God is on the move. Not sure what to expect being that we have grown 40 people a week the last 3 weeks. We wont have any room this week if that happens again. Obviously God knows and cares, so we are praying. We have a big announcement coming in 4 weeks. So stay tuned.

We had First Friday last night. I love those times together with the core, the prayer warriors. We come together and seek God through unstructured prayer and worship for an hour. Its a great time to connect on a more intimate level of prayer with our team and God. We had about 20 of us. We can not do any of this without God and that is not a cliche statement. If God does not move and is not here than all this is a waste of time. However we have seen God already move and its obvious he is at work.

More on set design and set list tommorrow.

Worshipping Him,
Adam

Surfboards and Worship

Here I told you I would post some pics of our set design!
These were 2 12ft tall stained glass windows, with hymnals and candles in front to set the mood of a liturgical service.

However it back fired on us when everyone thought they were Surfboards. LOL. All that time spent painting, and everyone thinks we put surfboards up. HAHA well I guess next time we do a better job.










Worshipping Him,
Adam

Sunday Recap

Well if things went as my dream was telling me this morning we would have had a very sad service. It was weird because last week, Launch week, I had a great night rest, however this week I was a mess. I could not sleep at all along with Jeff and Grant. Not sure if there was something spritually going on or what but none of us slept. I dreamed that Jeff wanted to go and shoot a video for next week at like 7:00am which is usually when we start setting up. I was like "Jeff we can do this later this week, but he insisted." So we got to church at like 8:00 and I was like there is no way we will be able to set up. The dream made me a nervous mess.

However our service went great. I believe God was there and was worshiped. I am learning a lot and still have so much to learn. Worship dynamics and people and all the things that go into worship ministry is so much more than you would ever think. Dont get me wrong there is nothing in the world I would rather be doing, but I am learning a lot.

We were praying this week for 120 and we had 127. God is so faithful to bring the people and call the hearts if we will be faithful to give our all to Him and do all we can. God wants us to dream and it takes a lot of trust and faith to dream as big as He is. If I caught it right from Jeff we had 5 more decisions for Christ this morning. This is what its all about. I am just blown away that God just simply uses us for His glory. And yet its so simple. Just give everything and He gives everything. HA.

Curtis (our Youth Pastor) jumped in on Djembe for a new rendition of "I belong to Jesus" to open up the service. Great job Curtis. Bryant and Morgan and Amber just do a wonderful job every week. It gets better and better.

Doing a couple of really cool songs this sunday. Check out next weeks video to hear them. They will really pull in well with the message. Probably the two most complicated songs we have done yet.

Well thats a wrap up.

Worshipping Him,
Adam Cruz

A successful life

...is often thought of as someone who has made it to the top of a corporate ladder, or someone who has enough money to do what ever he wants with, or someone who becomes a celebrity or who writes the newest hottest song. We are painted this picture everyday by what this world pursues as success. As if success is determined by the eyes and hearts of people.

I asked my Dad one time "what is success to you, how do you know you have been successful in life", he said "if I can come home and lay down for the night knowing I obeyed God, worked as hard as I could to be a faithfull business man, and loved my family the best I could, then I was successful today". I thought wow that is completely opposite of what our world teaches us as success.

As a worship leader or really any kind of leadership position in the ministry we are tempted to have everyone's approval in order for us to feel successful . So many become addicted to a crowd or the eyes of people that they forget why they are doing what they are doing. And yet at the end of the day this is not success. But like Prov. 27:21 says, "the crucible for silver and the furnace for gold, but man is tested by the praise he receives".

Let us strive to make God huge like it says in John 3:30, and not become addicted to our positions and being in front of people but to realize that success is found each day in loving Jesus with all you are and obeying him, being faithful in the areas that we are called to serve "positional ministry" or not, and loving our families above all else. Here we will find true success, leading a mega-church or just being a faithful painter who loves his family.

One last thought. This is a story of a man who is a gifted worship leader and songwriter. He said one time God was speaking to him through his children. After a long day's work he came home, walked in the front door and was takled by his three young children who were excited that he was home. Admidst the love and kisses they poured on him, the Lord spoke to him, "this is as famous as you'll ever need to be." I love that, if we could all just learn it."

Thanks to my Dad for being such a great role model.
This is just some thoughts I was having today, thought I would share.




...that the lamb would receive the reward of His suffering

Adam

My hearts on Fire!!!

Here I am Tuesday morning in my office in sheridan wy trying to get ready for High School Youth Group. I love what I am doing but I am on fire for where we are going. I am trying to stay focused but all I think about 24/7 is Cheyenne and loving the people there and serving them. My heart is on fire to see God be huge in that community through our team. I know God wants that here also but my heart is in cheyenne now. I can't wait to learn and serve under and alongside with Jeff, Grant, and Keenan. I guess this is how you know your headed the right direction when God burns in your heart this kind of passion. I want this fire to never seize. I hear of pastors that come into a community to do great things and after so long of being there it just becomes inward focused and no longer about seeing the lost saved, but about the right colors going up in the church walls and such. I want to never become lethargic in my pursuit for God to move, regardless of how long I have been in a community. If we have the right focus and our eyes are on Jesus we won't go there. So Jesus keep my eyes on you and my heart ripped open before you that you may keep the fire alive inside.

Element Team- only 7 more weeks. I am praying for this weekend wish I could join you!

...that the Lamb would receive the reward of his suffering
ADAM