New Site Tip June 29, 2006

Next to our downloads, you might have noticed a blue circle with a question mark in the middle. Click on this and you'll see an example of that download format. This is a great way to learn more about the different types of downloads we offer, and what will best meet your needs.

And in the not too distant future, we'll be rolling out an expanded contents PDF for our Kits and other selected products, allowing you to see a very detailed description of exactly what's inside.

FC Dallas Campus Opening In the News June 27, 2006

A local news station featured a spot on the opening of the new building for our Dallas Campus this weekend - check out the clip while it's still there.

It was so exciting to see God bring everything together for a successful launch Sunday! The air was definitely buzzing with excitement as many singles and young families packed out the new location in the heart of the booming Arts District of Dallas. Taking in the skyline filled with high-rise buildings in each direction gives us a humbling view of the mission field God has placed before us. See a quick collection of photos here (click to enlarge).

As you might remember from previous posts about our Town and Country Capital Campaign, buying this abandoned warehouse building was a leap of faith for FC - we certainly didn't have the cash at the time! But God worked through our church members as they responded generously to the vision of the campaign and provided the necessary funds.

The Dallas Campus first launched in January 2005, meeting in rented facilities in North Dallas High School.

Podcast > Praying for Keeps > Prayer Conditioning June 26, 2006

No one who ever lived believed in prayer like Christ or prayed like He did. In fact, when the disciples stumbled across Jesus praying, they asked, “Jesus, teach us to pray.” They didn’t ask, “Jesus teach us to heal.” They didn’t ask, “Jesus teach us to preach.” Jesus prayed with power-packed, God-ordained words, and Jesus taught the disciples how to pray. In this message, Ed shares four biblical principles of effective prayer.

To listen now, click on the podcast icon below.

Length: 29:03

Praying for Keeps Series
Learn the how to's of talking with God. Many people live wondering why their lives are not really coming together. They don’t feel the peace that surpasses all understanding. They don’t feel like they have a purpose or real strength in a situation. They don’t know which way to turn. The answer is prayer. You will never be the kind of person that you were meant to be until you learn how to talk to God. Walk through the process of prayer in this biblical guide to communicating with God.

Praying for Keeps

CreativePastors

If you have iTunes 6.0, click the link below to subscribe to our podcast. Twenty-four hours after Ed delivers his weekend message at Fellowship Church, it will be downloaded to your computer automatically. You can listen at your computer or take the MP3 with you on your iPod or other MP3 player.

If you don't have iTunes, you can get it here free for Mac or Windows. You can also subscribe to the podcast using other podcasting tools and RSS newsreaders. The feed address is: http://feeds.feedburner.com/cpblog.

CreativePastors Site Gets Overhauled! June 19, 2006

We're excited to introduce the new CreativePastors website! You'll definitely need to check it out firsthand, but let us tip you off on a few things to expect.  No doubt you'll notice a fresh look,  complete with a new logo. It's more than a pretty face, though - every change we've made is designed to improve your experience, including:

• All resources for a message series can now be found on one page
• Prominent, clear navigation makes things easier to find
• Blog and podcast content on the home page keeps Ed Young's free weekend messages and articles front and center
• Add a product to your cart without being taken to a new page
• Complete your order by checking out on one simple page
• Simplified account management, including downloads and order history 

And the fun's not over! We're continuing to develop new ways to make CreativePastors a pleasure to use and a frequent source of support and encouragement for you and your ministry.

Check out the new digs and let us know what you think!

Podcast > Pronoun > It June 19, 2006

“It” is a powerful force in our lives. But rarely do we stop to ask the question: what is it? In this uplifting message, Ed Young shows us the incredible influence we have in the world around us once we understand what it is. It is the power to change people’s lives by building them up instead of tearing them down—becoming a construction sight instead of a destruction zone.

To listen now, click on the podcast icon below.

Length: 22:29

Pronoun Series
They…You…Us…It. At first glance, those words seem small and insignificant. And yet, pronouns possess a power and influence beyond their size. In this series, Pastor Ed Young shows us the truth of how even the tiniest parts of speech can have an impact on everything we do.

Pronoun

CreativePastors

If you have iTunes 6.0, click the link below to subscribe to our podcast. Twenty-four hours after Ed delivers his weekend message at Fellowship Church, it will be downloaded to your computer automatically. You can listen at your computer or take the MP3 with you on your iPod or other MP3 player.

If you don't have iTunes, you can get it here free for Mac or Windows. You can also subscribe to the podcast using other podcasting tools and RSS newsreaders. The feed address is: http://feeds.feedburner.com/cpblog.

A New CreativePastors is on the way! June 15, 2006

At this very moment, we are transitioning to a brand new CreativePastors website! We've kept your interests at the forefront during this entire project and have focused on making the site super quick and easy to use. We can't wait to show you around the place, so check back soon for the official unveiling!

Podcast > Yes/No > No June 12, 2006

Saying "no" is difficult for us because it seems so final, so limiting. We don’t want to commit to no, we say, because what if it turns out to be something we wish we had said yes to? In the second message of this two-part series, Ed Young looks again at Matthew 5:37. And as Ed reveals the real essence and power of saying no, we see that it isn’t just about limiting our options; no is all about freeing us up to say an even bigger and better yes.

To listen now, click on the podcast icon below.

Length: 42:17

Yes/No Series
“Yes” and “No” are two of the shortest yet most powerful words in the English language because they have such finality. Those two small words pack a punch that many longer words don’t. And so often we have a hard time saying those two little words because of their definitive nature. We would rather ride the fence than let people know exactly where we stand.

But in this powerful two-part series based on Matthew 5:37, senior pastor Ed Young teaches us not only how and when to say those words, but also how to back them up with our actions. Because when we learn to use “Yes” and “No” for the right things at the right time, we will discover the power and meaning found in a life of firm decisions.

Yes/No

CreativePastors

If you have iTunes 6.0, click the link below to subscribe to our podcast. Twenty-four hours after Ed delivers his weekend message at Fellowship Church, it will be downloaded to your computer automatically. You can listen at your computer or take the MP3 with you on your iPod or other MP3 player.

If you don't have iTunes, you can get it here free for Mac or Windows. You can also subscribe to the podcast using other podcasting tools and RSS newsreaders. The feed address is: http://feeds.feedburner.com/cpblog.

Community Event in Miami June 12, 2006

While Ed is in Miami for our C3 Regional Conference, he'll also be speaking at a free community-wide worship service Thursday, June 15 from 7-8pm. Bring your family and friends to the First Baptist Church in South Miami to be encouraged with inspiring music and challenged with a straightforward message. More details here.

Creative Team Planning Organization June 09, 2006

When we get an especially good question in our inbox, it only seems fair to share it here for everyone. This week's came from Lori Wiebe, Media Coordinator at Believer's Christian Fellowship in Warren, Ohio:

I have really enjoyed some the DVDs letting us have a bird’s eye view of how your Creative Team functions.  It’s been priceless.  One question:  do you use any type of software or project management system as you are developing ideas?

Well, Lori, for as high-tech as Fellowship Church can be, we go old school on this one. A whiteboard is the tool of choice for organizing ideas in the Creative Team Planning meetings. A designated person usually takes notes (on a humble legal pad) and then organizes them into a succinct document on the computer, which is shared with the other team members at a follow-up meeting. At times, these super-huge Post-It Pads have been pretty handy as well. And a must-have "tool" for the creative meetings? Coffee!

Here's a post with an in-depth look at the different stages of the creative team planning process.

Last Days to Order G-Force June 09, 2006

To make room for our brand-new Elevate Children's Curriculum, we will be removing G-Force from our CreativePastors inventory. If you've been meaning to place an order, make sure to get it in before this Tuesday, June 13.

And if you haven't had a chance to check out Elevate yet, you can catch the vision with this PDF . This curriculum is being developed completely in-house by our FC Kids department and takes children's church to a whole new level. One important difference from the G-Force curriculum is that Elevate offers you the option of showing the skit and Bible story on DVD, keeping you from having to recruit and train actors if you'd prefer not to. Elevate also offers you a training DVD for every small group activity, taking the guesswork out of small groups. We're so excited about the creativity and flexibility Elevate offers - we'll be sharing more about it in the next few weeks!