My Fathers (by David Chandler)

(David Chandler with Lloyd Van Horn)

In honor of Father's Day, one of our church members, David Chandler has written about his two fathers.

Yes, I said fathers (plural).  I have been lucky enough to have two earthly fathers!  My birth father was a Marine during World War 2 and the Korean War.  He was also a drill instructor.  He believed, 'Once a Marine, always a Marine.' We were raised that way.  He was very mean to anybody and everybody.  But, he taught me how to take care of myself.  He died of cancer in 1984.

In 1983, I met Lloyd Van Horn at Clayton Community Church in Georgia.  He has been my father since that time.  He has been there for me with all my trials and troubles; as well as being there for all the good time.

He is one of only a very few men that I have known that LIVES what he believes.  On occasion, when we have stayed with the Van Horns, we always have devotions right after breakfast.  Whenever we have had a major decision to make, we ask for his advice and value it.

Lloyd served his country during World War 2 in the US Navy.  He has been my example of what a Godly man should be like.  He has been a good husband, father, and most of all, a spiritual advisor.  We always pray for him during our daily devotions and thank our Lord for our relationship.

I have always coached all kinds of sports, and have had the good fortune of having coached two boys who have gone on to play pro ball.  But more than that, there are a few that are serving the Lord in their church.

To God Be the Glory!

6 Things I Learned at Gurus of Tech (by Josh Brown)

Two weeks ago I traveled (by car!) to Willow Creek Community Church in South Barrington, Illinois with a friend from church and two other men from a church in Avon Park, Florida. The purpose of the trip was to attend Gurus of Tech, a two-day conference for anyone serving in a technical, creative, or leadership role in any church. 

The Main Auditorium at Willow Creek seats over 7,000. We had an hour during the second day of the conference to explore. 

I am currently serving at Faith as a summer intern, working on things like the website and assisting with VBS, and I have been involved in our Mulitmedia Ministry for a quite a few years, focusing on whatever needs to be projected on the screen in the sanctuary. Below is a list of six things I learned or was reminded of at the conference.

1. Worship. One speaker asked the question, “Do you attend the church where you work?”. I must not let service in any ministry become an excuse for not participating in worship services or fellowshipping with other believers.
2. We are on the same team. Techs, Musicians, and Creative people don’t always think alike. These relationships take work, but they are so vital to ministry. Loyalty is key as well. As a team member of the multimedia team, I need to support anyone who is on the platform, whether that be with what is being projected or the sound that is coming through the speakers. It is my role to do what I can to help them present what they are presenting, in a way that they are not concerned with anything else and can focus. It is very important to realize and remember that we are all on the same team serving with the same purpose - to make much of God and point people to Him.
3. Perfect the basics. My first focus needs to be on the basics, even though they are usually not the fun stuff. If those are not perfected, adding more creative elements is useless. Minimizing distractions by careful and purposeful preparation is one of the most important things in multimedia ministry. We want people to remember what was taught from the Word of God and not a late microphone, a distracting presentation background, or a misspelled word.   
4. Stretch Yourself. Colossians 3:23 says, “And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men”. I should not just be doing the minimum required. I should be doing the best that I am capable of. I need to stretch myself even if it is not being required of me. In this case I am just referring to multimedia ministry, but this applies to every aspect of life.
5. Do Your Best. A statement was made during one of the main sessions that made a huge impact on me and I will not soon forget it. The speaker showed a picture from his church’s Christmas production, with all of its impressive lighting and staging and hours of rehearsal, and then showed a picture his four year old son had drawn and given to him. His point was no matter how much time, effort, or money we put into something – to God it looks like the drawing from the four year old. The four year old truly loved his Father and did his best to express his feelings. God wants our genuine best, whatever that may be.
6. Multimedia Team as a Community. We were challenged to show people that we care more about them than their gift or availability. It is good to get to know the people you serve alongside. It is also good to do things together that are unrelated to multimedia, like share a meal, or spend time together to fellowship.