Perpetual Tension (Blog)

As Christ followers, we are called to a life of perpetual tension. The root of this tension is being in the world but not of the world. (John 17:14-45). When we leave our churches to engage our culture through a missional lifestyle, we are immersed in tension. But there’s no better way to live! Perpetual Tension is the title of Kevin's blog where he will occasionally share his thoughts on music, family, ministry, etc.

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2016

Miracles still happenSeptember 1, 2016Nearly three years ago, I was diagnosed with a vocal polyp. I prayed earnestly to God for Him to heal me. People prayed over me. I begged God to take…
The VoiceAugust 12, 2016After having surgery to remove a polyp from my left vocal fold in May of 2014, I was a little apprehensive about the two intensives I was scheduled…

2014

speaking like I'm singingAugust 4, 2014Yesterday (Sunday, August 3rd) was another big day for me in my recovery from surgery to remove a polyp from my left vocal fold. You see, it was last…
re-thinking "holy"July 15, 2014"Holy." It is a word you hear in church quite often. You might also happen to hear it outside of the church quite often, but it is usually followed…
back in the saddleJuly 8, 2014I've written the last few blog posts about my journey of dealing with a vocal polyp. You can read all about it in previous blogs: " thoughts before…
eight long monthsJune 11, 2014The past 8 months have been a long and challenging period for me. No, I'm not talking about the Detroit winter although that WAS long! If you're new…
let my words be fewMay 27, 2014After my vocal surgery on Monday, May 12th, I spent 4 days in complete vocal silence--no talking, no singing, no clearing my throat, no LOL (laughing…
thoughts after surgeryMay 16, 2014Today is the end of day 4! What does that mean? It means that this afternoon, I can start saying 1-2 word sentences! Yes, I have been under a…
thoughts before my surgeryMay 11, 2014http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=40TK9UO-G3w Tomorrow at 1:00pm, I will undergo surgery to remove a polyp that developed on my left vocal fold this…
approachable Father or Holy King?April 29, 2014The title of my blog is Perpetual Tension. I chose this title because of the many aspects of our faith that followers of Jesus must hold in healthy…
4 lessons for the Church from RedboxApril 21, 2014This past Saturday, I wrote about lessons from Blockbuster Video . Today, it occurred to me that the church could take some lessons from Redbox. If…
lessons from blockbuster videoApril 19, 2014I was driving through our town today and passed the former location of Blockbuster Video. As I looked at the empty storefront, it occurred to me that…
arts in the churchApril 15, 2014The title of this blog is "Perpetual Tension." I gave it that name because life as a believer is one filled with tension--hopefully, a healthy…
half-time speech vs. game dayApril 10, 2014I'm a big sports fan. I love just about any sport--except NBA basketball. Sorry! I just don't get into it. In my opinion, you could put 2 minutes on…
the Father's characterApril 4, 2014There are many different "prayer tools" out there to aid us in our prayer lives. I've used the ACTS (adoration, confession, thanksgiving,…
new blog formatMarch 31, 2014It has been well over a year since I posted a new blog. And this post doesn't really count because I'm really just announcing that I've got a new…

2012

discipleship and politicsSeptember 10, 2012The conventions of the two primary political parties are now behind us and the race to the general election in November is heating up. As I pondered…
the next chapterJanuary 15, 2012Each of us is on a journey of following God. Two and a half years ago, God led me and my family to Immanuel. He has done great things and I believe…

2011

left behindAugust 23, 2011Sorry! I couldn’t resist using this picture even though it has nothing to do with the topic of my post. Well, actually, come to think of it does! The…
rethinking churchAugust 11, 2011Countless articles, books and papers have been written on the subject of “rethinking church.” In fact, when I typed those very words into Google, I…
40!August 9, 2011This morning, my 40th birthday, my family surprised me each with their own list of 40 things they love about me. It was such a wonderful surprise! I…
tradition!July 18, 2011My wife and I love to watch musicals! Whether it’s an old, black & white Judy Garland flick or a newer movie with great music like Disney’s…
cleansing the templeMay 26, 2011I’m wrapping up my 2+ year journey through the Old Testament in my personal study time. Today, I started the book of Micah. As I have been doing with…
I used to be a legalist (and probably still am...)April 5, 2011As someone who grew up in a very legalistic environment, I am always interested when I reconnect with someone from my past who has their faith in…
why don't we sing more hymns?March 10, 2011This is an open letter to anyone who has ever written this question on your church’s Communication Card or comment card. Typically, these questions…

2010

one year laterSeptember 14, 2010This past Sunday, Suzanne and I celebrated our one year anniversary at Immanuel here in Corbin, KY. It is hard to believe that one year has already…
parable of the lifesaving stationJune 2, 2010I don’t remember where or when I first heard this parable, but it always comes to mind on days like today. Some days, I feel like the church I serve…
under-program your churchApril 30, 2010One of the biggest dangers in many churches today is over-programming or being a “program-driven” church. Now, I’ve never heard a church that…
revivalMarch 17, 2010This past Sunday evening, our church began a small group study called “Downpour” by James McDonald. It is a study on revival based on the Old…
micropolitan vs. cosmopolitanMarch 15, 2010I’m a city boy. I like big cities--the hustle and bustle, the active life, conveniences, professional sports, etc. So, imagine my surprise when God…
worship warsMarch 12, 2010The debate over traditional vs. contemporary worship is as old as worship itself. As one who appreciates both, but prefers one over the other…
undercover bossFebruary 9, 2010Did you see this show? It aired after the Superbowl so we ended up watching it. If you missed it, the premise of this new reality TV show is that…
perpetual tensionFebruary 4, 2010If you read a lot of blogs, you’ll notice that some people are really creative with the title of their blog. One blog I occasionally read is called…
hcruhcJanuary 21, 2010I think we have church backwards (hcruhc)! As I read accounts of the church in Acts, it seems to indicate that the church was more about what…
renewed passionJanuary 9, 2010One week ago today, I had the privilege of traveling to Atlanta with the college students from our church to attend Passion 2010. While I am very…
reflections on 2009January 1, 2010Being that today is the first day of a new year, one can’t help but reflect on the previous year. For the Haglunds, it was a year of upheaval, and…

2009

twists and turnsJuly 28, 2009These pages have been silent for more than a month. Believe me, it is not for lack of thoughts about this journey God has us on. However, it was for…
time flies when you’re... busy!June 22, 2009I can’t believe it has been a month since my last post! It is amazing how busy you can be without a full-time job! Here’s a few thoughts and updates…
a summer that countsMay 20, 2009I came across this article written by Philip Nation and thought it would be great timing since school is almost out. Seasons all have their official…
2 years… and counting!May 15, 2009Today marks 2 years since a very pivotal event in my life. Two years ago, I was sitting in an all day strategic planning retreat with Dogwood Church…
high highs and low lowsApril 29, 2009I’m on a roll! Three blog posts in one day! In my previous post, I shared the incredible outcomes from attending the Exponential Church Planting…
exponential church conference recapApril 29, 2009It has been awhile since I posted an update on what has been happening--primarily because so much has been happening that I’d be on the computer…
10 ways to NOT live missionallyApril 29, 2009I got this from the blog “ Missional Order .” It was too good not to pass along: 10 ways NOT to live missionally. Live as if the only soul that…
church unpluggedMarch 30, 2009Yesterday, we arrived at 8:15am at the Thomas Crossroads Elementary School where our new church (browns mill church) has been meeting since we…
whew!March 16, 2009Yesterday was the first ever worship gathering of browns mill church. What a day! It was so exciting to see months of preparation and planning pay…
Europe Mega-Pastor Gives Tips for Revival of U.S. ChristianityMarch 10, 2009I found this article and thought it was too good not to share: Thu, Apr. 24, 2008 Posted: 09:57 AM EDT The pastor of Europe’s largest evangelical…
on a lighter note...February 25, 2009My last posts were a little on the heavy side. Admittedly, I have a tendency to react strongly and swing my pendulum wildly the other direction. So,…
bubbling upFebruary 24, 2009Today, I had the privilege of attending the second day of the churchplanter.com conference held at Mountain Lake Church in Cumming, GA. A big shout…
worship detoxFebruary 24, 2009“Hi. My name is Kevin and I’m a recovering attractional church worship leader.” For many of us in the typical “contemporary” evangelical church, the…
really servingFebruary 16, 2009Suzanne and I and our kids had the opportunity to do a service project this past Saturday, Valentine’s Day. It was an incredible experience! We…
learning from atheistsFebruary 10, 2009A few weeks ago, I had the privilege of leading worship at First Baptist Church in West Monroe, LA. Dr. A friend of mine, Dr. John Avant, is the…
in the fullness of timeJanuary 30, 2009We have just come through the Christmas season and we all heard the great gospel accounts of Christ’s birth. I wish we had more information about his…
great weekend!January 27, 2009Suzanne and I had a great weekend worshipping with the good folks at First Baptist Church of West Monroe, LA, pastored by former Fayette County…
immeasurably more than I imagined!January 20, 2009I have been aware of the promise in Ephesians 3:20 for many years: “Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine,…
me and Eric LiddellJanuary 12, 2009The movie “Chariots of Fire” tells the story of the great Scottish athlete Eric Liddell. He was not only an incredible runner--he won the men’s 400…
the role of JudasJanuary 8, 2009In working my way through the Gospels, I came to Mark’s account of Judas’ betrayal of Jesus. It is a story we’ve all heard hundreds of times.…
wishlistJanuary 8, 2009I was on Amazon.com today ordering two books that pertain to church ministry leadership in our postmodern day. Both books are by missional church…
another new yearJanuary 5, 2009As the ball drops in Times Square at the beginning of each new year, the same thought runs through my mind, “I wonder what will happen this year.” I…

2008

upside down ChristmasDecember 25, 2008First, my family and I wish everyone a very Merry Christmas. God has blessed us richly with such wonderful family and friends. We look forward to…
Sarah's footDecember 15, 2008Just a quick update regarding Sarah’s foot. I didn’t mean to keep you all in suspense! Her foot is doing so much better. It has almost completely…
another day...December 15, 2008The past few weeks have been interesting for me. I am a person who thrives in a routine environment. For many years, I’ve had a weekly schedule that…
how dark is the darknessDecember 9, 2008Yesterday, I fulfilled my obligation as a citizen of Fayette County, GA, and served as a member of the Grand Jury. First, let me explain what that is…
king of nerds!December 6, 2008Last night was my last night as a Dogwood Church staff member and as the director of a great bunch of vocalists. We’ve experienced a little of the…
tangible kingdomDecember 1, 2008I stayed up late last night finishing off a great book. The book is called The Tangible Kingdom by authors Hugh Halter and Matt Smay. These two men…
generosity's cheap imitationNovember 26, 2008I was thinking about Acts 2 and how the early church sold possessions and shared things in common with those who had need. That model has been…
be readyNovember 24, 2008As I was wheeling around the yard on my riding lawn mower today, I was chewing on a verse of Scripture that has come to the forefront of my mind of…
last daysNovember 23, 2008It was with great emotion that I led my last worship service at Dogwood Church today. As Suzanne and I walked off the stage after the 11:00am…
update on SarahNovember 21, 2008Suzanne took Sarah to our doctor again today for a follow up visit (this is not the doctor who performed the original procedure who, in our opinion,…
better than INovember 20, 2008http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=40TK9UO-G3w I love this song from “Joseph: King of Dreams.” This recording is from a recent service at Dogwood Church.
whoever is not against us is for usNovember 19, 2008Continuing my reading through Mark, I came across a passage that I have heard before, but it reads differently now that I am a church planter.…
in the world.. not ofNovember 18, 2008Our small group has been going through a curriculum written by Ed Stetzer called “Sent.” It is a call for Christians to return to the missional…
waitingNovember 17, 2008Like most of us, I hate waiting. Well, I spent my entire morning today waiting. It all started while I was sitting in our staff devotions when my…
prayer requestNovember 15, 2008This weekend and next, our current church Dogwood Church, is taking up a love offering for browns mill church, the new church that God has called…
ethan's birthdayNovember 14, 2008We moved to Atlanta when Ethan was 8 months old. Yesterday, he turned 8 years old. Wow, has the time ever flown! Suzanne and I are so blessed to have…
do you still not understand?November 13, 2008Some concepts are hard to learn. I remember being in school and the class was having a difficult time grasping the concept of present participles,…
upsetting the religious establishmentNovember 12, 2008You don’t have to read very far in the Gospels before coming across some pretty steamed members of the religious establishment. It just seems like…
brownsmillchurch.com goes live!November 11, 2008The browns mill church temporary website is now live! This morning, Tim and I finalized the site and made it active. Our brown mill church emails are…
dangerously surrenderedNovember 10, 2008“Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and…
thought for the day...November 6, 2008Tim and I have been reading a great book called “Tangible Kingdom” written by authors Hugh Halter and Matt Smay. Here is a quote that smacked me…
browns mill church updateNovember 5, 2008Since everything went public this weekend, we have received a lot of interest and even more questions. I thought it might be helpful for me to run…
election day thoughtsNovember 4, 2008As the citizens of our nation go to the polls today, I thought I’d share two things. 1) What the Scripture says about politics and 2) What the…
home for sale!November 3, 2008Many people have asked us if we plan to stay in Peachtree City or relocate to Newnan. We feel that in order to more effectively build relationships…
cat's out of the bag!November 2, 2008Well, the cat’s out of the bag! Suzanne and I shared in all three services what God is calling us to do. We experienced the full range of…
winds of changeOctober 30, 2008I can still remember the day. It was Tuesday, May 15th, 2007, and I was participating in an offsite planning retreat with the rest of the staff from…