Robert Pooley

DCB

The David Crowder Band is actually tied with INXS as the MSN Artist of the month...

click here to go vote for DCB for MSN ARTIST OF THE MONTH. vote now and often.

Rob and Steve

Steve Sjogren

Had a great opportunity to have lunch today with Steve Sjogren.  Steve is an amazing communicator and a great encourager. 

He gave me a pre-release copy of his new book, "Outflow - Outward-focused living in a self-focused world."  I will be devouring that... look for a review soon in this blog.

He also bought me lunch at the Macaroni Grill.  The Penne Rustica.... that's the real deal.  A free book and a free lunch...  What a guy, eh?

Steve has been a great encourager in my life.  In the second year of my church plant I was having quite a struggle and Steve told me, "I spent the first couple of years trying to get about 30 people... and then I spent the next couple of years trying to get rid of those same 30 people."  He was letting me know, that ministry is tough... but hang in there.  I think those are words that every church planter needs to be mindful of.  When Steve moved onto the next phase of his ministry... the Vineyard was at about 7500 people. 

This guy is the real deal when it comes to visionary leadership.  He is also the real deal when it comes to kindness.  He knows how to minister to people.  He is planting a new church called Coastland in Tampa... launch date is February 2007.  Already he has over 100 committed leaders and 12 staff people who have raised their own support to be a part of this team.  All that, and they are still over a year from launch.   This is going to be the church to watch.

Steve really spoke prophetically into my life today...  and the things he said meant a lot to me.  Its great to have friends who are encouragers... It really makes you want to be more of an encourager.

Thanks Steve...  Oh, and hopefully i will post a couple of pics soon...

From this week's newsletter

This is from my weekly online newsletter...

I am excited to see what 2007 holds for us at CCC...

So here's a few ramblings to get us started...

1.) I loved watching FSU win their bowl game last night against a very good UCLA.  It encourages me.  They had a rough season, so it would have been easy to come into the bowl game and not play hard... but they did.  And as they did they spoke of the future.  As we approach 2007, I remember that 2006 was a tough year in a lot of ways... but I am ready to go out and have a great 2007.  My commitment to reach our community has never been stronger...  Its time to get busy!  I'm excited!

2.)  Somebody take the leftovers, and the stocking candy, and the baked treats away from me... ohhhhhhhhhh.  When I next get on the treadmill at the gym, its going to scream.

3.)  The movie THR3E, based on the novel by Ted Dekker has finally been made into a movie... it releases into theatres through the Fox Faith Films division in January.  I read this book a couple a years ago while on vacation and literally couldn't put it down.  It has tons of twists and turns...  here's a link to the trailer.  THR3E - Official Website

4.)  The holiday season is supposed to be a time when things slow down a bit...  well they have in some areas, and have been more busy in others...

5.)  Favorite book of 2006?  (The bible is a given... so other than that.)  There have been some good ones...  Loved "The Creative Leader" by Ed Young Jr.  Loved "In a pit with a lion on a snowy day" by Mark Batterson... Loved "Confessions of a Pastor" by Craig Groeschel.       But the winner for me this year...   "Chazown" by Craig Groeschel.

6.)  I saw a couple of movies over the holidays...  My favorite?  Hands down... Rocky Balboa.  Stallone pulls it off big time.  Very Inspirational...   A must see.

7.)  Where did I put that candy?

8.)  Vicki got an ipod and we both got gift cards for itunes.  I am waiting till she has downloaded all her cool stuff... and then I will get it from her before spending my gift card.

(Sneaky like a fox)

9.)  I love when you give the perfect gift...  you are watching the person opening the package and their jaw drops open and this look of disbelief happens.  We pulled that off this year... it was great.     And side note... that is how I feel every time I think of the gift that God gave us...  Jesus.... and what that gift means to me...  God wins for best Christmas gift of all time.

10.)  I am so thankful for family and friends.  2006 was a year where many of my friendships grew deeper...  I'm a very blessed man who is looking forward to see what 2007 holds...  I am believing for a great year.

11.)  There were no major hurricanes in our area this year.  That is worth a shout of praise!

12.)   Going to end this now, got to find that Christmas candy.

Let's rock the world together!

Cya Sunday,

Robert

Well, OK then!!

Well, it was a tough football season... but what a way to end the year. 

FSU 44 - UCLA 27

We were the underdogs going into the game... and I think the team played its best game all season.  Considering they are a very young team with a lot of freshmen playing... who knows?  Could be a good sign for next year.

Good job Noles!

Merry Christmas

"And the angel said to her, 'Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found
favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son,
and you shall call his name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the
Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his
father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his
kingdom there will be no end.'" - Luke 1:30-33 (ESV)

Merry Christmas

From

Robert, Vicki, and Leanna Pooley

and Coast Community Church

Sunday at Coast

Was a sweet service today at Coast.  Great Crowd... although I figure 50-60% of our congregation were traveling... there were still so many new faces... and very few empty seats.  The presence of God was so strong and we even had a baby dedication...  We didn't have rapping Santas like Gary Lamb's Church... but our version of the 12 days of Christmas had everyone rolling...  It was a great Christmas Eve Service.

At 11:00 we will head out one more time for our 11:30 Candlelight Communion Service.  This is always one of the favorite services of the year.  Ends right a midnight, with the lighting of the candles as we welcome in Christmas day.  Every year I wonder if anyone will come, and every year people flood in. 

Had a great time with the extended family this afternoon eating, and exchanging gifts.  What a blessing that was...  All in all... pretty great day!

A few rants....

I thought it might be time for a couple of quick rants... so here goes...

1.  Christmas Shopping...  I stood in longer, and more frustrating lines yesterday, Christmas Shopping than I did the whole week in Orlando... and never once did I go "Wheeeeeeeeeeee."

2.  Speaking of Orlando... Disney is great... but it is NOT the happiest place on earth.  Right now, my guess is that the happiest place on earth is the Marble Slab Creamery.  The people there are always smiling and don't seem to be yelling at their kids.

3.  OK. I didn't say anything when the music television stations stopped doing music...  But now the news networks aren't hardly doing news... what's up with that?

4.  Why is it that the more expensive the restaurant, the smaller the portions?  Maybe its just my southern mentality, but I don't get that.

5.  Is there really any good reason to put a bow, or reindeer antlers on the front of your car?  I mean really?

6.  Why not spread the big movie releases over the whole year...  instead of having them all come out at once...  Again, doesn't make sense. (Side note - I 'm pumped about seeing Rocky...  People are laughing, but the reviews are good.  Doesn't matter to me, I'd go see Rocky fight even if he was on oxygen and using a walker...)

7.  I don't watch the TV show 24, when it is broadcast on regular TV.  We wait until they hit Blockbuster and then we go on a 24-a-thon.  Anyway, unless you watch the show, this will not mean anything... but here goes.   Hey writers of 24.... did you have to kill Edgar?  Come on!

8.  The Christmas treats this year have been spectacular... That is not the rant...  The rant is that I'm getting bigger by the second...  Hey, was that peanut butter balls covered in chocolate?

9.  Christmas shopping is not finished...  Sigh!

A couple of astro-nuts!

Leanna and I at Mission Space last week.

Mission: SPACE > Postcards From Space

From this week's newsletter

Well its good to be back home...  We had a tremendous time on our family getaway...  We were able to spend time with Dad and my stepmom in South Florida and also a little bit of time doing one of our favorite things, riding the rollercoasters.  Its been an annual thing for Leanna and I  to sneak away for a couple of days and go coastering... (not sure that's a word...)  but this year we were able to convince Vicki to join us, so we extended the time... and we even got her on a couple of the rides...  In 28 years of marriage, that's a first.

A couple of the things about the trip really got me thinking.  One, Vicki stepped out of her comfort zone to do something that she was very afraid of doing, riding a roller coaster.  I am thinking how so many times, God calls us to do something but fear talks us out of it.  I don't know about you, but I don't want fear to keep me from doing anything that God might want me to do.  It really comes down to letting go of fear and trusting God.

The second thing I thought about concerned the space shuttle.  While we were in Orlando, we got the opportunity to see the space shuttle go up.  It was a night launch... and as we watched, it seemed like a significant part of the sky turned orange... and then a few seconds later... there it was... shooting into space.  It was very exciting.

They say that the biggest amount of fuel (energy) that is expended, happens at lift off... just to get the rocket started.  I think with a lot of us... that once we conquer fear in our lives, the biggest thing is starting... getting the thing of the launching pad. 

What is it God has called you to do?  Is fear holding you back?  If so, find someone you can talk to and talk it through... Have them pray with you...  Determine that you are going to trust God...    Then... Get started.  The biggest hold back for a lot of people is the phrase "One of these days."   One of these days is actually "None of these days." Chances are, that unless you find a starting point and just go for it, you will never get "around to it."

God gives us all dreams... ideas of things we could do.  And God is not a tease.  He wouldn't dangle the carrot in front of you, if he wasn't willing to help you accomplish it.  The sad truth, however, is that a lot of people die with that dream unfulfilled in their life.  And two of the biggest reasons are fear... and the failure to start.

Jump out their... conquer your fear... and then go for the dream...  As 2006 winds down, you just might see a 2007 launch to the dream that God has given you for your life... and wouldn't that be an awesome thing!

Let's rock the world together!

Cya Sunday,

Robert