VERVE Happs

Another fun weekend at Verve as we continued our Facade series with "Real Me." We talked about how you can kill off your impostor and become the authentic "real me." There's a secret to doing that. Do you know what it is? You can find out by listening to our podcast...

We also began sign-ups for our first ever Financial Peace University course. If you want to get out of debt and learn how to manage your finances, you can sign up here.

Next week we begin another round of doorhangers. We're asking all our Ververs to do at least one neighborhood, about 150 homes, will take around an hour - two weeks in a row. If you're here in Vegas and are willing to help us get the word out about Verve, we'd love your help!

Radio ads also start next week. And we're going to have an ad in the Las Vegas Weekly for the next two weeks.

Vince Recommends...

Comedy Central recently showed the old The Naked Gun and The Naked Gun 2 1/2: The Smell Of Fear movies and, of course, they're stupid, but they're funny. Funnier than I expected. Tons of great lines.

Frank: "Wilma, I promise you; whatever scum did this, not one man on this force will rest one minute until he's behind bars. Now, let's grab a bite to eat."

Jane: "Would you like a nightcap?"
Frank: "No thank you, I don't wear them."

Frank: "Yes, he's in the intensive care ward at Our Lady of the Worthless Miracle."

Frank: "The truth hurts doesn't it, Hapsburg? Oh, sure maybe not as much as jumping on a bike with the seat missing, but it hurts!"

Frank: "That's the red-light district. I wonder why Savage is hanging around down there."
Ed: "Sex, Frank?"
Frank: "Uh, no, not right now, Ed. We've got work to do."

Classic. And you're welcome.

What You'll Get...

This October we're doing a lab for current and future church planters called Vault. Here's a few reasons I'm psyched for the people who attend:

• We'll talk about branding your church to appeal to people who hate church. Let me tell you how many times I've heard that taught: Zero.
• We are going to have atheists and skeptics who have come to Christ at Verve share what it was about Verve that caused them to show up, and stay, and give their lives to God. That will be amazing ... guaranteed.
• We're gonna share how to reach people through an "attractional model" AND an "incarnational model." The whole debate is stupid. It's both. We've used both, both have worked, and we'll share how.
• The event will be small enough that you'll be able to really connect with others who are attending, and with the people who are leading. (Like me. Talk about amazing!!)
• We'll talk about how to grow a Launch Team, and what to do with a Launch Team.
  

If you're a pastor, and especially a church planter, you should totally come! You can register by e-mailing Kandyss: kandyss@vivalaverve.org.

Antonucci Stuff

School starts tomorrow for our kids. My son is starting middle school. And those of you who are basketball fans will be interested to know that my son is about to start at ... Jerry Tarkanian Middle School. Some schools are named after US Presidents, some after war heroes, in Las Vegas you get the ex-coach of the UNLV basketball team. Tark the Shark is pictured on the right.

Every year the family drives to our kid's school(s) the night before the first day to pray. Mostly we pray that our kids will remember that the main reason they go to school is not to learn, but to love God, love people, and turn the school upside down by showing kids the love of Jesus.

Vegas Weather

So you know it's really hot in Las Vegas in the summer. But did you know that...

• It is unbelievably windy here? It's worst around March and October, but we're talking really windy. Like pick you up and you end up in Oz windy.
• The temperature drops like 20 degrees in the shade? Like it's weird. It can be blazing hot, but you walk into the shade and things totally change.
  
• There are almost no birds or bugs? I think maybe it's because nothing is supposed to actually live in this climate, and the birds and bugs are smart enough to obey Mother Nature. I don't know, but I love the absence of birds and bugs.
  

Learning From Restaurants

If you're a pastor, or are in charge of anything, see what you can learn from two of the most iconic and popular restaurants in America:

Chez Panisse is Berkeley, California (which many consider responsible for creating "California cuisine" and changing the entire restaurant culture of America) offers only one meal a day and never, read again never, offers the same meal twice.

Galatoire's in New Orleans is a high class place where men must wear jackets, but it has an egalitarian policy of no reservations for the main dining room. People line up outside to wait for a table - people including the rich, celebrities, politicians...

this weekend @ VERVE

Don't miss this Sunday morning or Monday night at Verve. We're continuing our new series Facade and I'm psyched for what we're talking about: Real Me. Seriously psyched. I think it could be life changing for a lot of people. Be there and bring some friends. Don't forget that the 11:35 service is back, so if you want to sleep in AND come to Verve, that will work.

Also ... we're asking everyone to put doorhangers on homes in a neighborhood (about 150 homes) or two for two weeks. The week leading into September 12, and the week leading into September 19. So you don't need your doorhangers yet, but you can pick them up this week at Verve.

Here's a video from last week's service. (When you watch it, don't ask why just enjoy the video.)

Free Time?

Hey Verve-rs,

If you have any free time today (or tomorrow), please come down to The Venue - we've got some projects we're working on. You may be painting or hammering or who knows what. Won't be too difficult, and you can stay as little or as long as you want.

Thanks!

Vault

Last week I announced Vault, the lab we're putting on for church planters. We're gonna equip church planters to start churches for people who don't like church. There are all kinds of conferences and books on how to start a church, but they don't focus on reaching the cynical and skeptical. It will be really good.

People are starting to sign-up, but the thing that's surprised me are some of who they are. Craig Whitney, the director of E.L.I., the church planting organization started out of Gateway Church. And Dave Hileman, the director of Virginia Vision, a church planting organization in Virginia. And Mike Lukaszewski, pastor of Oak Leaf Church.

Looks like it's going to be a great event not only to learn, but also to connect with great people in the church planting world.

You should seriously think about joining us in October!

VERVE Happs

This week we brought back our 11:35 service. Over the summer we saw an opportunity to do some "core building" with the people who had started coming in March and April. So every week at 11:35 we did an event, some community building, some service oriented, some spiritual growth classes. Hopefully they helped people to connect with Verve, and grow with God.

On September 12 we are doing a big next phase in our launch process. Summer will be over, school will be started, and we're doing advertising to get the word out about Verve.

In anticipation of that, we wanted to get back into the swing of doing two services on Sundays, and so we started this week. And, though we're saving basically all our advertising for September, our Sunday attendance went up 50 people this week. Crazy. We're still in summer, still hot, still school's out, but just by bringing back the 11:35 service, our attendance shot up. Crazy.

I'm pumped about stuff coming up at Verve:

• Thursday, September 16: Financial Peace University starts
  
• Saturday, September 18: Serve Vegas day.
• Sunday, September 26: Vervalicious
• October: The next semester of Verve U, with two courses (Verge and Verse) begins!
  

Vince Recommends...

This week I'm recommending something near and dear to my heart: the Little League World Series. It's on T.V. just about all the time, so if you want to watch some you can.

Some people say that the kids are being exploited - whatever. I wish someone exploited me when I was 12 by letting me play baseball on international T.V.! The Little League World Series features kids playing for the love of the game, and you don't get to see that much. If I could, I would sit and watch it all day. And if you can, you should.

You're welcome.

Psyched #6: New Yancey Book

Ask me my favorite band and I'll mention a couple bands, but finally land on one. Ask my favorite TV show and I'll hem and haw but eventually tell you one.

Ask me who my favorite author is and I'll have the answer out before you can finish the question: Philip Yancey. I love a bunch of authors, but Yancey writes life changing books that I need to read over and over.

So, big news, Yancey has a new book coming out in October? What Good Is God? Pre-order it now. Seriously, pre-order it now.

Psyched #5: College Football

Sharing some things I'm psyched about, and College Football season is so close I can almost smell it! I can't wait. One of the weird things about living in the Pacific time zone (for an East Coast guy) is that college football games start at 9 a.m., pre-game at like 7 or 8. Fun!

As a Florida native (born in Miami) I've been a big Miami Hurricanes fan from birth (and, oddly I guess, my "second" team was always the Florida Gators). Then at 22 years old I went to the University of Illinois for Law School, and totally committed to the Fighting Illini.

This year my boys from Illinois are gonna stink. I'll still root for them, but it will be in vain. So go Hurricanes! (And Gators?)

A Serving Opportunity 4 U

Hey Verve-r-er-ers,

Today (Saturday) we have work to be done on our building - painting, hanging lights, etc. We've got about six people who have volunteered so far, but could use a few more. It will be fun, and you'd really help us out.

We'll get there around 9 a.m. There will probably be work to be done till mid- or late- afternoon, but definitely in the morning.

See ya there!

Ververs - Need Help

Hey Ververs,

You're gonna be surprised when you walk in on Sunday - we have a very generous church that has paid for us to make some great improvements to our building - and most (or maybe all) will be done by Sunday.

But ... it's looking like we are going to be making a big push to get things done on Saturday morning. If you can help us do a little work we would appreciate it. If you can, e-mail Tommy and let him know: tommy@vivalaverve.org.

Thanks!

Psyched #4: French Hugs!

Psyched #3: This Sunday!

This Sunday at Verve we are starting a brand new series called FACADE. One of the unique things about Las Vegas is that you can experience New York, and Paris, and Egypt, and ... well, not really. You can experience a facsimile of them, but not quite the real thing. Which is fine, but how many of us experience just the facade of love, or friendship, or purpose. And how do we experience the real thing? That's what we'll be talking about in this series, DO NOT MISS IT!

This Sunday is also the day we bring back our 11:35 service. We started Verve with it back in March, but over the summer we used the 11:35 time slot to do special events and classes. Now the 11:35 is back, and it's better than ever! (That's not actually true, the 11:35 is identical to the 10:05, but I felt like I had to sell it.)

If you're a Verver who hasn't been coming for awhile, maybe because of summer, or because of the disappearance of the 11:35, this is the week to come back. We'll see ya then!!

Psyched #2: Birthday Day

Today should be a national holiday because it is my wife's birthday, and she is a national treasure.

An exaggeration? Perhaps slight.

But seriously, Jen is one of the best things in our country, and if you think I'm biased, ask anyone who knows her. I'm just thankful I'm one of those people who get to know her.

Happy Birthday Jen.

Psyched #1: Vault

Thought I'd share a few things I'm psyched about over the next couple days. First off is ... Vault.

Vault is Verve's church planting lab where current and future church planters can learn how to start a church for people who don't like church. There are lots of books and conferences on church planting, but I know of about none that are focused on how to start a church for the unconvinced and cynical. So ... we're doing it.

We'll take you into the vault, sharing principles learned over several effective new churches, and give you practical ideas to vault you into the future.

Put it in your calendar: October 18 - 20. The cost is $100 - yes, only $100 - and that includes three meals. We're not looking to make money, but to equip church planters who want to help people who are far from God get close to Him.

Interested? E-mail Kandyss at kandyss@vivalaverve.org and she'll get you all the info, and can sign you up.

The Me Jacob Wants To Be

Our Creative Arts/Tech intern Jacob took our "Me I Want To Be" series very seriously and went all out to grow into the person he wants to be. Check out this video:

VERVE Happs

Wow, what an amazing weekend we just had at Verve. The service was great - band rocked, we had an awesome dramatization of Edgar Allen Poe's famous story The Tell-Tale Heart, and I spoke on confession. (I realized that I've never heard anyone preach an entire message but me (now twice in my life) on confession - like why we need to confess to God, and how to do it. Don't know what that means...)

But the really incredible thing was last night. Before our Monday night gathering we had five Ververs get baptized, and I wish you all could have heard their stories. Ridiculously amazing. Every one of them basically said, "I cannot believe I go to church, and I cannot believe I am getting baptized." They described how before coming to Verve they didn't believe in God, hated church, and hated Christians. A few first came to Verve because of door hangers, and a few at the invitation of a friend. It was incredible, and makes it obvious that this is all worth it.

Some things I'm excited about: (1) This Sunday we go back to two services with the revenge of the 11:35. If you live in Las Vegas, be at Verve and bring some friends! (2) This week we start a new series, Facade. (3) There's a rumor that we're going to offer Financial Peace this September as part of Verve University. It's a great class that is totally effective in helping people get out of debt and get their financial act together. (4) Verve's Serve Vegas day is coming up on Saturday, September 18. Ververs, keep that day open!

God is very cool, and is doing very cool things at Verve. I'm grateful to get to be part of the ride.

Vince Recommends...

So my daughter just had a birthday. And my wife had a great coupon for this famous bakery here in Vegas. I'm talking famous. Like something you may not know is that lots of celebrities have birthday parties in Vegas. Public birthday parties. It's weird. There will be like billboards, "Come to Paris Hilton's Birthday Party!"

And these celebrities all get their cakes from this bakery. So, needless to say, I was excited to try this cake. And ... it was okay. Just okay.

Every year prior we get Wallmart Cupcake Cakes, and honestly, they are way better. So you may not have a famous bakery to the stars place near you, but you probably have a Wallmart. Go with them for your next birthday party.

You're welcome.

Top Album #1

My favorite album of all time is August and Everything After, by Counting Crows. This album is ridiculous. Magic. It has probably my favorite song all time, Mr. Jones, which literally had a life changing impact on me the first time I heard it. And it has the song that I believe has the best lyrics of all time, Anna Begins. And all the other songs? Pretty much perfect.

Top Album #2

My second favorite album is Eyes Open, by Snow Patrol. Absolutely amazing. I've listened to it a hundred times, and could listen to it again right now. Couple notes: Robb, who started Verve with me, is actually the person who introduced me to Snow Patrol years ago. And the big hit off this CD was Chasing Cars, which is a great song, but still is the worst song on this album.

Top Album #3

My third favorite album of all time is Gordon, by Barenaked Ladies. Every one of their albums is great, this is probably the greatest. Every one is funny, this is probably the funniest. It was their major label debut album. They struggled with recording one of the songs and so decided to record it naked, and it worked, so they've since recorded one song on each of their albums naked. Gotta love Canadian ingenuity.

Top Album #4

My fourth favorite album of all time is Master of Puppets, by Metallica. It came out when I was 16 years old, and I listened to it (cassette tape!) on the way to every soccer game I played in that season. It was my psyche me up album, and I'm not sure if a better psyche up album has come out since.

this weekend @ VERVE

We are concluding the series we've been doing for a month: The Me I Want To Be. We are looking at what Christians traditionally call "spiritual disciplines" - different ways to connect to and grow our relationship with God.

We've looked at serving, prayer, and different things we may need to sacrifice - our busyness, our money, and our rights.

This weekend we're talking about ... well, nah, I don't want to tell you. It's going to surprise you and I don't want to ruin the surprise. So, guess you'll have to come!

Top Album #5

My fifth favorite album of all time is Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness, by The Smashing Pumpkins. We're talking 20 songs. 20 quality songs. Including one of my two favorite songs of all time, Landslide. Yes, I know it's originally a Fleetwood Mac song, but the Pumpkins version, freaking hypnotizing.

Top Albums

I'm out of town this week, visiting our family in New York and New Jersey. So I thought, while I'm gone, just for fun, I would share with you my five favorite albums of all time. You don't care? Then hit delete. But if you care, stay tuned over the next week and I'll share like one a day.

Here is an honorable mention list of ten albums that didn't quite make the top five:

• Southern Weather, The Almost
• Recovering the Satellites, Counting Crows
• British Steel, Judas Priest
• Screaming For Vengeance, Judas Priest
• More Than You Think You Are, Matchbox 20
  
• Everything In Transit, Jack's Mannequin
  
• Under the Table and Dreaming, Dave Matthews Band
• Daylight, Needtobreathe
  
• The Heat, Needtobreathe
• Ride The Lightning, Metallica
  

Vince Recommends...

My first love was ... baseball. That's not a joke, it's completely true.

And today my family and I are going to probably my second favorite place on the planet, the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, NY.

If you hate baseball, you still might like the Hall of Fame. If you like baseball, you'll love the Hall of Fame. And if you love baseball, sheer bliss.

Verve Has It, Others Don't

this weekend @ VERVE

We continue our The Me I Want To Be series, where we're having conversations about how to grow spiritually. How do we get closer to God? How do we become more like Jesus?

I saw a survey a few years back where they asked a ton of people: If you were to go to church this weekend, what one topic would you hope they'd be talking about? The answer? Prayer. By a lot.

Well, this weekend we're talking about prayer. So don't miss it.

I'm On My Way...

... home sweet home. Today our family is flying to New Jersey. We're going to spend like four days there with some of our relatives, and then heading to New York to spend another four days with more relatives.

In the middle of it I'm flying to Virginia to speak at New Life, the church I worked at back in 1995 - 1997, and who have been big supporters in both the churches I've started since.

My wife and kids have been making an annual trek up north from Virginia every summer for years, but I always stayed home to work. Now that we live out West I agreed to come every year, because we're getting to see our family less...

This will, by far, be the longest I've been away from Vegas since moving here twenty months ago.

VERVE Happs

Cool stuff happening at VERVE.

- Continuing our new series The Me I Want To Be where we're talking about HOW we grow spiritually. This week we talked about how making sacrifices plays into our spiritual growth.
- We have two Verve University courses: Verge and Verb running and people seem to be really getting a lot out of them.
- Lots of new volunteers are doing First Serves - a chance to kick the tires on a serving position in the church.
- Speaking of serving, we're getting ready for Serve Vegas, which is gonna be a cool day of serving those who serve.
- And we are getting excited for the return of our 11:35 service, August 22nd! In fact, check out this video...

I LOVE Today

I love August 3rd, because it's the day my girl was born.

Nine years ago she came into this world, and this world is an incredibly lucky place because of it.

It's ridiculously amazing that I get to be her dad.

Happy Birthday Marissa!

Vince Recommends...

I give you an important life recommendation every week, and this is a weird one. But here's the sequence of events:

1. I was talking to a kinda professional chef once and asked him his favorite things to make. He said that for desserts, he loves making anything with grilled fruit. I said, "Grilled fruit? Like pineapple?" He said yes, but almost any fruit is great grilled.
2. We were in California a couple weeks ago for camp, and on the drive home stopped at a fruit market and bought a bunch.
3. A couple days later I was in my kitchen looking at all this fruit and wondering if we'd eat all of it.
4. I remembered the "Almost any fruit is great grilled" comment.
5. I decided to grill one of each of most of the fruits.
6. I grilled an apple - ehhh.
7. I grilled a plumb - pretty good.
8. I grilled a peach - very good, which is what I expected.
9. And I grilled a ... wait for it, because this is my recommendation, keep waiting, keep waiting...
10. A banana - and holy crap, it was great.
11. So I toasted bread, put peanut butter on the hot toast, then put warm grilled banana on it for a warm p.b. and grilled b. sandwich - WOW.
12. Go grill some banana.
13. You're welcome.