July 28, 1997

Well, today is my 10 year anniversary at CCC.

I was at a church plant in the far North suburbs for two years before coming to CCC. When Kerry Cox, who was the Music Minister at CCC before me left to pursue the "Nashville Thing", Dave began the search for someone. I had met Dave and Jon a couple of times while visiting CCC before our church plant birthed. Strangely enough, I had interviewed Dave and Jon as my research project a couple years earlier in my "Church Growth" class at Lincoln Christian College. We each had to take one growing church as a case study and research their past growth rates and project the future trends to be expected. I actually was ASSIGNED CCC. That was the first time I had ever heard of them. I called Dave and Jon on a couple different occasions and talked to them at length. They began to explain this idea they had to launch a second "campus" in a couple years and how this would maximize their outreach to non-Christians and meet them geographically where they were at. I remember standing in front of my college class trying to explain this idea in my report and they just stared at me all confused. Little did I know that I would actually be hired at CCC two years later to launch that second campus. Small world or big God?

  So to continue, Dave called me during their candidate search to see if knew of anyone that was currently looking for a Music Ministry position? I said, "Would you accept my application?" CCC seemed like the perfect place for me. My college degrees are in "Music Composition" and "Church Planting / Church Growth", so Multi-Campus was a natural idea for me. I get to keep expanding my musical influence, while existing in an environment of constant church planting.

I was so excited. I grew up in a smaller church (200 or so) and my church plant was currently at about that size also. So to apply at church of 700 people was like getting a job at a "Fortune 500" Company! A church of 700 was in the top 5% of all churches in the U.S. in size at the time. (That is so ridiculous now! But we are all young, stupid (and selfish) at one point, right?)

So I went through a hiring process that involved 8 interviews. Some with just Dave. Some with groups of staff. One with just an elder.....Sue Natiello (at Chili's on Boughton and Naperville Road. I remember it vividly).

Interview answer that almost blew it for me:

Question from Troy McMahon (at the now defunct Pizzeria Uno on Route 59): "So after you are done being a Music Minister, what do you want to do?" (I had never thought past being a Music Minister. I didn't have an answer. Hurry,  make one up as if you had an answer, and sound authoritative!) Answer: "I want to own a music store."

Interview answer that got me the job:

Question from Dave Ferguson (at Chili's on 59): "What have you done to recruit new musicians?" (This is my area of expertise, so I was comfortable with this.) Answer:"I have been playing out in a bar band on Friday and Saturday nights. That has been a great open door to have conversations with the guys in my band. Most of them don't go to church, but they have started playing once in a while for me as favors and some of them have ended up becoming part of the church."

So, after those 8 interviews and 2 and 1/2 months, I got the job and started on Monday, July 28th, 1997. And then, shortly after, I moved into Troy McMahon's basement to live.

Since that time, in my ten years here, I have literally lived every life dream I ever had.

1) Shortly after starting, I began to date Rachel, who was attending North Central College at the time, but I knew from my hometown of Chatham, IL. Shortly after we were married.

2) We launched the second Campus at Romeoville.

3) We launched the third campus at Carillon.

4) I began my research in "Experiential Worship" and got to take my first and second trips to Europe to do research.

5) We launched our first "NewThing Church" in Denver, Colorado.

6) We launched the fourth campus in Montgomery / Oswego.

7) I got to lead worship in front of 8,000 people at the North American Christian Convention.

8) We launched our fifth and sixth campuses simultaneously at NNHS and Shorewood.

9) We would continue to launch NewThing church plants in Bakersfield, Detroit, Orlando, Manhattan, Boston, Milwaukee, Knoxville and several other cities.

10) My daughter Natalie was born.

11)  Traveled to Europe 4 more times for various missions trips and church planting research.

12) Got to co-author a book for Group Publishing entitled "Engaging Worship: 20 Blueprints for Experiential Worship Services".

13) Launched Hometown Campus. (May God have mercy on it's soul.)

14) Launched our 7th Campus in the Chicago city limits. The Hispanic area of Pilsen.

15) My son Will was born.

16) Launched our 8th Campus in Yorkville.

So my last ten years here were beyond belief. I have seen and done everything I could ever have dreamed of. I don't know what the next ten years will bring our family, but I believe it is only going to get better!

Comments

[scott]

Congratulations Bill!

[Dave Ferguson]

Bill, thanks for the last 10 years. One of the things we have all learned over the last several years is that there are two things we have to do well: develop more and better leaders and develop more and better artists. You are the best at the second part - developing more and better artists. I don't believe that CCC or NewThing would be anywhere near what it is today and neither would our influence if it was not for you and your commitment. Thanks! Dave

P.S. I gave you a few kudos on my blog too. Check it out: http://daveferguson.typepad.com/daveferguson/2007/07/thanks-bill.html

[Ryan]

Congrats Dude! You guys are doing a great job!!

[Troy]

I will always be really proud to call you friend. Blessings to you my FRIEND BILL!!

[Mary Yep]

You're SO much better than Kerry Cox!!
(remember how I was mourning Kerry?)

[Gary Dole]

So this must mean I'm 10 years older too. Thanks alot for that memory!

But seriously, you were and still are the right person for the job. I don't know if I ever told you that Cyndi and I knew the other candidate for your position, he was the music guy at the church Cyndi's brother attended in Minnesota. Not knowing him, but encouraged by her brother, we were hoping he'd get the job. I'm glad we lost that one. CCC won by getting you. -Gary

[Bill]

Thanks everyone!

[Greg E]

Bill,

I wouldn't be doing what I do without your example, leadership, and most importantly, friendship! We couldn't have a better example to follow! Bring on the next 10 years!

[Mandy]

Bill Carroll...it's Mandy Liptak! Congrats on 10 years at CCC!!! You've had so many great opportunities, and it was such a privilege to work alongside you even if for just a month and a half! I still remember feeling like I had accomplished something huge by just scanning a bunch of music charts on my first day as an intern. Haha. Thanks for all you do and hope all is well!

[Mom & Dad]

We can hardly believe it has been ten years either. When you got that first drum set back in Jr. Hi, we thought it would never happen. That was probably the last time that we ever sold you short. It has been quit a ride ever since. We are sooo proud of you.