When I moved to Columbus, I was told Mt Vernon had a large Air Force community, pulling from Columbus Air Force base nearby. Our base is is a flight training base dominated by student pilots (here for a year and a half) and instructor pilots (here for three to four years). They’re an amazing group of people. Student pilots are a bunch of post-college kids and newlyweds fresh into the Air Force. They move in packs of 12, are full of... Read more
Recently the staff at Mt Vernon got together and talked about who we’d met the previous Sunday. It’s a common occurrence for us, trying to keep up with names and faces as they come in. But I got tickled (yes, tickled. I never got tickled before moving to the South but apparently that’s what we do down here) when one of my staff told me about someone they met. After she finished describing the encounter she said: “And I could tell that... Read more
Okay, Elle didn’t make the speech (it would have consisted of a series of ‘ooohs’ and fits of drooling). Last night we dedicated Elle at Mt Vernon’s Baby Dedication service. One of the things that makes these services unique is that the parents read a letter in front of everyone declaring their wishes and intent for their future child. Since she’s our fourth and since we’re Dafferns, Robin and I decided to go the humorous route with Elle’s speech. Here... Read more
Here’s week five of our Fanatics series: https://vimeo.com/108272376 Read more
Happy Friday everyone! Before you head out to the football games this weekend, check out these great articles! When Your Child’s Personality Annoys You – Don’t eradicate it, cultivate it! 3 Ways to Find Contentment – Great words! Friendless Millennials in a Digital Age – Part 1 of a great article on reaching Millennials. The Solution to Millennial Trust Issues – Anyone trying to reach Millennials needs to read this! Why Dating is Great for Your Sex Life –... Read more
Recently on stage we showed what happens when dads are left in charge of the house. Take a moment and watch this funny video, then go hug a mom somewhere! Read more
Hannah Brencher is an incredible young lady I met at the Catalyst Conference who’s made a dream a reality. A lonely young professional lost in the urban jungle of New York City, Hannah began writing letters and leaving them around the city as a way to lift herself out of the depression she was struggling with. She wrote one blog about it with the simple note at the end, If you’re discouraged and need someone to write you a letter,... Read more
Here’s the fourth installment of our Fanatics series at Mt Vernon church: https://vimeo.com/108123461 Read more
Catalyst Day 2 was just as amazing as Day 1. Some incredible talks were given that challenged my way of thinking and expanded my vision of what God can and wants to do through Mt Vernon church in Columbus, MS. Here are some of my favorite quotes from Day 2: “Limited resources + willingness to fail + increasing passion = exponential innovation.” Craig Groeschel “Failure is an event, not a person. Don’t internalize it. You fail, but you’re not... Read more
So much great content! Like years past, sitting at Catalyst is like drinking from a fire hydrant: there’s too much to take in at once. Thankfully, I’ll be able to go back, process, and unpack what I learned today in months to come (of course stealing the best ideas and turning them into future sermon series). Here are some of my favorite quotes from Catalyst Day 1: “You haven’t been called to change the world, but you’ve been called... Read more
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