Creative Arts Coordinator

The Creative Arts Department at People’s Church is on the hunt for the next creative, HIGHLY ORGANIZED, adaptable, fast-learning, executor of projects to come and be a part of our team. Messy, sloppy creatives need not apply, sorry :). Experience in programs such as Photoshop & Illustrator are definitely a bonus but not required. Please send resumes to brian@peopleschurch.tv.

Weekend Highlights

1. Everything Christmas is unbelievable!

2. Our creative, video and production teams are knocking it out of the park for this series!

3. The choir rocked the house yesterday! Seriously, great job choir! Andre Daughty, you did a super great job getting the choir prepared for yesterday's experiences! Thank you, Andre!

4. I love seeing snow fall in the People's Church auditorium. It makes it feel more like Christmas time.

5. Yesterday we received a special Christmas offering to help 678 needy kids in the Oklahoma City area receive Christmas presents. Thank you People's Church for your generosity. If you weren't prepared to give yesterday, you can go online and give at www.peopleschurch.tv or be prepared this upcoming Sunday to give generously so we can bless needy kids. We need to give $50,000 so each kid can receive between $50 to $100 of Christmas presents. It's truly more blessed to give than to receive!

6. We started promoting our new series called Hungry. This series is going to have a profound spiritual impact on our church. Do whatever you can to be at church on December 26 when we kick off Hungry!

7. I finished with a winning record in all six of my fantasy football leagues. I won first place during the regular season in 3 of the leagues. Now it's time to bring home some championships in some, if not all of these leagues.

8. Everything Christmas FINALE is this Sunday! This is going to be one of the, if not the most incredible experience we've ever had at People's Church! Our team has worked so hard for this upcoming Sunday! Do whatever you can to bring as many people with you. Seriously, from the laser light show to the drum performance to (I'm not telling you everything)! Be there and INVITE, INVITE, INVITE! Lives will be changed by the power of Christ!

Helping Needy Kids At Christmas

People's Church has a huge heart for helping and ministering to the less fortunate of our community. This Sunday, and December 19, we are receiving a special Christmas offering to make a difference in the lives of almost 700 kids during this Christmas season. Check out this short video.

2010 Christmas Giving from People's Church on Vimeo.

3 Things That Raise My Stress Level

1. When I don't know where I'm headed with a series or a sermon: I'm a big planner, and I like to know where I'm going with a series or a message months out if possible. If I get a week or two out and don't know where I'm going with a message, that messes with me mentally.

2. Staff: Staff are my greatest asset and my greatest liability. One of the most difficult and most important jobs of any leader in a growing organization is building the right team. You have to get the right people on the bus and in the right seats, and when I have the wrong people on the bus or the right people in the wrong seats, this can mess with me mentally.

3. Building facilities: The most stressful times in my 8 years of being the senior pastor of People's Church was building our two buildings. The first building by far was the most stressful. I can see why many pastors resign and staff members leave after building a new facility. I'm thankful that my team members involved in building the facilities and I are still all in place. God has graced us, but it was stressful.

Weekend Highlights

1. We had great experiences yesterday at People's Church! Many lives were changed!

2. Yesterday we had the University of Central Oklahoma Orchestra perform Christmas music before services, and also they played during worship. AWESOME!

3. Sean Johnson, a local gospel R&B artist, and the UCO Orchestra performed Ray Charles’ song, The Spirit Of Christmas. AWESOME!

4. We served hot chocolate, and I taught on the love of God. Everything Christmas is going great.

5. On Thursday night my wife and I went to dinner and a movie. I love my alone time with my wife.

6. My father & mother in-law and my brother & sister-in-law and her family live in Nebraska. Two words for them: BOOMER SOONER! :)

7. Most of my family is fighting some kind of sickness. Please pray for all of us.

8. I thought I was going to lose my voice after 2nd service, but God helped me to make it through all four experiences.

9. Preaching four times on Sundays is grueling but rewarding.

10. This Sunday at People's Church we will be featuring the UCO Jazz Band, the People's Church Christmas Choir, live snow and hot apple cider. Also, Frosty the Snowman will be in the kid’s area again. It's going to be a great Sunday!

11. This is a great series to invite your friends and family who don't know Christ! Start inviting today!

Everything Christmas Started On FIRE (Literally)

Our Christmas series at People's Church is HUGE! Our Creative Team out did themselves on Sunday. The best part is we are just getting started! Every week for the next 3 weeks there will be creative and unique elements! This is a must series to invite all of your friends and family too! START INVITING NOW! If you missed Sunday, check out this short video of one of the creative elements! WOW!

Everything Christmas Movie Montage from People's Church on Vimeo.

Knowing What You’re Called To Do

It's so important that you know what you're called to do. This can be dictated by God's call, your season of life or by your God inspired priorities. Without knowing what you’re called to do, you will do a lot of good things but miss out on doing the best things. Here are some ways that this is playing out in my life:

1. My family and I get asked to do lunch, dinners and a host of other wonderful opportunities. We say no a lot of the time because our family is a top priority. I believe my greatest calling outside of being a follower of Christ and the best way that I lead People's Church, is to first pastor my own family.

2. I receive many wonderful opportunities to travel and speak. Because of my season of life (my kid’s ages are 6, 5, 4 & 2), I say no to many speaking engagements so that I can be a daddy to my kids. This is a season for me to invest in my little kids, and one day, Tiffany and I will be able to travel and speak out more.

3. I've been asked to write a book but now is not the time. I believe one day I will write a book, but I feel during this season of ministry that God has called me to focus my attention, leadership energy and time on investing into People's Church and its leaders.

I've learned that not every opportunity, even good opportunities are not God. Just because there is an open door doesn't mean you should step through it. It's about knowing God's calling on your life. It's about knowing your season of life. It's about knowing your God inspired priorities.

Everything Christmas

Our BIG Christmas series kicks off THIS Sunday! Everything Christmas is a Christmas series like you've never seen before at church. Check out the short video to see some of the cool things that will be happening throughout this series. There will also be some awesome surprises!

Everything Christmas from People's Church on Vimeo.

I'm Thankful For....

1. My God. I'm grateful that God has washed away my sin and has changed my heart and life. I don't know where I would be without Jesus. It's a scary thought to imagine what my life would be like without God.

2. My wife. God blessed me with the most amazing, godly woman to be my partner for life. My love for Tiffany grows day by day and year by year. I love her so much and am so grateful for our life together.

3. My kids. Wow, those little people make me so happy, mad, emotional, happy, blessed, upset, impatient, happy, irritated, happy. LOL! I love my kids so much. I'm so grateful that God has entrusted Tiffany and I to raise these four kids to be God fearing followers of Christ.

4. My and my family’s health. I don't take our health for granted. I'm grateful to God that my family and I are healthy. Thank you Jesus.

5. My kids already falling in love with Jesus at an early age. Watching and listening to my kids talk about God and sing about God brings such joy to my heart. Thankful!

6. My church family. I'm so blessed to be the Senior Pastor of People's Church. What God has done in eight years has been a God thing. God has graced us in amazing ways, and I am humbled and very thankful to get to be a part of what God is doing in these last days.

7. My staff. I am super blessed to work alongside of godly, hard working, loyal, passionate and gifted people. You are only as strong and as good as those closest to you. WOW, I'm blessed and grateful for the People's Church staff.

8. My family. God has blessed me with a wonderful family. I'm grateful for my dad, my brothers and sisters, my mother and father in-law, my uncles, aunts and cousins. I'm thankful that my family has played a huge role and has been very supportive in my life throughout the years.

9. My friends. I have some incredible friends. Some of my friends work with me. Some of my friends live in OKC. Some of my friends live out of state. I'm so blessed to have great friends to share life and ministry with.

10. My mentors. I'm grateful for the men of God who have and who continue to pour into my life. I would not be where I am today if it were not for my mentors. Thank you mentors for believing in me.

Weekend Highlights

1. It was a great weekend for the Cooper crew.

2. I took my bride on a date on Thursday night. We went to dinner and a movie. We saw Unstoppable. We liked the movie, and I felt like I could run through a brick wall without being injured after it was over!

3. My OKC Thunder basketball team won back to back games without Durant or Green. Pretty impressive, especially against Boston in the Garden.

4. My OU Sooners won. The stage is set for the big in state rivalry game against OSU in Stillwater. My Sooners will have to bring their A game to win this one.

5. The Dallas Cowboys have won two in a row. WHAT! LOL!

6. Church was great. I love being the pastor of People's Church and seeing more changed lives. God is at work.

7. I enjoyed taking communion with my church family yesterday. Jesus paid it all!

8. Mine and Tiffany’s assistant had her first baby on Saturday. Congrats Jimmy and Jessica on your new bundle of joy. God has blessed you with a precious gift.

9. I'm so pumped up for our Christmas series kicking off this Sunday called Everything Christmas!

10. If you are leaving OKC for Thanksgiving, be sure to get back in time for church on Sunday. It's going to be AWESOME!

11. Be sure to get all of your friends and family to church on Sunday. This series will be simply amazing! Start inviting today.

12. I won in all 6 of my fantasy football leagues! Yea! I am .500 in one league and have a winning record in the rest. I think I will make the playoffs in all 6 leagues. Go Stallions!

My Critics Help Me

1. Process why People's Church does what it does

2. Stay focused on the main thing

3. Become a better vision caster because they point out areas where I may not be communicating clearly

4. Get thicker skin while maintaining a tender heart

5. Walk in forgiveness

6. Stay broken and dependent on Jesus

7. Remember that God uses so many different ways and methods to advance His Kingdom

8. Stay passionate about reaching those far from God

9. Remember why I don't want a church full of religious people

10. Remember that I can learn from everybody

11. Be a better pastor and man of God. My critics help me in a positive way even though they mean it in a negative way.

The Compare Game

Don't compare your church to others because:

1. You will always be depressed because you are not them and they are not you

2. Their circumstances are different than yours

3. What works for them may not work for you

4. They may be in a season of reaping, and you may be in a season of sowing

5. They may have paid a private price for their public success that you are not aware of

6. You may base their progress on things you can see, and it could be that their progress is from the intangibles you cannot see

7. Their community is totally different than your community

8. They may be a 1-talent person, and you may be a 5-talent person. Jesus is rewarding us for being faithful with the talent(s) He gave us, not them

9. A fast-growing church doesn't mean it's a successful church. A church can have amazing growth, and the pastor and/or his family is falling apart. You can do the work of God, and it can destroy the work God wants to do in you.

10. You will never enjoy life and ministry if you are always comparing yourself and your church to others.

Decisions, Direction, Destiny

Our decisions determine a direction for our lives and that direction will determine our destiny. Our daily decisions matter. We must choose wisely!

Here are some crucial decisions:

1. Choosing to give your life to Christ

2. Choosing to spend daily time with God

3. Choosing your spouse

4. Choosing to nurture and invest in your marriage daily

5. Choosing to invest in your kids daily

6. Choosing your friends

7. Choosing your career and job

8. Choosing what level of education you will achieve

9. Choosing to be connected and faithful to a local church

10. Choosing to stay out of debt, especially consumer debt

11. Choosing to put God first by returning the tithe

12. Choosing to flee from evil and to pursue holiness

13. Choosing to develop yourself

14. Choosing to eat healthy and to exercise

15. Choosing to be a person of your word

16. Choosing to have a good attitude

The list could go on and on! Daily decisions do matter. We are where we are today because of decisions, and where we end up in 1, 5, 10 or 50 years will be determined by decisions. Choose wisely!

Church Culture pt. 2

Every church and staff has it's own unique culture and flavor. Here is part two of some of the People's Church culture.

6. We have a strong work ethic culture. We value people who work extremely hard. People who want to coast, take it easy and are lazy don't work well at PC. People who are extremely driven, have a great work ethic and who produce results thrive in our culture.

7. We have a diverse culture. We value people from every walk of life. We value every skin color and age group. Diversity is a huge part of who we are. We are very unified and very diversified at the same time.

8. We have a reaching people far from God culture. Every Sunday and Wednesday (youth ministry) people give their lives to Christ. We have a come just as you are and no matter where you are in life and experience the love of Christ culture. Every Sunday our church is filled with people far from God, and it can get really messy, but we love it.

9. We have an outreach and loving our community culture. We spend tons and tons of money investing into the hurting, broken, lonely, poor and lost in our community. We feed, clothe and help educate our community. We send our people out to do community projects. We have a huge heart to show the love of Jesus to our community and around the world in tangible ways.

10. We have a doing life together culture. Our mission statement is to connect people to God and to others. We are passionate about connecting our church family in small groups, and we have tons of people connected in a small group. We have a culture where the church body ministers to one another, and they are not dependent on the paid pastors to provide all the ministry. Our church family cares, supports, encourages and holds one another accountable.

Church Culture

Every church and staff has it's own unique culture and flavor. Here is a list of some of the People's Church culture.

1. We have a Jesus and Bible culture instead of a religious, stuck in tradition or motivated by denominational dogma or preferences. People don't last long around People's Church who are religious, stuck in tradition or motivated by denominational dogma. We are all about Jesus, the Bible and loving people.

2. We have a very raw and honest culture. Most people who come to work at People's Church are shocked at how brutally honest we are about everything, whether good or bad. People always know where they stand at People's Church. Honest and open communication is what we are all about.

3. We have a volunteer culture. We value equipping the saints to do the work of the ministry. We equip our church family to do the ministry instead of hiring a bunch of staff. We like to have a lean staff and a massive amount of volunteers.

4. We have a change culture. We are always changing things. It's a part of who we are. Change is easy for us. Our people respond well to change because it's what they are used to.

5. We have a leadership culture. We value equipping others to do the ministry instead of doing the ministry ourselves. Doers don't excel in our culture. People who love to equip and make others successful thrive in our culture and continue to rise to new levels of responsibility.

MORE TOMORROW

Interesting Things About Me

1. I don't do much of my studying and message preparation at the church office. I prefer a coffee shop.

2. I enjoy being alone. I am energized by being alone.

3. I am a huge planner. I am on edge if I don't have my calendar planned out for six months to a year.

4. I am more of an introvert than an extrovert.

5. I speak what's on my mind. Those closest to me always know what I'm thinking and feeling about myself, life and them.

6. I am a black or white person. I rarely see things in shades of gray. Either it's right or it's wrong.

7. I do not like to feel like I'm being taken advantage of.

8. I really like food. Eating good food brings me pleasure.

9. I enjoy a good cup of decaf coffee or decaf Americano. I like steamed half and half poured on top of my coffee.

10. Listening to and watching sermons of other pastors is one of my hobbies. I enjoy hearing God's Word taught.

Weekend Highlights

1. It was a great weekend for the Coopers.

2. My wife and I went on a date on Thursday. We did dinner and a movie. I fall more in love with Tiffany every day. So blessed!

3. Friday was a fun-filled day with the family.

4. On Saturday, we went to the gym as a family. We spent the afternoon at home, and then we went to one of our staff member’s family’s home for dinner and to watch the Sooner game. The food was unbelievable, and the game was bad. Thanks, Merle and Cheryl, for the great food and fellowship. We love you guys!

5. Sunday was a super day at People's Church. Tons of people were baptized in water. Tons of people gave their lives to Christ.

6. Worship was great. The performance was great. I thought the message went well. I'm elated that people are hearing and responding to God's Word, and many are experiencing Less $tre$$ in their finances. Thank you, Jesus!

7. The BIGGEST series of the year is quickly approaching. Our Christmas series is titled Everything Christmas, and it begins November 28. Every Sunday for four weeks will be power-packed. There will be an orchestra, jazz bands, massive Christmas choir, unreal performances, laser light show, pyrotechnics, apple cider, hot chocolate and much more. This is a must attend series and you MUST INVITE your friends to this series!

8. The Oklahoma Sooners didn't look good on Saturday. Let's go, Sooners!

9. The Dallas Cowboys looked......................................BAD on Sunday night! WOW!

10. I can't believe the holidays are right around the corner. I love this time of year!

11. Wednesday Connection is going to be huge on Wednesday! Be there for snacks, friends, fellowship and spiritual growth!

12. I think I'm going to win in all 6 of my fantasy football leagues for the first time this year. Yea!

13. Have a super Monday!

Thursday's Download

1. It's been a great week of studying.

2. People's Church is looking to add two awesome youth pastors to our team. If you are interested, please email your resume to our Student Ministries Pastor Chris@Peopleschurch.tv.

3. People's Church is looking to add two administrative assistants to our great admin staff. If you are interested, please email your resume to Josh@Peopleschurch.tv.

4. I plan on giving more details on these positions on one of my blogs next week.

5. We are in an exciting season of growth and expansion at People's Church. I'm grateful for all God is doing.

6. I'm super excited about the Less $tre$$ series.

7. This Sunday, there will be another super performance right before I teach God's Word. I can't wait to see it.

8. What's up with the Dallas Cowboys??? I foresee some changes.

9. The Oklahoma City Thunder have lost two in a row. It's time to Thunder UP.

10. I'm planning the 2011 calendar and have some great message series that God is laying on my heart.

11. My kids are doing really well. I love watching them grow and learn.

12. My wife is doing awesome. She handles four small kids with such grace. She is an amazing woman.

13. I love being the pastor of People's Church. I'm blessed to the max.

What I Look For In A Staff Member pt. 2

11. They have a passion to reach people far from God

12. They are gifted and talented

13. They are a learner

14. They work well with a team

15. They are a leader of leaders

16. They are loyal and trustworthy

17. They have a strong marriage and family unit

18. Their spouse is supportive and has a positive attitude

19. They are teachable

20. They don't settle for average. They love making things that are good great

What I Look For In A Staff Member

1. They have a growing relationship with Christ

2. They have strong character

3. They don't have a track record of causing problems at their past jobs

4. They left their previous jobs well

5. They have a positive attitude

6. They have a track record of producing results

7. They have a strong work ethic

8. They are likeable. If I don't like somebody, I don't bring them on the team

9. They are a team player. The goal is more important than the role

10. They are not trapped in tradition, religion and denominational pride

More tomorrow.

Pastor Appreciation

October is Pastor Appreciation Month, and I wanted to take a moment and appreciate the pastors who serve with me at People's Church.

1. Thank you all for your passion for Jesus. I'm grateful to God that you have a growing relationship with our Savior.

2. Thank you for believing in me. I'm a far from perfect leader, and you love me and believe in me. Thank you for believing in me and the vision that God has put inside my heart.

3. Thank you for your loyalty and unity. One of the greatest strengths of our church is our loyalty to God, the vision and each other. I'm grateful that we have each other’s back!

4. Thank you for your hard work and commitment. No one will ever know the sacrifice and hard work you put in to make this vision a reality. I see it, and I'm grateful for all you do. You are extremely hard workers.

5. Thank you for being passionate about your marriage and families. One of our core convictions as a church is to take care of and invest in our families. I'm grateful that you deeply love your wife and kids. Keep serving your family well!

6. Thank you for fighting for the vision. It's easy for many leaders to turn inward instead of outward. You all fight for the vision and for that I'm thankful.

7. Thank you for being you. I love each of you. I value your unique giftedness. I value our friendship. I value the call of God upon your life.

8. People's Church pastors, YOU are APPRECIATED! I honor you today! I can't do what I do without you! We need each other! THANK YOU!

LESS $TRE$$

We are kicking off a new series this Sunday! I'm super pumped about how God is going to use this series to decrease the stress load for people in the area of their finances. Our Video Team did an amazing job on this promo video. This is for sure one of my favorites. You have to check out this short video!

Less Stress from People's Church on Vimeo.

Weekend Highlights

1. It was a life-changing day at People's Church. I taught a message on how the Holy Spirit makes us holy.

2. Many people gave their lives to Christ. Many people were convicted, filled, set free and changed by the Holy Spirit.

3. My OU Sooners lost. NUF said.

4. I hope the Dallas Cowboys beat the Giants tonight. I hope they win in style.

5. My fantasy football teams are on the fence right now. I for sure have lost in one league, but have a chance to win in 5. It comes down to Monday Night Football. I'm a fantasy junkie.

6. I'm super excited for the new series Less Stress...Peace For Your Finances to begin this Sunday. It's going to be a great series.

7, If you haven't, be sure to get signed up to be baptized in water on November 7 by emailing anita@peopleschurch.tv today. I can't wait to celebrate with you as you get baptized!

8. I had a super great Saturday with my family. It was a very rejuvenating day. I love my family so much. I am so blessed. I'm so grateful to God for such a great wife and super kids. THANK YOU, JESUS!

9. I had my first eggnog shake from Braum's on Sunday night. I'm getting started early. :)

10. Make it a great Monday!

Motivated

The staff at People's Church who thrive and are very successful are highly motivated. We have a great team of highly motivated people. Below is a list of five qualities of highly motivated people.

1. You don't have to ask them to do something twice. They get the job done the first time.

2. They don't make excuses of why something didn't get done. They get their job done and produce high quality results.

3. They are self-starters. They don't need somebody looking over their shoulders to work hard consistently.

4. They understand that working hard is not necessarily about how many hours you work. It's about being productive and producing results.

5. They multiply themselves by developing leaders and not just doers. They raise up people to lead people and not just to do tasks. This is what we call working smarter instead of harder. On the front end, developing people is hard work and takes a highly motivated person. On the back end, work life is much easier for the staff who take the time to invest and raise up leaders to lead people.

Signs Of Knowing Yourself

1. You can freely and openly admit the things you are not good at doing

2. You can freely and openly admit the things you are good at doing

3. You realize you are only really good at a few things, and you know what they are

4. You know if you are a morning, afternoon or evening person

5. You know how much sleep you need to function at a high level

6. You know what time of the day you get your best work done

7. You don't have a false perception of yourself. If your mom is the only person who thinks you are good at something, you're not, and you need to be honest about it.

8. You know what makes you happy, sad and mad

9. You know what relaxes you

10. You know if you are an introvert or extrovert

11. You know your love language

12. You know if you are more of a spender or saver

13. You know the kind of people you enjoy being friends with

14. You know how God usually speaks to you

15. You know the spiritual gifts God has given you

Weekend Highlights A Day Late

1. Sometimes I don't feel like doing a blog, and yesterday was one of those days.

2. It was a busy weekend for the Cooper crew.

3. My uncle, Tommy Johnson, passed away due to cancer, and we had his funeral at People's Church on Saturday.

4. I had a lot of family in town due to the funeral. It's always great seeing everybody.

5. Friday evening, we went to my uncle and aunt's home for a family dinner. I had a super, great conversation with my aunt from Rochester. She poured into my life about raising godly kids. I enjoyed it and gleaned a lot.

6. Saturday, after my uncle’s funeral, I went to Norman, OK, and I had the privilege of speaking with the OU Sooner football team and coaches. It was a great time investing spiritually into the Sooner team.

7. My Oklahoma Sooners got another win and are now ranked 1st in the BCS poll. If we win out, we will be in the National Championship game. Tough to do, but it is very possible. GO Sooners!

8. My OKC Thunder basketball team will be tipping off the regular season soon. Let's roll, Thunder!

9. Dallas Cowboys 1-4. WHAT! Nuf said! :(

10. Church was awesome on Sunday. I love teaching our church about the person of the Holy Spirit. God is at work BIG time!!!

Craig Groeschel

My good friend and one of my mentors surprised me and People's Church with this congratulations video. In all four experiences, our church clapped while Craig talked. Thanks, Craig, for believing in me and People's Church. I'm super blessed to have you as a mentor, cheerleader and friend!

Congratulations From Craig Groeschel from People's Church on Vimeo.

Weekend Highlights

1. I took my wife on a date Thursday night. It was a great time of conversation, food, conversation, dessert and more conversation. I love that lady so much.

2. Friday and Saturday were great relaxing and fun days around the Cooper house. Awesome family time.

3. It was a great day at People's Church. God is at work big time. Lives are being transformed by the power of God.

4. I taught a message titled The Holy Spirit For Dummies. If you missed church on Sunday, I encourage you to go to www.peopleschurch.tv and listen to or watch the message this week.

5. The Dallas Cowboys stunk it up again. 1-3. Come on, Cowboys.

6. I couldn't believe Alabama got hammered by South Carolina. Loved it.

7. I have a very slim chance to go 6-0 in my fantasy football leagues. VERY slim.

8. Tiffany and I got to reconnect with a family who attended People's Church back in the movie theater days. This family moved away, and we have not seen them for several years. This family was very instrumental to PC in the early days. It was great to see them. I'm always super grateful for the people who believed in the vision in the early days.

9. This Sunday, we are going to talk about the gifts of the Holy Spirit. What are they? Do you need them? Is speaking in tongues really for today? What is the purpose of the Holy Spirit giving people gifts? I can't wait.

10. Have a super Monday. Remember attitude determines altitude. Stay positive.

Signs Of Brokenness

1. You listen to others

2. You receive correction

3. You help people who can't do anything for you in return

4. You don't toot your own horn

5. You don't name drop to make yourself look good

6. You don't talk bad about others to make yourself look good

7. You are nice to people who can't do anything for you

8. You admit when you are wrong

9. You say "I'm sorry" frequently

10. You admit your faults

11. You give compliments to others

12. You encourage people instead of demeaning them

13. You have a good attitude even when you don't get your way

14. You are more concerned about what God thinks about you than what people think about you

15. You make Jesus famous instead of making yourself famous

Making Your Vision Become Reality

Nobody wants to just have daydreams that never come to pass. Nobody wants to be all talk and no action. How do we see our dreams and vision become reality? Here are some thoughts:

1. Seek and trust God. Put God first. Living for God is key.

2. Get a dream from God. Your dream from God will always line up with the Bible.

3. Write down your dream.

4. Write down an action plan to accomplish the dream.

5. Write down specific goals and deadlines to see the dream come to pass.

6. Put the right people around you who can help you accomplish the dream.

7. Eliminate distractions. There are probably some things you are doing now that are distracting you from accomplishing the dream. Remove the distractions.

8. Stay focused. Many people lose focus. Dreams don't happen overnight. Oftentimes dreams take longer than anticipated. Joseph in the book of Genesis can tell you that dreams don't happen overnight. Stay focused.

9. Work hard. Lazy people don't see dreams come to pass. There are a lot of lazy people who only dream but never pursue the dream.

10. Get a mentor. Find people, books, blogs and other tools that can help you grow and reach your dream.

Weekend Highlights

1. It was a great weekend.

2. On Friday, my wife and I went on an overnight trip without the kids. These trips with my wife refuel me.

3. Tiffany and I went to dinner, shopping and then a movie. The next morning, we went to breakfast and then did some more shopping.

4. We got home on Saturday afternoon, my wife made nacho cheese dip, and we ate junk food and watched OU beat Texas.

5. On Sunday morning I didn't teach, so I got to drive my family to church and worship with my church family. This doesn't happen very often, and it was nice.

6. After church, I took my family out to eat at one of my kids’ favorite spots, IHOP.

7. Sunday afternoon consisted of football and a nice family walk. Well, the three oldest kids rode their bikes. Fun times.

8. I have a chance to go 6-0 in my fantasy football leagues this week. I should for sure go 5-1.

9. I'm excited to teach this coming up Sunday on the Holy Spirit...Forgotten God.

10. Because I didn't teach the last two weekends, I was able to study and plan ahead for the current and future message series. This always relieves pressure from me.

11. Chris Smith, our Student Ministries Director, did a super great job kicking off the series Forgotten God. People's Church is blessed with great staff, leaders and volunteers.

The Highs And Lows

One of the toughest things about ministry is successfully managing the highs and lows. I can't say that I've mastered this. Sometimes I do really well, and at times I do a horrible job. Here are some examples of the highs and lows of ministry that must be managed correctly.

1. One Sunday you are on an emotional high because attendance is strong, and the next Sunday you are battling depression because the attendance was low.

2. One month people love the church and are excited about the vision, and the next month the same people leave the church disgruntled.

3. In one season of ministry, you have incredible momentum, and in the next season, you can't find or create momentum no matter how hard you pray and work. You don't even know why you lost it, but you do know you don't have it.

4. One month the offerings are strong, and the next month they are weak.

5. You feel incredible because you feel like you preached a great message one weekend, and you feel like a loser two weeks later because you feel like you bombed the message.

6. In one season of ministry, you are exhilarated because you have the right team or staff around you. In the next season of ministry, you are deflated because you have the wrong people around you, or you have the right people in the wrong places.

7. One month you are excited because you've got things figured out, and six months later, you are mentally drained because now you don't have a clue.

I really believe that for a minister to be healthy over the long haul, they have to learn to manage the highs and lows successfully. One of the keys for me is I try extremely hard not to let the highs get too high and the lows get too low. I try to stay in the middle as much as possible. I've learned that most of the time, things aren't as bad as you think they are nor are they as good as you think they are. I want to encourage you, my ministry friend, to stay even-keeled and not ride the roller coaster of the extreme highs and lows of ministry. The roller coaster ride of ministry can cause you to crash and burn.

Forgotten God

This Sunday, we are kicking off a month long series called Forgotten God...The Mystery Of The Holy Spirit. I am super pumped about this series. We oftentimes hear about the Father and the Son, but many people are confused, ignorant or scared of the Holy Spirit. This is going to be a life-transforming series. I can't wait for church on Sunday! Check out the promo video!

Forgotten God from People's Church on Vimeo.

Weekend Highlights

1. My Oklahoma Sooners barely won. I'm really not sure how good we are. We will soon find out as we enter Big 12 play this week.

2. My Dallas Cowboys finally got a win. They are too good of a team to have a losing record.

3. The Cooper family did a lot of relaxing and watching football this weekend.

4. I can't believe how much my oldest son loves football.

5. I took my kids outside to ride bikes and play on Saturday morning, and I got eaten alive by chiggers. I got around 12 bites on my leg, and it still itches.

6. My oldest son has developed so much in one year. Last year he couldn't catch a football very well, and now he hardly drops it.

7. I taught my daughter how to ride a bike on Saturday. Of course, with training wheels, but it was a major victory for her.

8. Church was amazing on Sunday. Great worship and Word from God.

9. Troy Martin taught God's Word on Sunday. He did a wonderful job. Troy is a great preacher of God's Word.

10. On Sunday, I led the prayer time, and I was able to receive on Sunday instead of give out. I also got to check out our online experience and offer feedback to make it better.

11. Whenever I'm not teaching on a Sunday, I try to find areas that we need to improve. I am more attentive than normal because I'm not focused on teaching.

12. I am super, super excited for Sunday. People's Church is kicking off a new series called Forgotten God...The Mystery of the Holy Spirit. Oftentimes we hear a lot about God the Father and God the Son, but many people don't know much about God the Holy Spirit. Some are confused about Him. Some are scared of Him. Some are just ignorant of Him. This series is a must-hear, and I am pumped up for Sunday!

Thursday's Download

1. My wife was gone Monday morning thru Wednesday night to a senior pastor wives’ retreat. She had a great time and built a lot of relationships.

2. Thanks to Steven and Holly Furtick and the Elevation Church team for hosting this retreat.

3. I held down the fort at the Cooper house while my wife was gone. Tiffany did a great job lining up childcare so that I could still go to work every day.

4. Whenever I keep my kids a couple of nights without my wife, I gain a whole new respect for what she does day in and day out.

5. Another super night at The Wednesday Connection. People are connecting with God and others. Beautiful!

6. This Sunday is the ENCORE performance of the stomp/dance performance we did this past Sunday. Start inviting people now.

7. My fantasy football teams went 4-1-1. Yes, that's right, a guy came back and the game ended in a tie. I am 0-2 in our staff league.

8. God has been speaking to me more clearly about the future of People's Church. Exciting.

9. We are building the dream team at People's Church.

10. It was so good to hug my wife last night. I missed her so much.

11. I can't wait for Sunday at People's Church. I'm ready to worship God with my church family.

12. I'm grateful for the pastor friends that God has brought in Tiffany’s and my life.

13. It's going to be a great Thursday!

Making A Difference In Our Community

People's Church is passionate about making a difference in our community and around the world. Check out this short video, and see how God is using People's Church to make a difference! It's all about MORE changed lives!

Outreach 2010 from People's Church on Vimeo.

Weekend Highlights

1. I took Tiffany on a date on Thursday night. We hadn't been on a date in a few weeks due to scheduling conflicts, so I was very excited to be alone with my bride. Date nights make me very happy!

2. We had a pretty relaxing weekend around the Cooper home.

3. People's Church was SUPER good on Sunday. Worship was amazing. We sang The Best In Me by Marvin Sapp and From The Inside Out by Hillsong United in the same worship set. I love the diversity of our church.

4. The stomp/dancing performance was amazing. This Sunday is an encore performance, so start inviting your friends and family now.

5. I thought the message went well. I've learned so much from studying for this series. It's been very helpful in my walk with God.

6. We had great attendance and many lives were changed by the power of Christ!

7. I'm grateful for those who come out to our pre-experience prayer meeting at 7:40AM every Sunday morning. God answers prayer!

8. My Oklahoma Sooners squeaked out a win. They have me awfully nervous right now. I'm hoping we knock off the rust before Texas weekend.

9. My Dallas Cowboys stink right now. Come on, boys, and pull it together.

10. I have a chance to go 5-1 in my fantasy leagues this week. I'm 0-2 in our People's Church staff league. Yikes! I have a good team and am putting up good points, but my opponent is smoking when they play me. Time for a turnaround! :)

11. I'm humbled and very grateful to be the Senior Pastor of PC. God is at work, and I'm excited for all He has in store for PC!

Thursday's Download

1. I went 3-3 the first week with my fantasy football teams. I need to do better this week.

2. We had 1300 people at The Wednesday Connection last night. I'm so excited to see our church hungry for relationships and God's Word.

3. This Sunday's stomp/dance performance is going to be off the charts. Seriously, don't you dare miss this one.

4. Invite and bring everybody you know to church on Sunday. You know people who need to experience the life-changing power of God.

5. The Dallas Cowboys need to clobber the Bears on Sunday. One of our staff members is a Bears fan, and I need to have the leg up in trash talking. :)

6. We are in a season of inspecting the areas that are weak in our church. We have identified a weakness, and we are getting it corrected.

7. I absolutely dislike a weakness that happens right under your nose, and you have no clue until things begin to spin out of control. I am grateful that we caught the weakness before it became a major problem, and we are all over it now. Thank you, Jesus!

8. I'm grateful to God for how my kids are growing up with a heart for Jesus. Tiffany and I already see a passion for the things of God in our kids.

9. My two oldest sons are enjoying school. Cade, my 5-year old, has come out of his shell and is really outgoing.

10. I thank God constantly for my great family, my faithful and hardworking staff, my wonderful church family and for abundant life! BLESSED!

Stomp/Dance Performance

You don’t want to miss this Sunday at People’s Church. There will be an unreal performance unlike anything we’ve ever done that you’ll want to invite your friends and family to see!

September Stomp Promo from People's Church on Vimeo.

It's Much Easier

Oftentimes going to the next level requires you to do the hard thing. Over the years, I've observed that many people take the easy road and miss out on all that God wants to do through their lives. Getting to the next level isn’t easy, so many people stay right where they are. It's much easier

1. To play it safe instead of risking it all to follow God

2. To not evaluate the weak areas of your church or organization

3. To pretend like everything is ok, even when it's not

4. To avoid difficult conversations so that you remain comfortable

5. To stay the same and never grow, stretch and get better

6. To blame all your problems on God and never take a hard look at yourself

7. To only talk with people who are where you are or behind you rather than people who are ahead of you and will make you better

8. To be lazy rather than working hard

9. To follow your flesh rather than yield your life to the work of the Holy Spirit

10. To be like everybody else instead of being who God has called you to be

Today, make the difficult decision and go to the next level! God has SO MUCH MORE FOR YOU!

Weekend Highlights

1. It was a weekend of football at the Cooper house.

2. My Oklahoma Sooners stomped Florida State. I was very happy about this.

3. My wife made pot roast for dinner on Saturday. That was some good pot roast. I had it for lunch on Sunday afternoon. I love gravy.

4. We had a great day at People's Church. National poet, Amena Brown, brought down the house. Lives were changed.

5. A very heavy rain storm hit during 2nd experience. It was so loud I could hear it pounding on the roof while I was teaching, and we have good insulation on our roof. It's always a bummer when a storm like this hits on Sunday during worship experiences.

6. We started our live online worship experiences at 10AM, 11:30AM & 1PM. We had some technical difficulties, but we will get them hammered out this week. I'm excited about this new tool that will help us spread the Good News of Christ around the world.

7. After church, I watched football all day. My Dallas Cowboys didn't look good. 3 of my fantasy football teams need a breakthrough tonight. I need a good response from my players on Monday Night Football to win in all 6 leagues.

8. I taught on the book of Revelation on Sunday. I studied for this message more than any other message. It was hard to cover the book in 37 minutes (normally I speak around 30 minutes), but we got it done. There was great feedback, so I think people left with a better understanding of this complicated book.

9. I want to say a big thanks to Chris Hodges and Perry Noble for supplying me with great information on the end times from their series they did a year or two ago. It has been very helpful.

10. This Sunday at People's Church is a can't miss stomp/dance performance, and we will be continuing the series End Of The World.

11. At The Wednesday Connection at 7PM at People's Church, there will be barbeque with all the fixings, and I will be continuing the series Overcoming The Obstacles Of Life. I'll see you on Wednesday night for this event for the entire family.

Big Day

This Sunday at People’s Church is Big Day! We are asking you to invite all of your friends and family to People’s Church this Sunday! Nationally acclaimed poet, Amena Brown, will be performing. Also, both Buzz Lightyear and Woody will be hanging out in the kids’ area. You won’t want to miss Big Day!

Watch It Live

Beginning this Sunday at People's Church, you can now watch the 10AM, 11:30AM & 1PM experiences live at www.peopleschurch.tv. Yes, you get the entire worship experience right on your computer! You get the praise and worship, videos, performances, giving, teaching and response time. When you are on vacation or sick, you can still worship at PC. If you live in another part of the country or world, you can worship with us every week! Let all your friends, family, coworkers & enemies :) know about this new online live worship experience every Sunday at People's Church! GET THE WORD OUT!!

Labor Day Weekend Highlights

1. I had a super Labor Day weekend!

2. My family went to the zoo on Monday. The kids loved seeing the animals, and I loved being with my family.

3. I ate two corn dogs for lunch at the zoo! Good stuff, but not healthy. Then I ate pizza for dinner. It wasn't a good day of food selection. :)

4. I completed my 5th fantasy football draft on Monday night. I want to dominate my leagues. We shall soon see!

5. Yes, fantasy football is one of my favorite hobbies. I love it, and it's one of those things that takes my mind off ministry. I enjoy it.

6. My Oklahoma Sooners did not look good at all on Saturday. Landry Jones has to play better. Come on, OU! We’ve got Florida State this Saturday, and we need to bring our A-game.

7. Church was awesome on Sunday! The Exodus rap performance was out of this world! Pastor friends, I highly encourage you to have Exodus at your church. They will bless your church. Two of the rappers attend PC, and they are faithful and are men of God. Email my assistant at jessica@peopleschurch.tv for their information.

8. Lives were changed on Sunday. That's what it's all about!

9. We had a great Labor Day Sunday attendance. God is blessing our four new experience times.

10. I'm so excited for the powerful poetry of Amena Brown coming up this Sunday at PC. It's not just poetry, it's an experience. Don't you dare miss out. Also, both Buzz Lightyear and Woody will be in the kids’ area hanging out with the kids this Sunday.

11. The End Of The World series is going great. People are learning a lot about what the bible says about end time events and what we all need to do during these last days. This Sunday's title is Snapshots Of Revelations! It's going to be a good one!

12. This Sunday is BIG DAY at People's Church! Let's pack out the place! Start inviting everybody you know!!!

Exodus Rapping At People's Church

This Sunday, in all four experiences, Exodus will be doing a powerful and inspiring rap. This is going to be unbelievable! Start inviting your friends to this unforgettable experience!

Exodus 9-5-2010 from People's Church on Vimeo.

The Wednesday Connection

It kicks off TONIGHT at 7PM! Don't miss the fun! There will be FREE Chick-fil-A for adults, a cookout for Epic students and pizza for kids! I'm teaching a new series called Overcoming The Obstacles Of Life. You will be able to fellowship and get to know some of your church family. There are awesome programs for your kids and teenagers! It's an event for the ENTIRE family!

Wednesday Connection from People's Church on Vimeo.

This Will Change Your Church Or Organization

Please take time to watch this video. This is great insight and could literally change your organizational life!