The Vents of Sammy Brent

From the beginning, Blueprint’s ministry strategy has been simple and to the point: Come (Relevant Sunday Services) Grow (Engaging & Equipping Small Groups) Go (Doing Ministry Where Life Exists). For Grow, groups provide the venue for scriptural depth and for life-on-life relationships. Getting people plugged into these groups is a vital part of our church health, and the personal health of those who come to be a part of what we’re doing.

We held our first Group Link this week. We’ve been averaging about 130 attenders on Sundays since we started services every week at the beginning of the year, but that couldn’t really help us predict who would show up or how many. We were pleasantly surprised to have 101 people plug into groups that night. It wasn’t just the number of people that thrilled us. It was also the interest; the hunger for community that was evident. For those who missed it, but who would still like to be placed into a group, it’s not too late! You can sign up at the front kiosk this Sunday.

We believe God is doing something special in Blueprint. What we’ve experienced on Sundays and what we saw at our first Group Link confirms what we’ve sensed all along. We are humbled to be a part of something God wants done in the city of Atlanta. THANKS so much for your support and please keep us in your prayers. We begin a new 4-part series this Sunday, Big Brother, Little Brother.  We look forward to seeing you there!

What a weekend, what a weekend, WHAT AN INCREDIBLE WEEKEND!!! If you attended, thought about attending, or simply prayed for our Saturday & Sunday events, we THANK YOU!!! If this weekend was any indication of the Lord’s plans for the city of Atlanta, WOW!!!

It all kicked off with over 2,000 (that’s right, over 2K) Reach Records fans jammed into the Georgia World Congress Center.  Talk about a HOLY ROAR in the BUILDING, these guys showed Atlanta how Christian Hip Hop is supposed to be done!!!  This being the last stop of their Don’t’ Waste Your Life tour, the artists (Flame, Lecrae, Sho Baraka, Tedashii & Trip Lee) gave a “second to NONE” performance.  The energy in the room shook the ground, the walls and the windows (LITERALLY)!!

For those of you who were not aware, Reach Records has actually moved their headquarters to Atlanta and will continue to partner with Blueprint to impact this city for God’s glory…

YEAH BOYEE!!!

Please continue to pray for their families and their transition!!!

Fast forward to Sunday morning, the day began with anticipation, energy and excitement.  I think the entire team was antsy to see God do something unique during the service.  Believe me when I say that He did not disappoint.  Close to 300 in attendance.  An unbelievably diverse crowd.  Engaging and meaningful worship coupled with a practical and profound message.

Lead Pastor Dhati Lewis

Special thanks to Pastor Ken Rucker, Shawna McBee and the incredible team from New Branch Community Church (who left their Sunday service up in Dacula, GA in order to come assist us). With their help, we were able to offer a fun and meaningful children’s service.  Great are your rewards in Heaven guys!!!

To say we were extremely pleased with the weekend would be an understatement.  In fact, check out what @drewflet had to say on his blog:

“The love and passion for Christ was so thick. It was so exciting to see such a diverse group of people in the same service, there were brothers and sisters from all ages and races praising the Lord together.”

Amazing!!!

The Sketch weekend also marked the launching of our “Are You Blu?” campaign, along with our new-look website and a host of dates & times of upcoming events (including a picnic in Candler Park on September 12th).  For more information, visit us online and as always, feel free to pass this on to any family members and friends!

Above all, continue to pray for us.  Our total confidence & dependence is in our Heavenly Father.  We’re daily relying upon Him to keep us true to our mission:  Unleashing healthy people to do ministry where life exist.

Work 2 B Done

more work 2 b done

If a picture says a thousand words, my JUNKIE garage is probably spitting tens of thousands!!!

You can’t imagine how embarrassing it is to be showing the much-needed work that has to be done in there.

The interesting thing about this headache is that it’s almost OVER.  My wife and I are moving soon and it took a “date to be out” before I would take the PURGING PROCESS seriously.  

C’mon now, it’s so easy to just put things in the garage where there’s no need for a system, a hanger, nor a real designated place.  Over time (and I’d admit that it’s been a very short time)I’ve been able to turn my garage into a crack house!  Well, maybe not that bad although it could strike a true resemblance.  

Folks, I’ve got less than a month to get this done.  That may sound like more than enough time for you.  For me, IT’S GONNA BE TOUGH turning this thing around & I may need a little HELP.  My next few weeks (or I should say my weekends) are going to be some of my busiest of the year.  I’m in ATL only three (3) weekends between now and the first of April (actually, Dhati and I hit the streets during one of those…no garage work that weekend)!

Real soon, I will be revisiting this blog with updated photos of a more clean and presentable garage…until then, ENJOY THE JUNK!!!

“And the saga continues…”or a more fitting way of saying that we’re heading back down a similar road, “AGAIN?”

I’m once again part of an exciting church-plant team that’s looking to do some  really cool stuff in the city of Atlanta.  Although I’ve been down a similar path before, I’m all the more grateful to God for the opportunity and can’t wait to see what all He has in store.

My initial church-plant-team journey began in August, 1995 when my wife (who wasn’t even my girlfriend at the time) and over 20 others accompanied a man with a vision.  We were all young and full of creativity & passion to “do some good” in the city of Marietta.  And, some good is what we did: the church was built, lives were changed, families were restored and probably closest to my heart, students were impacted.

After close to a decade of it all, my wife and I transitioned out to focus a little more intently on the task set before us.  You see, shortly before the transition our son (Myles) was diagnosed with Autism.  To say it “rocked our world” would be a gross understatement. In spite of how difficult it was to even consider leave this incredible work (where we both were playing such significant roles) we were clear and resolute of what was required.

I was certain at the time that I was leaving a once in a lifetime assignment or opportunity.  I couldn’t fathom being a part of another church plant team at the time.  There was such potential & promise our team brought to Atlanta.  Some of it was realized…some of it wasn’t.  The bottom-line is that we were a team and a formidable one at that!

Again, I never thought I’d see another opportunity come my way like that one.  Quite honestly, I never prayed for it.  I met Dhati Lewis (lead pastor of Blueprint Church) while I was on a very specific track to get back into the classroom and eventually, become a principal somewhere.  That was my 10 year goal.  Church planting wasn’t even on the radar!

After much prayer and conversations w/ EVERYBODY (wife, parents, in-laws, pastor, small group leaders, mentors, best friends) I decided to accept Dhati’s opportunity to build this thing.  By the way, I did have a couple of friends ask me, “are you sure you want to do this again?”   Yo, I’ve got some GREAT friends around me…that’s one of those questions an effective leader WANTS TO HEAR!

Fortunately, I can say with excitement that this is EXACTLY what I want to do at this stage in my life.  Sure, it’s not going to be easy and there’s a ton of work to be done (also worth noting, the economy isn’t the BEST it’s ever been…YIKES).  I don’t fully know nor understand all that the Lord’s planned for Blueprint Church…I’m just glad for some reason ” He coerced me” (yeah, right) to be a part of it!!!