Archive for December, 2009

Top 10 Blog Posts of 2009

Posted: December 31, 2009 in Blogs, Books, Culture, Dogs, Faith, Family, Food, Friends, Funny, Inspirational, Life, Ministry, Movies, Music, People, Random, Spirituality, Sports, Technology, The Bible, Travel, TV
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Yes, I am going to attempt to start blogging. I hope to share a little of my brain with world wide web from time to time. I will try to write from time to time on a variety of subjects…life, faith, family, sports, random, etc. If you know me, then you know that my brain is always going. I think from the time I wake up till the time I go to bed. Let’s see if I can get some of those thoughts out on the world wide web so the entire global civilization with a computer can see them. What a brilliant idea!” – Brian Cromer, March 11, 2008

This is a quote from the first briancromer.com post ever. Nearly 1 year & 9 months, 470 posts, and over 130,000 visitors later, it’s time to take a look back at the year that was. This is briancromer.com’s Top 10 Blog Posts of 2009. Some of you reading this are newer to the blog and may have missed some of the earlier moments. I invite you to click on the links and enjoy some of the moments that you may have missed. Some of you have been around since day one (Heather & Mom). I invite you to take a stroll down memory lane, maybe take a look at the comments that you have posted. Without further adieu, the Top 10…

#10 OFFICIALLY ON TWITTER – August 17, 2009

“I am going on record and saying that I will not EVER use twitter. :)” That sentence was taken from my blog post on April 8, 2009. I put this post on the Top 10 list because I like to poke fun of myself and I am suffering from a bad case of foot in mouth disease. By the way, you can follow me on twitter HERE.

#9 GREATEST PITCHER OF ALL TIME – August 4, 2009

It is no secret that I am a huge New York Yankees fan. 2009 was a great year to be a Yankees fan as they won the 27th World Series in franchise history. On November 5, things were again right in the world. That day I woke up refreshed and something was different. Food tasted better. Air was fresher. Traffic seemed lighter. The sun was brighter. And then I realized that the Yankees won #27. That championship could not have been won without Mariano Rivera, who I argue in this controversial post is the greatest pitcher of all time.

*Also, check out this post explaining New York Yankees HOPE Week, which was a week full of the Yankees reaching out  and serving their community.

#8 DEEP THOUGHTS BY B.DAVID VOS – June 16, 2009

Creating and editing videos is one of my least talked about passions. I often wish I had more time to dedicate towards growing more in this creative outlet. I made quite a few videos this years. These ones from Sulphur Springs Workcamp 2009 are my favorite. Others from this year include TUESDAY MORNING, MESSY OR NOT MESSY, REVOLUTION ANNOUNCEMENTS (didn’t make this one, but hilarious), SHOOT EM UP, and GALLON CHALLENGE ANNOUNCEMENTS.

#7 SPORTS ILLUSTRATED SWIMSUIT CHALLENGE – February 18, 2009

This is a story where I got to brag on my incredible wife. This is just a small taste of how amazing she truly is. I seriously am a lucky man and I know it. She is amazing. She is my best friend. She makes me a better person. And she loves God more than she could ever love me.

#6 TOP 10 P90X YOGA POSES – August 13, 2009

One of my most crucial guidelines about my blog is that I never want to take myself too seriously. I know I am a dork, so I embrace that and in the process, you experience a good laugh at my expense. Over the past 5+ months, I have been doing P90X. Part of the P90X workout includes a yoga workout. I quickly learned that Brian Cromer and yoga do not go together. For your enjoyment and laughter, I decided to let Heather take pictures of me during a P90X yoga workout to help give you an idea how hilarious and ridiculous I look doing this workout.

#5 NEW HOUSE TOUR – November 13, 2009

This was the first ever video blog on briancromer.com. I am toying around of doing this more in the future. What did you think? Good stuff? Would you like to see more video blogs?

#4 COWTOWN MARATHON PART 1, PART 2, PART 3, PART 4, & PART 5 – March 2-6, 2009

On Saturday, February 28, 2009, I ran the Cowtown Marathon in Fort Worth, Texas. This was marathon #3 for me, but the first marathon since having this blog. Over these 5 posts, I gave a detailed account of the events leading up to the race and the race itself. My goal was to chronicle this out so that I could remember the marathon.

#3 CONFESSIONS OF A BLOGGER – August 24, 2009

Like I said earlier, I have been blogging since March 2008. By no means does 22 months of blogging qualify me as a blogging expert. I do not have this whole blogging thing figured out. However, in the past 22 months I have learned a thing or two about blogging and myself in the process. This post has some blogging tips and things I have learned while blogging.

#2 BIG NEWS – June 15, 2009

2009 was a big year for the Cromer family. If I had to describe this year in one word, that word would be transition. On June 14, 2009, I announced that I was stepping down as youth pastor of the Shannon Oaks Church in Sulphur Springs, Texas and moving to Oklahoma City, Oklahoma to be the student pastor at NORTHchurch. It was an incredibly difficult, bittersweet, and exciting decision to make. Making a healthy transition on both ends was a big deal to Heather and I, and God answered those prayers. This post is Heather and I’s letter publicly announcing our decision.

#1 JESUS RUINED MY LIFE – January 15, 2009

No extravagant words for this one. The title speaks for itself. This one simply is my favorite blog post of 2009.

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If you want to go through 222 blog posts from 2009 and make your own top 10 list, that would be sweet. Which ones did I miss? What blog post should have been on the top 10 that wasn’t? What was your favorite blog post of 2009? GYM GUYS? STARS? SOCIAL MEDIA REVOLUTION? PROSPERITY GOSPEL? SPONGES? I’M A LEADER? JOHN 3:16 HOTTEST GOOGLE SEARCH?

2009 Fill in the Blank

Posted: December 30, 2009 in Life, People
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FILL IN THE BLANK…

In a word (or two), 2009 was the year of ___________________________.

My answer…TRANSITION.

Re-Branding Jesus

Posted: December 22, 2009 in Books, Culture, Faith, Life, Ministry, People, Spirituality
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Western culture has set up a progress-based system for advancing toward God.

Let me explain. For a long time Christians have been taught a three-step approach to God. It starts with belief. Essentially, if you believe the right things, it will lead to a change in behavior. When you have changed your behavior, you will be accepted by the church. Believe, Behave, Belong.

If you believe this way, you will behave this way, and if you behave this way, you can belong here. This is preached, modeled, and affirmed in thousands of churches across America.

It’s time to flip this. The Jesus of scripture reached out and loved people regardless of where they were. It is essential to show people that they can belong in your world even if they don’t act, think, behave, or believe like you.

Imagine a church or community where Jesus was communicated in such a way that everyone belonged. They were included. And from this feeling of belonging, over time the message of Jesus made an impact on their belief. And from that newfound fullness of God, their behavior changed. (Belong, Believe, Behave.)

If this practice won out over religious dogma, rooted in rules and regulations, more people would find hope in the authentic Christ.

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from “Jesus Loves You this I know” by Craig Gross and Jason Harper

Monday Morning Potpourri

Posted: December 21, 2009 in Blogs, Faith, Family, Life, Ministry, People, Spirituality, The Bible
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BIBLE VERSE OF THE DAY…

“With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God.” – Mark 10:27

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QUOTE OF THE DAY FROM SOMEBODY WAY SMARTER THAN ME…

“God would never ask me or anyone else to be a light and then not equip us to do it.” – Jason Harper

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INTERESTING LINK OF THE DAY…

Check out THIS EYE-OPENING BLOG POST by Craig Gross entitled “Most Popular Searches in 2009″.

What were kids under 18 most interested in and curious about in 2009? Their online searches can tell parents a lot and also alert them to possible topics they may need to discuss with their kids. Norton has identified the top searches conducted by kids this year. Sex and Porn have made the top 5 and boobs at #32.

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WHAT I’M LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS WEEK…

Seeing my family. My parents and older sister are coming in this week for Christmas. Also, Heather’s dad and step-mom are coming in the day they leave for a visit. For both families, this will be their first visit to the great state of Oklahoma City. I am very excited to see our families. It has been way too long.

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THIS WEEK I’M PRAYING FOR…

One of our REVOLUTION students who is having serious knee problems and is in a lot of pain. Satan wants to use this to steal this incredible leader’s joy, but that is not going to happen. Praying for complete healing and strength to endure.

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Do you have a Bible verse to share?

Do you have a quote from somebody way smarter than you to share?

Do you have an interesting link to share?

What are you looking forward to this week?

What are you praying for this week?

Dominican Republic – Day 2 Update

Posted: December 18, 2009 in Faith, Life, Ministry, People, Spirituality, Travel
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500+ Dominican Republic children + 500+ Christmas gifts = An amazing day

As we drove up, there was already a line of excited Dominican children forming at the church door. The place was going to be soon packed full of giddy children anticipating getting Christmas gifts. The facility looked amazing. It was full of tables, chairs, and decorations.

The doors opened and excited children entered the church. To start the event, the Mission of Mercy project staff and students put on a small program – complete with songs, choreographed dances, and prayers.

After feeding the anxious children lunch, it was time for the main event. Up to that point, the staff had been able to keep order and control over the 500+ kids, despite being significantly out-numbered. However, when the gifts started to be handed out, it got crazy. Kids began to bum-rush the stage. There was no more being quiet, no more standing still, and no more patiently waiting. After all, there were Christmas presents to be had. The staff did an amazing job handing out the Christmas presents to all those eager kids.

It was amazing to watch these Dominican children rip open these Christmas presents that the NORTHchurch family had so generously donated. The atmosphere was think with joy, smiles, and excitement.

These three pictures are my favorites. I watched this boy receive his Christmas presents, walk over to a secluded area, rip open the presents, and react to what was inside. I tried my best to capture his pure joy in these moments through these pictures.

Like I said at the beginning of this post…

500+ Dominican Republic children + 500+ Christmas gifts = An amazing day

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To see more pictures from our Dominican Republic trip, CLICK HERE.

Dominican Republic – Day 1 Update

Posted: December 15, 2009 in Culture, Faith, Life, Ministry, People, Spirituality, Travel
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The NORTHchurch crew arrived in Santiago, Dominican Republic late Saturday evening after a day of airplanes and layovers. It was surreal to wake up that morning in Oklahoma City and its 25 degree morning and to go to bed that night in the Dominican Republic and its 75 degree night.

I only wish my bags would have been there to enjoy it with me.

Yep, our bags did not make to the Dominican Republic like we did. Being an experienced world traveler, I rolled with the punches. Simply wash the essentials in the sink as soon as you get there, let them air dry, borrow a toothbrush from the hotel, and you are good to go.

On Sunday morning we got up early to go to the church that NORTHchurch and Mission of Mercy works with so closely. The service was powerful. The church sanctuary was full of passionate people who poured their hearts out in worship. Pastor Scott Morris had a impromptu call up to address the congregation, which was entertaining to say the least. He did a great job with zero notice.

During the four hour service, I had incredible Dominican kids hanging all over me while this girl (see picture below) was my personal translator.

That evening we went back to the church to organize all of the presents that we donated during NORTHchurch’s “Christmas in the Dominican Republic” program. It was amazing to see the unbelievable generosity that NORTHchurch poured into this program. We literally organized hundreds and hundreds of gifts in preparation for the next day. My anticipation of being a small part of giving all those gifts to those kids was growing more and more with every opened box.

All I kept thinking was, “tomorrow is going to be amazing.”

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Check back later to read about the next day in the DR.

Dominican Republic Updates

Posted: December 13, 2009 in Life, Ministry, People, Technology, Travel
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I should be able to get online in the next 24 hours to post a complete update (with pictures) from my Dominican Republic trip. Until then, I am posting mini-updates via facebook and twitter. Make sure to check them out.

Follow me on twitter HERE.

Follow me on facebook HERE.

Going to the Dominican Republic

Posted: December 10, 2009 in Faith, Life, Ministry, People, Spirituality, Travel
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Big news in Brian Cromer world. I will be getting my passport stamped later this week.

On Saturday I will be flying to the Dominican Republic. I will be going to the DR with four other people from NORTHchurch for five days.

NORTHchurch heavily supports the local church in the Dominican Republic and is involved in a ministry called Mission of Mercy. Their mission statement reads “Rescuing Forgotten Children, with Jesus’ Love”. Like Compassion International, Mission of Mercy provides basic needs (food, education, clothing, Biblical training, etc) to children through monthly donations from sponsors. This ministry also does a great job of supporting and building up the local church in the places where they are sponsoring children.

This short trip has may purposes. I will be leading a mission trip there this July, so I am going to meet some key leaders and pastors in the DR, get familiar with the area, and get a game plan for this summer’s mission trip. In addition, NORTHchurch recently participated in an outreach program called “Christmas in the Dominican Republic” where individuals provided Christmas gifts to DR children who otherwise not receive a gift. We are also going to the DR to give those gifts to the children.

I have been to the Dominican Republic one time in my life, but it was under very different circumstances. Heather and I had our honeymoon in at resort in the DR. I imagine this will be a little different.

I am excited. I am excited to lay the groundwork and foundation for a mission trip this summer that will change lives. I am excited to meet the leaders and pastors in the DR who are transforming that country. I am excited to hand a little child their Christmas gift, watch them rip into it, and smile from ear to ear when they see what is inside.

Pray for us. We will be traveling to the DR December 12-16.

Xbox 360, Wii, or PS3?

Posted: December 7, 2009 in Life, People, Random, Technology
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It is time for a change.

It is time to finally upgrade to the latest generation of video game consoles. The Xbox is simply not cutting it anymore. It makes weird noises. It never has new games (because they stopped making Xbox games).

Don’t worry, the Super Nintendo is still going strong. It doesn’t get much better than playing the 16-bit SNES on my 46-inch Samsung LCD TV. However, the SNES is a classic that must be taken care of and not overused.

It’s time for a change.

But I need your help. Which video game console should I upgrade to – Xbox 360, Wii, or PS3?

Here are some things you need to know before you give your opinion…

  • I almost exclusively play sports games (Madden and baseball).
  • I like to play video games occasionally to unwind and relax.
  • I generally play video games by myself.
  • I am a youth pastor, so upgrading to the newest video game console was inevitable.
  • I already have a blueray player.
  • I could care less about online gaming.
  • I workout a lot and don’t want to literally play 18 holes of golf at 11:30pm when I am trying to unwind.

Knowing those things, which video game console should I upgrade to – Xbox 360, Wii, or PS3? Tell me which one I should get and the reasons why.

Things God Hates…

Posted: December 6, 2009 in Faith, Life, Ministry, People, Spirituality, The Bible
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Hate is a strong word.

Hate is a word that we do not toss around lightly.

Hate is not a word often associated with God. We always here about God’s loving nature. We hear how much God loves and how much He forgives. But hates?

It’s true…God hates.

Check out these verses…

  • PROVERBS 6:16-19 (The Message) – Here are six things God hates, and one more that he loathes with a passion: eyes that are arrogant, a tongue that lies, hands that murder the innocent, a heart that hatches evil plots, feet that race down a wicked track, a mouth that lies under oath, a troublemaker in the family.
  • DEUTERONOMY 12:30-31 (The Message) – Don’t get fascinated with their gods, thinking, “I wonder what it was like for them, worshiping their gods. I’d like to try that myself.” Don’t do this to God, your God. They commit every imaginable abomination with their gods. God hates it all with a passion. Why, they even set their children on fire as offerings to their gods!
  • ISAIAH 61:8 (NIV) – For I, the LORD, love justice; I hate robbery and iniquity. In my faithfulness I will reward them and make an everlasting covenant with them.
  • JEREMIAH 44:4 (NIV) – Again and again I sent my servants the prophets, who said, “Do not do this detestable thing that I hate!” (talking about worshiping other gods)
  • AMOS 5:21 (NIV) – I hate, I despise your religious feasts; I cannot stand your assemblies.
  • MALACHI 2:16 (The Message) – “I hate divorce,” says the God of Israel. God-of-the-Angel-Armies says, “I hate the violent dismembering of the ‘one flesh’ of marriage.” So watch yourselves. Don’t let your guard down. Don’t cheat.

What’s your reaction to this? How does this sit in your stomach? What sticks out to you? What thoughts do you have about the “Things God Hates…”?

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Here’s one thing that jumped out to me…

The Bible never says that God hates people. The Bible says that God hates these specific things done by people, but never the people themselves.

“This is how much God LOVED the world: He gave his Son, his one and only Son. And this is why: so that no one need be destroyed; by believing in him, anyone can have a whole and lasting life.”

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