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(watch this video to learn more about feeds)

If you are fairly new to the blogosphere, you may not know how to "subscribe" to your favorite blogs. This is a huge time saver! You are able to have posts from your favorite bloggers delivered to you rather than going to all of their sites individually to see if they are updated. Plus- you don't have to try to remember blog addresses.

We have several areas in the upper right corner to subscribe to our blog. Currently, Christi and I are subscribed to about 50 blogs each.

How many are in your "reader"?

(click here to add "Embracing the Friction" to your reader, if you'd like.

Do you twitter?

(Here is a video to show what it is)


Are you on Twitter? I recently signed up on twitter. Follow my tweets HERE.

Christi is not on Twitter (yet) but she subscribed to my page (www.twitter.com/brandonaldson) in the browser window to receive my updates.

Update from Christi: OK- I caved and joined. My addy is www.twitter.com/mrscdonaldson if any of you want to "follow me" (which sounds a little creepy actually)

What do you all think about Twitter? Is it a great way to keep up with others- or just another thing to take up time?

Faces of the Internet Campus #7

This is the last post on "Faces of the Internet Campus". Thank you for encouraging our friends and for reading up on who they are in Christ.

We first met Johnny and Allison Roberts at a marriage retreat. It ended up being all "network church" couples. We instantly clicked with them. Since that time, only about 7 months ago, we have been to visit them a few times and have been able to attend their church, TheBod.tv We also have had the privilege of meeting their entire family and let me tell you- we love them:) What a fun bunch! Their enthusiasm is contagious. They are ordinary people doing extraordinary things right where they grew up! We posted about them a while back and how blessed we are to have them as friends. It's great to see there are some really interesting and genuine people just right on the other side of our state we are linked with in ministry. God is so cool!

Introducing Johnny Roberts....

Where to begin? The idea for TheBOD.tv began 7 or 8 years ago as I began to envision a church that was… well REAL. The ironic thing about it was I had a picture of a church that used video as their primary source of teaching. I’m not sure exactly sure when LifeChurch.tv popped up on my radar but… as soon as it did I recognized that my idea wasn’t so crazy after all. I was ready to start but God seemed to have different plans. It just wasn’t happening. At least until December of 2007… I had finally given up. I had come to the conclusion that it would be someone else. Someone younger, someone smarter, someone with a seminary degree…. It just wasn’t going to be me. Strangely enough within six weeks of coming to that conclusion I distinctly remember God saying (not audibly but it might have well as been), “OK, you’re ready”. I was like… “No way God that deal is over… it’s going to be someone else… remember?”

Long story short…. Within a couple of weeks my wife, Allison, and I had accepted the call to plant a church in Roland, OK. It would be called…. TheBOD.tv… you know, as in the body of Christ. We believe that each of us is called to ministry… to serve as a part of the body and our entire structure is built around that concept.

LC has been awesome to work with. We have been so blessed to meet so many incredible new friends, including Christi and Brandon. You guys should know…. THEY ARE THE REAL DEAL! They are so passionate about serving Christ and loving people. Within a few hours of first meeting them they already felt like old friends. I suspect they make most people feel the same way but we feel a special connection and cherish their friendship.

The past year has been an incredible ride. We launched the church in September and things have been non-stop since. We are seeing so many lives changed. People coming to Christ as Savior and Lord, people growing in faith… it’s simply been an amazing year and LifeChurch.tv , through the teaching resources, has had huge impact in what’s happening at TheBOD.

Christi asked if I had anything to share that God has been showing me lately…. There isn’t enough time to share everything but if I had to summarize what God has been telling me this year, it would be…. “TRUST ME. Stop trusting Johnny and his ability. Don’t put your faith in LifeChurch, or men, or stuff, or ideas, or plans, or programs….TRUST ME… FOLLOW ME.” I guess I will.

Johnny

Faces of the Internet Campus #6

Meet Steven A. Steven has also been with the Internet campus since the "beginning". He has been a crucial part of helping get LC curriculum out to people and helping them connect with their neighbors. He has a successful physical group that meets to experience the Internet campus together, as well as a successful Life group that meets online weekly. Brandon was privileged to get to meet his family last year on a short trip out to Florida. They are the real deal. His daughter is also a very friendly "greeter" in the lobby chat on the weekends.

Introducing Steven A:

I am basking in the warm temperatures of sunny Orlando Florida while having a great time with the Lifechurch.tv Internet campus as an Online Life Group host and Coach. Several years ago the Spirit of God prompted me with was these words, "The church is not where we go, but who we are". That started me on a journey to help activate "the church" where we live, leading from the bottom up to create a spiritual footprint in every neighborhood where everyone can touch and take ownership right from our own front doors.

www.simplechurch.tv goes into more detail, but here's essentially how it works. Meet your neighbors, listen to them, serve them, love them. No hidden agenda's. Our neighbors are not trophy's to be won. Instead, our neighbors are God's gift to us to help us become truly devoted followers of Christ. The local church, the internet campus and Life church video library is our gift back to them for helping us become genuine and loving individuals.

It's a true win - win situation. Transformation begins to take root in us and spreads throughout the neighborhood. It soon spreads to other neighborhoods. Communities begin to change. Crime drops, Businesses, schools and churches begin to thrive, , and a city will be transformed. Simply because you and other believers have chosen to open your doors and hearts in the neighborhood you live in. This is what is happening here in Orlando in our neighborhood and it can happen in yours.

The Internet campus and the free video resources have proven to be incredible tools which connect and support the efforts of believers in the local neighborhood like mine, while connecting to a global community of neighborhoods and churches around the world. The best part for me is it's also been a great place to make lasting friendships. It's absolutely amazing the impact this campus is having. I'm forever grateful.

Serve locally, connect globally. I'll see you there.
Steven Acosta
www.simplechurch.tv

Faces of the Internet Campus #5

Hmm, what can I say about Jason? Jason comes to us from South Africa. He has been persistent about reaching Cape Town for Christ! He is a welcoming and fun guy in the lobby chat on Sunday mornings. He is a source of encouragement for us personally. He leads micro-missions on almost a monthly basis, it seems. He has a zeal and passion for life which is highly contagious. He also leads a physical life group there in Cape Town, South Africa.

Here are some of his thoughts.
Meet Jason K:

Recently I’ve been referred to as the Life Group / Missions / Evangelistic guy and it’s really got me thinking. What is it about my “trademarks” that lead people to think that way? What is it about the words I say, the things I do that lead others to such a perspective? For some time I wondered around deep within my own heart, my own mind and my own soul. I needed to see what it was that others were seeing that I myself was not right on target with. Maybe it was the fact that I’m a few months away from graduation… or maybe it was that I had been involved in various ministries. I needed to know what it was.

What I found was interesting. Needless to say, I was blown away by what I came across. I came across a man who was different and was on a mission to share it. However, I found that this heart was on a mission to share this interesting concept with others in a way beyond anything I feel I would have ever considered. I was sharing the love I had found, the acceptance I had found, and I was doing it without even knowing it. I found that it had absolutely nothing to do with me… nothing. It was because one man decided to show me what real love is that I am able to attempt to show others what real love is. I may not always get it right, but I know I’m trying and it’s not coming from me, it’s coming from Him. It’s got nothing to do with me… All my past is just that, my past. I am at the start of a new journey… and I’m not alone.

This was fascinating to me… I finally realized what Rob Bell meant when he argued that the church should never need to teach how to evangelize. Why should we teach the followers of Christ how to share His love? If they have truly experienced His love, they’ll know how to share it. It will come naturally… kind of like when you got that toy you really wanted for your birthday. You had no problem telling everyone how it works and why it was so great. There was just something about it that grabbed your heart. If you need to learn how to evangelize, I question as to if you really know what this love is that we all talk about so often…

What is so beautiful for myself with regards to Christ’s love, is that it’s a mystery, yet so simple to grasp at the same time. I have absolutely no idea how it works, but it grabbed my heart and took control of my life. It is a life that requires more and more of me every day. The beautiful side to this story is the fact that many have shared that I barely talk about Christ, but they know He’s there. They know how I feel about Him. They know He has full control of my being.

So, what am I actually trying to say? Well, I think what I’m really trying to say is that you don’t need a degree in Theology to share the love of Christ. You don’t need a degree in Theology to experience the love of Christ. It’s just there… waiting to be tapped into, free of charge, yet at the same time at full cost. I don’t need to be anybody other than myself in order to truly share the love so freely given to us. It is the only way one can truly get the truth out.

Do you know of this love I’m referring to?

Jason

Faces of the Internet Campus #4

On to more Internet campus "faces"...... Meet Gabriel (AKA Gabe) from Indonesia. Gabe was literally the first "international" I met on the IC. I was so excited to hear that someone from Indonesia was online with us!! Then, as the months passed on, Gabe became a steady volunteer and a welcoming "voice" in the lobby chat ( he also became a friend:) . I still remember when they had their baby and how excited everyone was in the lobby chat (knowing that we might not ever get to hold that baby in person). He is passionate about Christ and passionate about Lifechurch.tv.

Introducing Gabriel:

Hey all! I'm Gabriel. Hiro's already done a great job of talking about our Lifegroup. I'd like to take a few moments and let your mind take a walk overseas.

A little background: I grew up in Tulsa, Oklahoma. I met my wife there. We started going to the campus there back in early 2005. Lifechurch blew our socks off and we kept going. My wife is from Indonesia, and though it took a while, through her prodding and prayer, I finally felt the call to come out here. The biggest drag was having to walk away from the church we had grown to love. THANK GOD for the Internet Campus. I remember the launch, and I remember the thing that hit me the most about the IC. Even in a digital environment, people were still raising their hands to accept Christ! As flashy as a website or online Experience might be, what is the point if no one meets our risen Savior?

Aside from being a part of something that is actively reaching people for God, the IC has been a great source of consistent Biblically-based community. Though I've not been able to attend the actual online Experience for a while, I have been able to meet with my Lifegroup buddies! I have never met one of them in person, but I consider them some of my closest friends – which are priceless for someone living overseas. Which leads me to this…

Why does it take someone living overseas to be considered a missionary? How exactly do you define a missionary? The fact is that we are all called to reach those around us. It was a seismic shift in my thinking when I realized that, but after I made the shift, it opened up the opportunity to come pour into the lives of those living here. True, Indonesia is 82% Muslim, but does that make me any more of a missionary than you?

I would ask you to take a step out of the four walls you are likely bordered by right now. Perhaps you are at work, school, home, or Starbucks. ^_^ Did you know that there are people just like yourself living a life like yours, only in a foreign country? Problem is, there is very little spiritual support for someone that doesn't speak the local language. The Internet Campus has been that support for me and others like me. I talk about it to everyone I know that speaks English. I even tell some who only know a little English! Why? Because I've seen changed lives. I've seen people reach breakthroughs spiritually online. I've seen prayers prayed over a Skype chat answered. I've seen people come to Christ. Fact is: God can even use a computer – and He can do it anywhere in the world.

Also, realize you don't have to live in a grass hut to reach people overseas. Right now, I teach at a Christian school during the day, and do ministry at night (with my family as well!). I have a vision to reach certain people groups that have been forgotten by the government and humanitarian groups. I have a vision to reach the youth of Indonesia for Christ. I have a vision to launch a LifeChurch.tv campus here. When you step out in faith, God will open up your mind to people you can reach. The key is to start small. Got a vision for youth? Volunteer as a youth leader! Don't have any vision? Start doing something! Many times, you can hear Him speak as you do His work. It happened to me, and I wouldn't trade it for anything in the world.

So, stop calling me a missionary. Start calling yourself one. Realize you can change the world, right where you are. Also, realize God can also call you to the far reaches of his creation. And in all things, trust in Him, and He will let you know where to go.

Gabriel

Faces of the Internet Campus #3

I was introduced to the Byers family only a few short months ago. I heard about a couple in England (who were formally attenders at Lifechurch.tv OKC) "promoting" the Internet campus in Wimbledon. Hmmm...this was a couple I instantly wanted to meet. They are missionaries in a foreign country where they felt God led them last year. They left a comfy life in Oklahoma to explore the unknown and literally take the gospel, and Lifechurch.tv resources, across the world.

Chris and Dana Byers are now leading a network experience every other week in London. They are also running the Internet Campuses' 3am central time experience. They lead the entire experience from beginning to end! We can't wait to see what God has in store for the Byers family. We get to meet them in person this week for the first time as they are visiting OKC and getting everything in order to return to their mission field in London.

Introducing Guest blogger Dana Byers:

Shameless

My fascination with the Internet Campus began around 18 months ago, when my husband and I watched a service from a hotel room in Guatemala City. Considering the potential impact of reaching people all over the world with biblically sound teaching by means of the Internet has made my heart beat more quickly ever since!

I remember living life under a shroud of shame before I had a personal relationship with Jesus. The reality of being human (i.e. sinful) and incapable of being holy (without Christ) was a heavy burden to bear. Experiencing shame is a primary tool of our enemy, used as a means of keeping people from turning to Christ. God made every single person on earth for relationship with Him, yet millions are too embarrassed of their struggles with being human to put hope in forgiveness.

The Internet Campus is particularly appealing because it creates a pure 'come as you are' environment. When I'm chatting or praying with someone during a 9am GMT service, I have no idea what they look like, where they live, their gender, or anything else about them unless they wish to offer this information to me. What's surprising is I rarely need to ask for details as people arrive at the Internet Campus ready to share. It's understood they can be as anonymous as they wish and still learn about Christ and receive prayer. Attendees find comfort in representing who they truly are (a sinful human just like me) in a safe place. People seek prayer for issues like poverty, suicidal thoughts, homelessness, drug abuse, pornography addictions, failing businesses, broken marriages, and more.

I'm sure you understand: the unfamiliar environment and practices of a church, seemingly watchful eyes of others attending a local service, and previous negative encounters with Christianity (or Christians) are simply too daunting for some folks to face. Yet in the security of their own homes, God is drawing people to Himself through the incredible tool of LifeChurch.tv Internet Campus services. People around the globe are stretching out their hands to God and shedding their shame every week at the Internet Campus.

"Yet if you devote your heart to him
and stretch out your hands to him...

then you will lift up your face without shame;
you will stand firm and without fear.”

Job 11:13, 15

Faces of the Internet Campus #2

Hiro has become a great friend to Brandon and I. They talk via Skype or Google chat often. If he lived in the states (or vice versa), Brandon says they would definitely hang out. He has also been a great source of encouragement to us as a family and to us personally. Read about how Hiro came to the Internet campus....

Hi,

I'm Hiro. I've been a regular at lifechurch.tv for almost 1.5 years now. I currently
reside in Hamamatsu City, Japan.

I don't remember exactly how I found lifechurch.tv, but I think I just stumbled across a
link somewhere. Being a web developer and having no local church at the time I thought it
was a pretty cool concept. Eventually, I met a guy who leads an online lifegroup (while
chatting in the LC chat room on Sunday), and I've been a part of his group since then.

Our lifegroup is very international. Gabe, the leader of the group, is an American from
OK but currently living in Indonesia with his wife and two children. Besides him and
myself, we have one member from UK, another one from Australia, and two people from the
US. Occasionally we've had a soldier in Iraq visiting us as well. All of us are on Skype,
so we often use voice conference call for our meeting. We also have our own Google group
to keep in touch with each other, share pictures and prayer requests. We've been doing
this for quite a while now and it's been amazing how this stuff actually brings us fairly
close.

We do have a lot of challenges, though, because of our international nature. The biggest
one is time zone. It's often very difficult to "meet" at the same time because
all of us are so apart when it comes to time zone. And not to mention various work
commitment during the week... But Google group covers a lot of gap, and we've been quite
active in keeping in touch with each other.

Overall, lifechurch.tv and especially its online lifegroup has been awesome. Try it if
you haven't already. You might be pleasantly surprised.....  :)

I have a heart for bringing more North American missionaries to Japan and assisting them in
their ministries. I've already been involved in a couple of American short term mission
teams, but I would like to see more coming. I'm hoping someday lifechurch.tv will open a
branch somewhere in Japan!

Hiro

Faces of the Internet Campus #1

We are starting a series about Ordinary people who are extraordinary in our eyes. These people are key/core people of the Internet campus. I wish I could have all of our new friends as "guest bloggers" but that would take months! For now, we will go with a handful, knowing that there are many out there that are also "extraordinary". These people are our friends that we have met online via the Internet campus. Please read their stories and celebrate who they are with us.

First, I'd like to introduce Sara B. Words cannot express what a blessing this girl has been to us! She started attending the Internet campus back in the beginning and has been a faithful participant since. She is a close friend of mine. She is in my life group. She is a fellow blogger. She has been to OKC once to visit (and is returning next month to participate in a mission trip).

Introducing guest blogger Sara B....

It's very difficult for me to put into words what the Internet Campus means to me and my life. It's not only a worship experience, but it has brought amazing friends, a sense of community and missionary opportunities that have changed my life. And most of all, it has brought me into a life dedicated to Jesus.

I grew up in the church... my grandfather was a Baptist pastor. But instead of feeling like I was really a part of things, I felt more like it was just what was expected of me. Other than my grandfather's sermons, which I loved, the only thing I really enjoyed in church was a painting that hung over the pulpit of Jesus looking toward heaven. I'd spend most of the time at church staring at that painting.

After Grampie retired, I left the church. I'd been feeling far away from it for a while, but Grampie's retirement gave me a reason to not go anymore. I flitted from one religion to the next, hoping that I'd find something that would fill my Sunday, but it was never more than a Sunday idea. I was the stereotypical Easter and Christmas church goer. The type that doesn't give God much of a thought until the holidays, and then He is only given a thought because it's expected. For years I "researched" different churches... going with friends... but never connected with any of them.

Fast forward to two years ago... I was married, had children, worked full time but I still felt that something was missing. I didn't know what... I knew I wanted to belong to a community, and I loved the "idea" of church, but I had convinced myself that I would never find a church or church family that felt like home to me. I joined myspace and decided to reconnect with some people I had gone to high school with. One of the women, Stef, I had never been friends with in high school but I felt a huge push to read her entire myspace page and profile. She wrote about God and Jesus... Lifechurch.tv... how blessed her life was. I wanted that feeling SO badly so I messaged her about it. Since we had not been friends, I wasn't sure what to expect in reply... and was so excited when she not only wrote back and talked about her church and God, but told me that Lifechurch.tv was planning on doing something revolutionary- they were going to launch an Internet Campus and stream the services.

I watched that Sunday and accepted Jesus that very day. I knew it was Him that I had been missing all my life... that it was only Him that could fill that longing in my heart.

I've been an Internet Campus member since the beginning... I belong to the most amazing Lifegroup (yay OC!!!)... I have the most amazing sisters and brothers in Christ. I've been blessed to have visited OKC and attend a live experience. I've been blessed to have gone to New Orleans to help distribute lifepacks. I've been blessed to have been baptized by Brandon. I love everything that the IC has brought into my life... and I am so excited to see what God is going to bring into my life in the future through the IC.


Sara

Ramblings of an Internet Pastor's wife #2

I don't take criticism well. I try to mask the hurt, but later go home to cry by myself or vent to Brandon. I especially don't take criticism well when it concerns my husband or my kids. Even when people talk about things dear to my heart, I can easily get defensive.

When we first started the internet campus, criticism was overflowing. People said it wasn't REAL church. That it was a trend or a phase. That we were a cult. That there was no community online. That you have to have physical face to face meeting times or it wasn't true fellowship.

I admit, I did not fair well with any of it. In fact, I got out my mama bear growl and began to defend the Internet campus, my husband, and my church. I would comment on blogs (or in my mind at least!), I would talk about it with whomever wanted to. Even people from our church were critical. They didn't mean to be- they just didn't understand it.

I came to the conclusion that I don't need to defend it. God called us to it, we should let Him handle it. It is not our job to convince people that we are legit, that God is legit. It is so freeing to not worry about what people think! God is a big God. I love that he meets people right where they are!

People in this world will not understand- but God does. He sees the big picture. He doesn't need me defending him. He desires me to serve Him and love Him. Pretty sure I can do that:)

Stay tuned for this weeks blog entries- we are having some guest bloggers from the Internet Campus and I can't wait for you to "meet" them!