Series
Marriage: Contract, or Covenant?
Apr/17/2012 09:57 AM
Sorry to get this post up a day late… It’s been that kind of Monday, I guess.
Not only that, but we definitely had a technical glitch with the sermon recording on Sunday… SO, I re-recorded it on Monday morning… Not the best quality, I’m afraid, but definitely passable. I hope it is okay. If you missed it on Sunday, you can get it on our podcast feed, or via iTunes.
What are some of your favorite memories together? What are some of your favorite things that you share, places you go, things you do? Do these things contribute to the "fire" of romance in your life together? (building intimacy, sharing common interests, discovering each other?)
What are some of the things that tend to make our fire dim?
On Sunday, Steve described some differences between a "contract" relationship and a "covenant" relationship. Can you remember how these two were different?
What about the contract? In what sense, if any, is the contract mentality on marriage valid?
In his excellent book, Sacred Marriage, Gary Thomas talks about our real emotional need:
But what both of us crave more than anything else is to be intimately close to the God who made us. If that relationship is right, we won’t make such severe demands on our marriage, asking each other, expecting each other, to compensate for spiritual emptiness.
What is your response to this statement?
So, if our fire dims, is it possible that it is primarily our "spiritual" fire that neads stoking first?
Isn’t it true that some passages of Scripture, when taken out of context, can seem archaic, and oppressive to women. Take this verse, for example:
1Peter 3:1 NLT
In the same way, you wives must accept the authority of your husbands.
Or this, just a couple of verses later:
1Peter 3:3-4 NLT
Don’t be concerned about the outward beauty of fancy hairstyles, expensive jewelry, or beautiful clothes. 4 You should clothe yourselves instead with the beauty that comes from within, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is so precious to God.
But take a minute to read 1 Peter 2:4-9 together. In light of this establishing passage, and in light of the threefold covenant of marriage, what is 1 Peter 3:1-6 really saying about the wife's role in marriage?
What does 1Peter 3:7 say about the husband's role? Note the last statement in the verse (about prayer.) Is this saying that my relationship with God can't succeed if my relationship with my wife isn't right?
The next few verses (3:8-12) are for "all Christians," but how important are these things in our marriages? Spend a minute or two reading over these verses. Which of these are a struggle?
How are our marriages doing with verse 11? What ways are we good at this? How do we need to make changes in these areas?
Not only that, but we definitely had a technical glitch with the sermon recording on Sunday… SO, I re-recorded it on Monday morning… Not the best quality, I’m afraid, but definitely passable. I hope it is okay. If you missed it on Sunday, you can get it on our podcast feed, or via iTunes.
Lifegroup Discussion Questions from Sunday
What are some of your favorite memories together? What are some of your favorite things that you share, places you go, things you do? Do these things contribute to the "fire" of romance in your life together? (building intimacy, sharing common interests, discovering each other?)
What are some of the things that tend to make our fire dim?
On Sunday, Steve described some differences between a "contract" relationship and a "covenant" relationship. Can you remember how these two were different?
What about the contract? In what sense, if any, is the contract mentality on marriage valid?
In his excellent book, Sacred Marriage, Gary Thomas talks about our real emotional need:
But what both of us crave more than anything else is to be intimately close to the God who made us. If that relationship is right, we won’t make such severe demands on our marriage, asking each other, expecting each other, to compensate for spiritual emptiness.
What is your response to this statement?
So, if our fire dims, is it possible that it is primarily our "spiritual" fire that neads stoking first?
The way we live it out in our homes:
Isn’t it true that some passages of Scripture, when taken out of context, can seem archaic, and oppressive to women. Take this verse, for example:
1Peter 3:1 NLT
In the same way, you wives must accept the authority of your husbands.
Or this, just a couple of verses later:
1Peter 3:3-4 NLT
Don’t be concerned about the outward beauty of fancy hairstyles, expensive jewelry, or beautiful clothes. 4 You should clothe yourselves instead with the beauty that comes from within, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is so precious to God.
But take a minute to read 1 Peter 2:4-9 together. In light of this establishing passage, and in light of the threefold covenant of marriage, what is 1 Peter 3:1-6 really saying about the wife's role in marriage?
What does 1Peter 3:7 say about the husband's role? Note the last statement in the verse (about prayer.) Is this saying that my relationship with God can't succeed if my relationship with my wife isn't right?
The next few verses (3:8-12) are for "all Christians," but how important are these things in our marriages? Spend a minute or two reading over these verses. Which of these are a struggle?
How are our marriages doing with verse 11? What ways are we good at this? How do we need to make changes in these areas?
Marriage? On Easter?
Mar/15/2012 12:01 AM
Why would we want to be talking about a topic like marriage on Easter Sunday? Shouldn’t we just focus on the resurrection of Jesus? Well, I say that is a great question… So let me answer that with another question: Did you ever wonder why so many people just show up to church on Christmas and Easter, and zero other times during the year? Why is that?
Here is what I think. We are great at talking about the birth and the resurrection of Jesus in terms of our “eternal salvation.” Jesus was raised on the third day for your eternal soul. Thank God! I am so glad that is the case! Unfortunately, most people don’t think about their eternal soul much. It’s sort of like your life insurance. You want to get it taken care of, then just make your regular payments and hope it all works out in the end… Right? So why would the average person be in church and around other believers more than once or twice a year? That seems to be the acceptable minimum to keep up your life insurance! Set it and forget it.
The great news is that the resurrection is not only for your eternal salvation… But also for us to experience “abundant life” (John 10:10) while here! He died and was raised to redeem everything about us! In fact, marriage itself is a beautiful picture of what God is doing in us! (Ephesians 5:31-32) So, God is deeply interested in my marriage. He’s interested in your’s, too. His desire is to transform it and all the other broken pieces of our lives into something complete and beautiful. (Romans 12:2)
Maybe if we talk about the resurrection in terms of our EVERYDAY LIVES, in addition to our eternal lives, (like Jesus did) then just maybe we will win the right to have more influence on those around us for the sake of the Kingdom! How can we not talk about all of the results of the resurrection in our lives?
I really hope you will invest yourself into praying and inviting people around you to this series. I think it will be relationship-changing.
Making Space
Dec/11/2011 04:34 PM
You might have noticed that it’s been nearly two months since my last blog entry… Been really busy the last little while. You know how it goes, right? I just tend to get caught up in too much stuff sometimes.
It’s kind of an ironic situation… MAKING SPACE is what our Christmas series is all about. Sherry told me this afternoon that “this series seems like it is for you as much as it is for anyone else.” She’s right. To be honest, this wasn’t the original series at all. In fact, I had been so overloaded lately, that I had intended to preach through a book about a different topic during these three weeks to reduce the load on my personal schedule. But God very clearly led me in a different direction. This is definitely a series about a topic that I haven’t fully worked out in my own life, and I suspect there are many others out there that struggle with the same issue. I hope this series is a blessing to you this season. You can get the series right here.
It’s kind of an ironic situation… MAKING SPACE is what our Christmas series is all about. Sherry told me this afternoon that “this series seems like it is for you as much as it is for anyone else.” She’s right. To be honest, this wasn’t the original series at all. In fact, I had been so overloaded lately, that I had intended to preach through a book about a different topic during these three weeks to reduce the load on my personal schedule. But God very clearly led me in a different direction. This is definitely a series about a topic that I haven’t fully worked out in my own life, and I suspect there are many others out there that struggle with the same issue. I hope this series is a blessing to you this season. You can get the series right here.
Rewritten
Sep/16/2011 10:32 AM
I am really thrilled to get started on this new series. This one will really be a challenge to us in very different ways than some others. Why? Three reasons… Ephesians contains:
- DEEP theology. We will cover the nature of our salvation, (it’s different than what you might think!) the blessings of our riches in Christ, and look at predestination vs. free will!
- PRACTICAL teaching. Paul (the author of Ephesians) takes that deep theology and works it into nearly every area of your life: your relationship with your spouse, your kids, your parents, your job, your individual life, and the way you do church.
- BATTLE prep. BECAUSE that deep theology is working into your practical life, you have an enemy that wants to stop you. SO Paul tells us exactly how we are to prepare to fight the good fight.
I have been away for the last few days praying, studying, and writing. I’m trying to be as prepared as possible for this very important series.
Are you ready? You need to be. Frankly, some of this stuff is pretty heavy, and will knock you down if you aren’t ready. So how can you be prepared?
- Be praying.
- Read ahead. Start this week in Ephesians 1 and read the whole chapter. I will be using the New Living Translation and the ESV during this series.
- You Version. Get on their APP with your iPhone or your Android and let it READ Ephesians to you! It is awesome.
- Life Group. This will get intense quick. I’m just sayin’. You will need to talk it out with close friends. There is no better format than LifeGroup. If you aren’t in one, we will link you up with a LifeGroup leader this Sunday morning. Just ask at the information desk!
I hope this helps! See you on Sunday!
Five Strands of Evidence
Aug/27/2011 11:11 AM
Here is an excerpt from one of John Piper’s messages about church membership. He presents “Five Strands of Evidence” from the New Testament that formal church membership is a presumption for all Christians. He says, “Each of these reveals something in the New Testament which would be minimized or denied if there were no definable local church membership.”
I thought it was great background info and thought it would supplement this weekend’s message nicely. You can find this entire message online in audio and HTML right here.
1. The Church Is To Discipline It’s Members
Church membership is implied by the way the church is supposed to discipline its members. Consider the implication of Matthew 18:15–17 where “the church” (ekklesia) appears to be the final court of appeal in matters of church authority as it relates to membership.
If there is no church membership, how can you define the group that will take up this sensitive and weighty matter of exhorting the unrepentant person and finally rendering a judgment about his standing in the community? It’s hard to believe that just anyone who showed up claiming to be a Christian could be a part of that gathering. Surely, “the church” must be a definable group to handle such a weighty matter. You know who you mean when you “take it to the church.”
2. Excommunication Exists
Church membership is implied by the simple fact that excommunication even exists. Paul implies this in 1 Corinthians 5:12–13 where he deals with the necessity of putting someone out of the church. He says, “What have I to do with judging outsiders? Is it not those inside the church whom you are to judge? God judges those outside. ‘Purge the evil person from among you.’”
There are two implications here: One is that there is an “in the church” group and an “outside the church” group. Being in the church is definable. The other implication is that a person can be removed from being “in the church.” Such a formal removal would not be possible if there were no such thing as a clear membership—who is an accountable part of this body, and who is not?
3. Christians Required to Submit To Their Leaders
Church membership is implied in the biblical requirement of Christians to be submitted to a group of church leaders, elders, or pastors. The point here is that without membership, who is it that the New Testament is referring to who must submit to a specific group of leaders? Some kind of expressed willingness or covenant or agreement or commitment (that is, membership) has to precede a person’s submission to a group of leaders.
Consider the way the New Testament talks about the relationship of the church to her leaders.
Hebrews 13:17
1 Thessalonians 5:12–13
1 Timothy 5:17
How is this leadership and this submission going to work if there is no membership defining who has made the commitment to be led and who has been chosen as leaders? If we downplay the importance of membership, it is difficult to see how we could take these commands to submit and to lead seriously and practically.
4. Shepherds Required to Care For Their Flock
Church membership is implied in the way the New Testament requires elders to care for the flock in their charge. Of course elders can extend their love to anyone and everyone, and should, within the limits of their ability. But the question is whether the Bible tells elders that they are to have a special responsibility and care for a certain group—a group of members. Consider Acts 20:28 where Paul tells the elders how to care for their flock.
This verse does not say elders cannot visit unbelievers or those who are not yet members. But it does make clear that their first responsibility is to a particular flock. How are they to know who their flock is? Who are we as elders and pastors responsible for? For whom will we give an account to God?
The way Peter speaks to the elders in 1 Peter 5 is even more clear on this point. Verses 2–3: “Shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you; not for shameful gain, but eagerly; not domineering over those in your charge (tov kleron), but being examples to the flock.”
“Those in your charge” (your portion, your lot) implies that the elders knew whom they were responsible for. This is just another way of talking about membership. If a person does not want to be held accountable by a group of elders or be the special focus of the care of a group of elders, they will resist the idea of membership. And they will resist God’s appointed way for them to live and be sustained in their faith.
5. The Metaphor Of The Body
Church membership is implied in the metaphor of the body in 1 Corinthians 12:12–31. The original meaning of the word member is member of a body, like hand and foot and eye and ear. That’s the imagery behind the word member in the text. Verse 12: “Just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ.”
So the question this imagery raises for the local church that Paul is describing in 1 Corinthians 12 is: Who intends to be treated as a hand or foot or eye or ear of this body? There is a unity and organic relationship implied in the imagery of the body. There is something unnatural about a Christian attaching himself to a body of believers and not being a member of the body.
Expectation For All Believers
So for these five reasons and more we believe that membership is a New Testament expectation for all believers. Each of us should be a member of a local body of believers. That is God’s plan for us and for this church. That’s what we mean by membership. All of those aspects of membership are rooted in the truth that the local church is an expression of the universal church. Part of what it means to belong to the body of Christ is to belong to a body.
I thought it was great background info and thought it would supplement this weekend’s message nicely. You can find this entire message online in audio and HTML right here.
1. The Church Is To Discipline It’s Members
Church membership is implied by the way the church is supposed to discipline its members. Consider the implication of Matthew 18:15–17 where “the church” (ekklesia) appears to be the final court of appeal in matters of church authority as it relates to membership.
If there is no church membership, how can you define the group that will take up this sensitive and weighty matter of exhorting the unrepentant person and finally rendering a judgment about his standing in the community? It’s hard to believe that just anyone who showed up claiming to be a Christian could be a part of that gathering. Surely, “the church” must be a definable group to handle such a weighty matter. You know who you mean when you “take it to the church.”
2. Excommunication Exists
Church membership is implied by the simple fact that excommunication even exists. Paul implies this in 1 Corinthians 5:12–13 where he deals with the necessity of putting someone out of the church. He says, “What have I to do with judging outsiders? Is it not those inside the church whom you are to judge? God judges those outside. ‘Purge the evil person from among you.’”
There are two implications here: One is that there is an “in the church” group and an “outside the church” group. Being in the church is definable. The other implication is that a person can be removed from being “in the church.” Such a formal removal would not be possible if there were no such thing as a clear membership—who is an accountable part of this body, and who is not?
3. Christians Required to Submit To Their Leaders
Church membership is implied in the biblical requirement of Christians to be submitted to a group of church leaders, elders, or pastors. The point here is that without membership, who is it that the New Testament is referring to who must submit to a specific group of leaders? Some kind of expressed willingness or covenant or agreement or commitment (that is, membership) has to precede a person’s submission to a group of leaders.
Consider the way the New Testament talks about the relationship of the church to her leaders.
Hebrews 13:17
1 Thessalonians 5:12–13
1 Timothy 5:17
How is this leadership and this submission going to work if there is no membership defining who has made the commitment to be led and who has been chosen as leaders? If we downplay the importance of membership, it is difficult to see how we could take these commands to submit and to lead seriously and practically.
4. Shepherds Required to Care For Their Flock
Church membership is implied in the way the New Testament requires elders to care for the flock in their charge. Of course elders can extend their love to anyone and everyone, and should, within the limits of their ability. But the question is whether the Bible tells elders that they are to have a special responsibility and care for a certain group—a group of members. Consider Acts 20:28 where Paul tells the elders how to care for their flock.
This verse does not say elders cannot visit unbelievers or those who are not yet members. But it does make clear that their first responsibility is to a particular flock. How are they to know who their flock is? Who are we as elders and pastors responsible for? For whom will we give an account to God?
The way Peter speaks to the elders in 1 Peter 5 is even more clear on this point. Verses 2–3: “Shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you; not for shameful gain, but eagerly; not domineering over those in your charge (tov kleron), but being examples to the flock.”
“Those in your charge” (your portion, your lot) implies that the elders knew whom they were responsible for. This is just another way of talking about membership. If a person does not want to be held accountable by a group of elders or be the special focus of the care of a group of elders, they will resist the idea of membership. And they will resist God’s appointed way for them to live and be sustained in their faith.
5. The Metaphor Of The Body
Church membership is implied in the metaphor of the body in 1 Corinthians 12:12–31. The original meaning of the word member is member of a body, like hand and foot and eye and ear. That’s the imagery behind the word member in the text. Verse 12: “Just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ.”
So the question this imagery raises for the local church that Paul is describing in 1 Corinthians 12 is: Who intends to be treated as a hand or foot or eye or ear of this body? There is a unity and organic relationship implied in the imagery of the body. There is something unnatural about a Christian attaching himself to a body of believers and not being a member of the body.
Expectation For All Believers
So for these five reasons and more we believe that membership is a New Testament expectation for all believers. Each of us should be a member of a local body of believers. That is God’s plan for us and for this church. That’s what we mean by membership. All of those aspects of membership are rooted in the truth that the local church is an expression of the universal church. Part of what it means to belong to the body of Christ is to belong to a body.
Getting Ready for Sunday
Aug/25/2011 08:26 AM
“Can I Be A Christian And Not Go To Church?”
As I am getting ready for this weekend’s question, I remembered that I had a sermon about The Church back in January of this year while we were in the “Epic” series. You can listen to it right here.
As I am getting ready for this weekend’s question, I remembered that I had a sermon about The Church back in January of this year while we were in the “Epic” series. You can listen to it right here.
I Have Some Questions
Aug/20/2011 02:43 PM
“I notice you preach from notes… Why aren’t you ‘Spirit-Led?’”
Since moving to the mountains of North Georgia, I have heard this question a time or two. I’m not sure exactly where this particular view of being “Spirit-Led” comes from, but it seems to be from that group of people who believe that a preacher should “receive a word from God,” stand up in front of a crowd unprepared, and just let fly whatever comes out of his mouth. Now, I’m not positive, but I think the mentality behind this method comes from the passage in Matthew where Jesus is talking to his disciples, and he tells them the following:
I think it is a mistake to interpret this passage the way some seem to. Why? Because Jesus here is NOT talking in this passage to pastors… He is training his disciples who he is sending out on their very first missionary journey to begin spreading the Good News. These guys are brand-new at this, and they aren’t shepherding a group of people. They are heading out for the first time to spread the Gospel. If you’re going to apply this verse to all Christians as a general rule, then you have to apply the whole of Jesus’ training here, which starts out with “Don’t go to the Gentiles or the Samaritans, but only to the people of Israel—God’s lost sheep. Go and announce to them that the Kingdom of Heaven is near.” (Matt 10:5-6) In other words, if you apply all of this equally, then NONE of us as Gentiles should have ever heard the Good News to begin with!
Now, contrast that with what you read in the three books written specifically to pastors; 1 and 2 Timothy, and Titus. They’re called the “Pastoral Epistles,” and they are written to instruct pastors in how they are to be most open to being used by the Holy Spirit in people’s lives… These letters are filled with language such as
Simply put, God has clearly instructed pastors to “study,” to “work hard,” and to “be prepared.” I have a divine responsibility to keep a “close watch” on staying with “good teaching” that is “sound” and “wholesome.” This means being responsible for what I say… Praying, studying, and researching so that what you hear me say is truly HIS Word, and not simply my opinion.
I believe that I am VERY “Spirit-Led.” I do not believe that the Holy Spirit only moves on Sunday mornings… In fact, I believe that I am led by the spirit IN EVERYTHING I do. The Spirit leads as I:
And, guess what… YOU have the Holy Spirit in you, too! If you are in Christ, then the same Holy Spirit that lives and operates in me lives and operates in you as well.
Romans 8:13-17
For if you live by its dictates, you will die. But if through the power of the Spirit you put to death the deeds of your sinful nature,* you will live. For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him, “Abba, Father.” For his Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God’s children. And since we are his children, we are his heirs. In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God’s glory.
Since moving to the mountains of North Georgia, I have heard this question a time or two. I’m not sure exactly where this particular view of being “Spirit-Led” comes from, but it seems to be from that group of people who believe that a preacher should “receive a word from God,” stand up in front of a crowd unprepared, and just let fly whatever comes out of his mouth. Now, I’m not positive, but I think the mentality behind this method comes from the passage in Matthew where Jesus is talking to his disciples, and he tells them the following:
Matthew 10:18-19You will stand trial before governors and kings because you are my followers. But this will be your opportunity to tell the rulers and other unbelievers about me. When you are arrested, don’t worry about how to respond or what to say. God will give you the right words at the right time. For it is not you who will be speaking—it will be the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.
I think it is a mistake to interpret this passage the way some seem to. Why? Because Jesus here is NOT talking in this passage to pastors… He is training his disciples who he is sending out on their very first missionary journey to begin spreading the Good News. These guys are brand-new at this, and they aren’t shepherding a group of people. They are heading out for the first time to spread the Gospel. If you’re going to apply this verse to all Christians as a general rule, then you have to apply the whole of Jesus’ training here, which starts out with “Don’t go to the Gentiles or the Samaritans, but only to the people of Israel—God’s lost sheep. Go and announce to them that the Kingdom of Heaven is near.” (Matt 10:5-6) In other words, if you apply all of this equally, then NONE of us as Gentiles should have ever heard the Good News to begin with!
Now, contrast that with what you read in the three books written specifically to pastors; 1 and 2 Timothy, and Titus. They’re called the “Pastoral Epistles,” and they are written to instruct pastors in how they are to be most open to being used by the Holy Spirit in people’s lives… These letters are filled with language such as
1 Timothy 4:14-16Do not neglect the spiritual gift you received through the prophecy spoken over you when the elders of the church laid their hands on you. 15 Give your complete attention to these matters. Throw yourself into your tasks so that everyone will see your progress. 16 Keep a close watch on how you live and on your teaching. Stay true to what is right for the sake of your own salvation and the salvation of those who hear you.2 Timothy 2:15Work hard (“study” in the KJV) so you can present yourself to God and receive his approval. Be a good worker, one who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly explains the word of truth.
2 TImothy 4:2-4Preach the word of God. Be prepared, whether the time is favorable or not. Patiently correct, rebuke, and encourage your people with good teaching. 3 For a time is coming when people will no longer listen to sound and wholesome teaching. They will follow their own desires and will look for teachers who will tell them whatever their itching ears want to hear. 4 They will reject the truth and chase after myths.
Titus 1:8Teach the truth so that your teaching can’t be criticized.
Simply put, God has clearly instructed pastors to “study,” to “work hard,” and to “be prepared.” I have a divine responsibility to keep a “close watch” on staying with “good teaching” that is “sound” and “wholesome.” This means being responsible for what I say… Praying, studying, and researching so that what you hear me say is truly HIS Word, and not simply my opinion.
I believe that I am VERY “Spirit-Led.” I do not believe that the Holy Spirit only moves on Sunday mornings… In fact, I believe that I am led by the spirit IN EVERYTHING I do. The Spirit leads as I:
- travel
- pray for the church
- meet with our board
- plan out our next big event
- have coffee with a lost friend
- take out the trash
- pray with a lonely person
- write this blog entry
- have dinner with my family
- AND as I prepare for Sunday’s message!
And, guess what… YOU have the Holy Spirit in you, too! If you are in Christ, then the same Holy Spirit that lives and operates in me lives and operates in you as well.
Romans 8:13-17
For if you live by its dictates, you will die. But if through the power of the Spirit you put to death the deeds of your sinful nature,* you will live. For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him, “Abba, Father.” For his Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God’s children. And since we are his children, we are his heirs. In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God’s glory.
First Question
Jul/27/2011 10:24 PM
Why Does God Allow Suffering?
This is the first, and possibly the hardest question that we’ll be answering during this series on Questions. This one was pretty popular, as a lot of people asked one variation of this or another.
Think Ahead:
You don’t have to look far to find suffering. Scripture says that there are basically THREE types of suffering that we humans must endure:
>Suffering caused by particular sin
>Suffering leading to God’s greater good
>Suffering caused by cosmic evil forces
Read Ahead:
Psalm 102:1-28 (what the psalmist says about suffering and crying out to God)
Hebrews 12:5-12 How does God use suffering in our life?
Listen Ahead:
These are some of the songs we’re singing on Sunday morning
My Glorious
We Are Hungry
Sing Sing Sing
Faith in the midst of suffering:
We had some very powerful testimonies along these lines just a couple of weeks ago at our Lord’s Supper service... You can download the podcast right here from our server, or here from iTunes.
This is the first, and possibly the hardest question that we’ll be answering during this series on Questions. This one was pretty popular, as a lot of people asked one variation of this or another.
Think Ahead:
You don’t have to look far to find suffering. Scripture says that there are basically THREE types of suffering that we humans must endure:
>Suffering caused by particular sin
>Suffering leading to God’s greater good
>Suffering caused by cosmic evil forces
Read Ahead:
Psalm 102:1-28 (what the psalmist says about suffering and crying out to God)
Hebrews 12:5-12 How does God use suffering in our life?
Listen Ahead:
These are some of the songs we’re singing on Sunday morning
My Glorious
We Are Hungry
Sing Sing Sing
Faith in the midst of suffering:
We had some very powerful testimonies along these lines just a couple of weeks ago at our Lord’s Supper service... You can download the podcast right here from our server, or here from iTunes.
Dealing With Questions
Jul/27/2011 04:53 PM
The “I Have Some Questions” series begins this Sunday! This will be a bit of a departure from our normal practice of digging through books of the Bible, so I thought I’d give you the quick rundown on how this series has been pieced together.
First, I spent some time praying about the idea and direction of this series. I knew that some people would prefer the ability to submit questions anonymously, so in addition to our weekly “response card” that is handed out in the service, I set up a web page where questions could be submitted without names or email addresses. Over the course of several weeks, we received well over 200 questions on cards and on the website. Most came in online. Nearly all were anonymous. Some questions were very general, some were very specific. Some questions were theological in nature, and some were obviously very personal.
A couple of weeks ago, I printed all the questions out on cards and spread them out on a big table in our conference room. As best as possible, I grouped the questions into categories. (I landed on seven of them... One category being “questions that don’t fit into the other six categories.”) After grouping them, I spent some time thinking through and praying through them. I did my best to distill each category down to it’s own central question, which became the individual message titles for the series.
Once I had the questions formulated, It was time to start gathering resources. Books, articles, podcasts, lectures... Anything that could help shed light on these very difficult answers to some very personal questions.
The ultimate goal is NOT to discover what Steve says about these questions... Not to discover what individual authors say, or even what the church says. The objective in this series is to go back to the Word of God to discover what HE says about them. HE is the truth, and He is all we need.
First, I spent some time praying about the idea and direction of this series. I knew that some people would prefer the ability to submit questions anonymously, so in addition to our weekly “response card” that is handed out in the service, I set up a web page where questions could be submitted without names or email addresses. Over the course of several weeks, we received well over 200 questions on cards and on the website. Most came in online. Nearly all were anonymous. Some questions were very general, some were very specific. Some questions were theological in nature, and some were obviously very personal.
A couple of weeks ago, I printed all the questions out on cards and spread them out on a big table in our conference room. As best as possible, I grouped the questions into categories. (I landed on seven of them... One category being “questions that don’t fit into the other six categories.”) After grouping them, I spent some time thinking through and praying through them. I did my best to distill each category down to it’s own central question, which became the individual message titles for the series.
Once I had the questions formulated, It was time to start gathering resources. Books, articles, podcasts, lectures... Anything that could help shed light on these very difficult answers to some very personal questions.
The ultimate goal is NOT to discover what Steve says about these questions... Not to discover what individual authors say, or even what the church says. The objective in this series is to go back to the Word of God to discover what HE says about them. HE is the truth, and He is all we need.
Epic Ending This Week
Jul/18/2011 06:11 PM
After beginning our walk through God’s EPIC work of redemption beginning last September, we are finally bringing it to a close this coming Sunday. I really hope and pray that this has been a beneficial study for you during this time. As you know, we broke this long study up into seven smaller series. Do you remember all of them?
... 
... 
... 
.. 
As I was putting these pictures on here, it got me to thinking about some of my favorite quotes from this series... Here are a few of them:
“The journey is not about doing what He says, but being where He is.”
Epic 01: What Are You Waiting For?
“You can’t grab hold of God’s promises until you let go of everything else.”
Epic 03: When God Doesn’t Speak, Return to the Altar
I loved both of those Melchizedek messages.
Epic 05: “Who Is Melchizedek?”
Epic 05A: “Let’s Make A Deal?”
“God’s delays are not necessarily denials.”
Epic Fail 01: “How Long?”
“Prayer is about us joining God, not God joining us.”
Epic Gift: Naughty or Nice
“Living enslaved to the Law is a mockery of God’s gift”
Epic Gift: All I Want For Christmas
Walking in patterns of blessing... This was a good one, too.
Epic Timing: Obey and Pray (short version)
Possibly my two FAVORITE messages from the whole series came during the Joseph story:
Epic Dreams 07: “Forgiveness and Trust” (Forgiveness)
Epic Dreams 08: “Change Is Good”(Repentance)
In fact, my favorite quote from those is right here:
“The sacrifice of Jesus was sufficient to buy forgiveness FROM God FOR you... So effective that it buys forgiveness FROM you FOR others.”
As always, all the messages from this series can be found on our podcast page. I hope they’re a blessing to you. If so, be sure to share them with others!
... ... ... .. As I was putting these pictures on here, it got me to thinking about some of my favorite quotes from this series... Here are a few of them:
“The journey is not about doing what He says, but being where He is.”
Epic 01: What Are You Waiting For?
“You can’t grab hold of God’s promises until you let go of everything else.”
Epic 03: When God Doesn’t Speak, Return to the Altar
I loved both of those Melchizedek messages.
Epic 05: “Who Is Melchizedek?”
Epic 05A: “Let’s Make A Deal?”
“God’s delays are not necessarily denials.”
Epic Fail 01: “How Long?”
“Prayer is about us joining God, not God joining us.”
Epic Gift: Naughty or Nice
“Living enslaved to the Law is a mockery of God’s gift”
Epic Gift: All I Want For Christmas
Walking in patterns of blessing... This was a good one, too.
Epic Timing: Obey and Pray (short version)
Possibly my two FAVORITE messages from the whole series came during the Joseph story:
Epic Dreams 07: “Forgiveness and Trust” (Forgiveness)
Epic Dreams 08: “Change Is Good”(Repentance)
In fact, my favorite quote from those is right here:
“The sacrifice of Jesus was sufficient to buy forgiveness FROM God FOR you... So effective that it buys forgiveness FROM you FOR others.”
As always, all the messages from this series can be found on our podcast page. I hope they’re a blessing to you. If so, be sure to share them with others!
Study Week Continues
Jul/13/2011 02:33 PM
My study week got off to a great start on Monday... I spent the afternoon making notes on Ephesians 1-3... I now have a bunch of these big pages covering my living room walls! I am really excited about this study, which will begin in September, right after Labor Day.
Here are some of the resources I am using to study with this week:
Logos Bible Study Software
Indispensable! I literally have nearly a THOUSAND resource books on my hard drive, cross-referenced, and instantly accessible. It contains original language study material, commentaries, theological resources, and tons of other stuff... HOURS of work completed with a few mouse clicks!
An Exposition of Ephesians
This awesome 7-book commentary by D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones is just amazing. It is actually one of my Logos resources, and I’m finding it to be invaluable.
New Testament Commentary
William Hindriksen
This is one of my favorite old standbys from college days. You can’t get a digital copy, but thank God for Amazon.com! I bought some of this commentary series for $30-50 back in the day. Now you can pick them up for under $5 used!
Blue Letter Bible
This is a great free resource for anyone to use... Has commentaries, articles, charts, maps, and links to all kinds of other cool stuff.
Youversion.com
This is QUICKLY becoming one of my favorite resources... I’m amazed at how many people are using their FREE mobile app to study God’s Word, to formulate reading plans, to take notes in church, and to even have the Bible read to them! It is really very cool... I had to drive from Ellijay to Blairsville today, and I listened to the entire book of Ephesians each way!
Got more questions?
Jun/20/2011 05:36 PM
Wow! I have been totally amazed at the questions that people are asking. Our next series, “I Have Some Questions,” begins in July. This afternoon I printed out a consolidated list of questions that have come in on response cards, email, and via the website. I’ve roughly organized them into several categories, and am starting to think and pray through these. Obviously, we won’t be able to answer ALL of the questions, but we will give it our best shot!
It’s STILL not too late to ask your question! You can do so anonymously right here!
Got Questions?
Jun/13/2011 10:33 PM
Getting ready for this next series we're doing, called “I Have Some Questions.” its all about some of the confusing, or unanswered questions on people's minds. Here are a few of the good questions I've received so far:
- I am a strong believer. I know I have been saved and blessed beyond belief. Yet still, I occasionally have thoughts of unbelief. Why?
- Why is homosexuality wrong and will they go to heaven?
- Where is Children/Youth Ministry in the Bible?
- The Bible says divorce is a sin, but what if the marriage is abusive?
- If we are forgiven for all sins, is there still punishment for those sins in Heaven? also are all sins forgiven?
- What is the deal with the naked guy in Mark 14?
These are just some of the questions that have come in so far... What are your questions? Email them to me here, or submit them anonymously right here. I would love to read them. Who knows? Maybe we’ll base a message on it.
Sunday Rundown
Nov/01/2010 04:03 PM
We continued our “Epic Fail” mini-series this morning in Genesis 16. As you probably guessed, I spend a good portion of my week preparing for the weekly message, and it is always good to see what God does with it. LOTS of you responded, and I always love getting your feedback. Here is the brief rundown:
After the service, a bunch of us went over to Lafayette, GA for an afternoon/evening of exploring Pettyjohn’s cave. What a blast! I’m not gonna lie... It is a HARD cave! LOTS of vertical ascending and descending, plus lots of mud in parts... But a LOT of fun. We were EXHAUSTED when we finally returned late last night! It was a great chance to bond together and to make new friends. Thanks to everyone that went. I had a great time.
- Message for the morning: We fail to receive God’s promises because we just don’t trust him to come through, so we resort to our own plan, rather than relying on HIS plan. (Genesis 16:1-3)
- Passage for next week: Genesis 16:4-16 (Ishmael is born)
- Children’s Ministry- things are smoothing out nicely with check-in procedure over there, from what I understand!
- For some reason, we still have people straggling in to services late... Don’t know what that’s all about, but I love the worship time we have together toward the beginning of the hour.
- What do you think of the “Epic Fail” mini-series?
After the service, a bunch of us went over to Lafayette, GA for an afternoon/evening of exploring Pettyjohn’s cave. What a blast! I’m not gonna lie... It is a HARD cave! LOTS of vertical ascending and descending, plus lots of mud in parts... But a LOT of fun. We were EXHAUSTED when we finally returned late last night! It was a great chance to bond together and to make new friends. Thanks to everyone that went. I had a great time.
Sunday Rundown
Oct/24/2010 05:32 PM
It has been a long, long time since I posted one of these “Sunday Rundowns.” It’s just a chance for me to get some thoughts out about the morning worship time together.
Of course, I have to say a big thank you to our board members, Larry Vorpahl, Chuck Vautrot, and Dennis Bailey. These guys don’t let their “office” go to their head... They are there at the school just after 7am, unloading, building Kidmo and Lil’ K, installing signs, putting out tables, and whatever else needs to be done. And they aren’t the only ones.. There are a BUNCH of other volunteers, as well. Thanks so much!
Hey, the podcast from this morning is up right here, too. Have a great week!
- Even though we were a bit short-handed in all areas today, it really feels like everyone is “in the groove” of the whole setup/teardown thing.
- The HARDEST PART is lining up the projectors and screens! Yikes, that takes a long time!
- John and Lolita, you guys are the BEST. And thanks for the cookies.
- Great kickoff to the “Epic Fail” series
- LOVED the U2 song, “40” this morning! Original right here.
- Good GRIEF that chicken plant STINKS at 7AM. Welcome to Ellijay.
- “Epic Fail” is a great title for this miniseries. WAIT TILL YOU SEE what Abram and Sarai do next!! (Genesis 16, if you’re up to reading ahead!)
Of course, I have to say a big thank you to our board members, Larry Vorpahl, Chuck Vautrot, and Dennis Bailey. These guys don’t let their “office” go to their head... They are there at the school just after 7am, unloading, building Kidmo and Lil’ K, installing signs, putting out tables, and whatever else needs to be done. And they aren’t the only ones.. There are a BUNCH of other volunteers, as well. Thanks so much!
Hey, the podcast from this morning is up right here, too. Have a great week!
Epic Miniseries
Oct/19/2010 11:02 PM
I hope you are loving the EPIC series that we’re doing in Genesis! We’ve learned about God’s promises, our obedience, His consistency, and who Melchizedek represents in our lives today!
The rest of this EPIC journey of knowing God is broken up into epic miniseries. The first one starts THIS SUNDAY, and in it we’ll ask the question, what happens when we FAIL at what God has called us to? How should we respond to our own failure, and how does God respond to it? Join us as we look deeper into the story of Abram, and see how it parallels our own.
If you need to catch up on our series to date (we’ve had SIX in the series so far) you can hear them all on our podcast page.
The rest of this EPIC journey of knowing God is broken up into epic miniseries. The first one starts THIS SUNDAY, and in it we’ll ask the question, what happens when we FAIL at what God has called us to? How should we respond to our own failure, and how does God respond to it? Join us as we look deeper into the story of Abram, and see how it parallels our own.
If you need to catch up on our series to date (we’ve had SIX in the series so far) you can hear them all on our podcast page.
Settling In
Oct/07/2010 07:56 PM
I can’t believe that we’ve already had four worship services in the Ellijay Elementary School! Honestly, we expected there to be a BUNCH of weird kinks that we’d have to work out. While we definitely have to “grow into” a few things, I have been amazed at how smooth the transition has been!
I have to give a HUGE SHOUT OUT to our teams, because that have really gone the extra mile to iron out any wrinkles BEFORE they had the chance to pop up! Of course, our Logistics team is thrilled that they don’t have to be on at the theater late on Saturdays... And they’re doing a great job getting everything set into place early on Sundays. Our Hospitality team makes everything warm and welcoming. Our CHILDREN’S MINISTRY team are just plain knocking it out of the park with GREAT environments for babies, toddlers, preschoolers, and elementary school kids every weekend. Get this... We’ve seen our children’s ministry EXPLODE from an average of THREE kids in preschool & nursery to over 40 kids in just four weeks! WOW!
Here are just a few observations that I’ve noticed in the past four weeks:
If you haven’t joined us yet on a Sunday morning since we’ve moved, you really should... We are the SAME church that we were in the movie theater, but there are some very different dynamics going on now, and I love it!
I have to give a HUGE SHOUT OUT to our teams, because that have really gone the extra mile to iron out any wrinkles BEFORE they had the chance to pop up! Of course, our Logistics team is thrilled that they don’t have to be on at the theater late on Saturdays... And they’re doing a great job getting everything set into place early on Sundays. Our Hospitality team makes everything warm and welcoming. Our CHILDREN’S MINISTRY team are just plain knocking it out of the park with GREAT environments for babies, toddlers, preschoolers, and elementary school kids every weekend. Get this... We’ve seen our children’s ministry EXPLODE from an average of THREE kids in preschool & nursery to over 40 kids in just four weeks! WOW!
Here are just a few observations that I’ve noticed in the past four weeks:
- We’ve had over FIFTY first-time visitors since our big move! If you’re one of them, thanks for visiting!
- We’ve seen 12 people turn their lives over to Christ for the first time! Praise God!
- Kidmo is a LOT more fun than I thought it would be! I sneak in there sometimes during worship in big church.
- Everything is WAY spread out now... I can’t just leave my notebook lying around somewhere or I will NEVER find it in time for the message!
- There are LOTS more people in the room now!
- We have a “confidence monitor” on the back wall now. It has the same image as the screens in front. It doesn’t instill me with confidence. Why is that?
- ONE service is easy.
- ONE service allows us to get everyone together
- ONE service gets us to lunch quicker, too!
- Ken Neybert is an encouragement BEAST. Thanks for lifting me up, dude.
- Green signs everywhere!!!!!
If you haven’t joined us yet on a Sunday morning since we’ve moved, you really should... We are the SAME church that we were in the movie theater, but there are some very different dynamics going on now, and I love it!
Epic Beginning
Sep/18/2010 06:16 PM
We’re off to a great start in our new meeting location, and our new message series through (most of) Genesis is going to be great.
So, several people have asked me, “If you’re going to do a study on Genesis, why begin in chapter 11, instead of... You know... At the beginning?” I say, “Great question!” I usually give a short, fairly concise answer... But the truth is a little more complex.
The PENTATEUCH, what we know as the first five books of the Old Testament, (also known as Torah) were penned by Moses originally as a single story with basically five chapters. It was much, much later that we further subdivided them down into chapters and verses as they are today. The Pentateuch is the foundational teachings of the Hebrew faith. The first section, “Genesis,” is really the BEGINNING of the redemptive work of God in humanity.
Typically, when we think of Genesis, we think of the act of creation, Adam and Eve, and the Garden story. But the real story of Genesis begins with the call of Abram in Genesis 12. (45 out of 50 chapters in Genesis are NOT about creation.) All of Genesis 1-11, including Cain & Abel, Noah & the Flood, the Tower of Babel... All of it should be regarded as PREFACE, or SETUP for the story of Abram, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph. Their story is our story. It is all about a group of people trying to stumble their way through a relationship with God.
That’s why I’m excited about this series. I think we’ll find a lot about ourselves, and about how God works in and through us right here in Ellijay. I hope you’ll join us for it.
So, several people have asked me, “If you’re going to do a study on Genesis, why begin in chapter 11, instead of... You know... At the beginning?” I say, “Great question!” I usually give a short, fairly concise answer... But the truth is a little more complex.
The PENTATEUCH, what we know as the first five books of the Old Testament, (also known as Torah) were penned by Moses originally as a single story with basically five chapters. It was much, much later that we further subdivided them down into chapters and verses as they are today. The Pentateuch is the foundational teachings of the Hebrew faith. The first section, “Genesis,” is really the BEGINNING of the redemptive work of God in humanity.
Typically, when we think of Genesis, we think of the act of creation, Adam and Eve, and the Garden story. But the real story of Genesis begins with the call of Abram in Genesis 12. (45 out of 50 chapters in Genesis are NOT about creation.) All of Genesis 1-11, including Cain & Abel, Noah & the Flood, the Tower of Babel... All of it should be regarded as PREFACE, or SETUP for the story of Abram, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph. Their story is our story. It is all about a group of people trying to stumble their way through a relationship with God.
That’s why I’m excited about this series. I think we’ll find a lot about ourselves, and about how God works in and through us right here in Ellijay. I hope you’ll join us for it.
EPIC Trailer online!
Aug/07/2010 02:10 PM
It’s here! The awesome trailer for our new “EPIC” series that begins on September 12! Show it fullscreen to all your friends!
Final Answer: The Resurrection
Aug/06/2010 01:33 PM
“If the cross is the payment for our sin, then the empty tomb is the receipt!”
-unknown
You probably know that the Gospels tell seemingly very different stories about the resurrection. IN fact, to the casual reader, it seems almost like this is where the whole Jesus story breaks down. We’re getting ready to deal with the resurrection on Sunday, and I thought I’d pass on a couple of great resources for you to read up on the apparent discrepancies. There is good news! The SCRIPTURE is proven true once again!
This first article is a LONG study of the evidence and testimonies of the Gospel writers. It cites arguments from an historical and legal perspective. It is an awesome read, but will take you a while.
Do the Resurrection accounts HOPELESSLY contradict one another?
The second is a much more concise rendering of the Gospel accounts into one cohesive progression. This is a shorter read, but I highly recommend at least skimming the first one before looking at the second.
Can the various resurrection accounts from the four Gospels be harmonized?
-unknown
You probably know that the Gospels tell seemingly very different stories about the resurrection. IN fact, to the casual reader, it seems almost like this is where the whole Jesus story breaks down. We’re getting ready to deal with the resurrection on Sunday, and I thought I’d pass on a couple of great resources for you to read up on the apparent discrepancies. There is good news! The SCRIPTURE is proven true once again!
This first article is a LONG study of the evidence and testimonies of the Gospel writers. It cites arguments from an historical and legal perspective. It is an awesome read, but will take you a while.
Do the Resurrection accounts HOPELESSLY contradict one another?
The second is a much more concise rendering of the Gospel accounts into one cohesive progression. This is a shorter read, but I highly recommend at least skimming the first one before looking at the second.
Can the various resurrection accounts from the four Gospels be harmonized?
The Other Jesus
Aug/06/2010 01:06 PM
The OTHER JESUS series is coming to a close this Sunday. We’re on our FINAL installment in the book of Mark. It has been great to run on this track for the past year. It has been an awesome study, and I have really enjoyed it. I hope you have too.
When we originally started this series, I thought it would last from August to November. I figured we’d move on to something completely different for Christmas... BUT God had other plans. As God led me to draw this out more and more in order to go deeper and deeper into the Word, I decided to break this (now very, very long) series up into a bunch of MINI-SERIES. Here is a quick look back at those series titles. OF COURSE, you can download ALL of the messages in The Other Jesus series from our Podcast page.
When we originally started this series, I thought it would last from August to November. I figured we’d move on to something completely different for Christmas... BUT God had other plans. As God led me to draw this out more and more in order to go deeper and deeper into the Word, I decided to break this (now very, very long) series up into a bunch of MINI-SERIES. Here is a quick look back at those series titles. OF COURSE, you can download ALL of the messages in The Other Jesus series from our Podcast page.
Back in the Saddle
Jul/20/2010 04:25 PM
Well, having the last couple of Sundays off from preaching was really a nice break. BUT, I am ready to be “back in the saddle” this weekend. We only have THREE more weeks in our study of The Other Jesus in the Gospel of Mark before we’re DONE. Can you believe it?
I’d also like to say a special thanks to John Bailey, who really made some extra study time possible. I really believe that it ALREADY IS paying off in big ways! In fact, yesterday I delivered a “series overview” to our board and our creative team that lays out how we are going to approach the book of Genesis beginning on Sunday, September 12, all the way through May of 2011. (That’s right... We should be able to handle 38 chapters of Genesis more quickly than we took the 16 chapters of Mark!) I’ve also written up synopses for all of the first 10 or so individual messages. This will allow us to pray ahead on the preaching AND the creative communication! SO, we’ll be able to use music and other resources much more effectively! I am really excited about this series. I think it will be a blessing to Ellijay and Gilmer County.
NOT ONLY are we GOING to be more creative in the upcoming weeks, but I’m going to let you in on a little secret... I’ve already had enough extra time to piece together a little “teaser trailer” for our upcoming series that we will show in church later in August. BUT, we will give a SNEAK PREVIEW of the trailer this weekend at the Family Meeting! I showed it to the board this morning, and they were excited about it. I hope you’ll be there with us on Sunday evening for that meeting.
I’d also like to say a special thanks to John Bailey, who really made some extra study time possible. I really believe that it ALREADY IS paying off in big ways! In fact, yesterday I delivered a “series overview” to our board and our creative team that lays out how we are going to approach the book of Genesis beginning on Sunday, September 12, all the way through May of 2011. (That’s right... We should be able to handle 38 chapters of Genesis more quickly than we took the 16 chapters of Mark!) I’ve also written up synopses for all of the first 10 or so individual messages. This will allow us to pray ahead on the preaching AND the creative communication! SO, we’ll be able to use music and other resources much more effectively! I am really excited about this series. I think it will be a blessing to Ellijay and Gilmer County.
NOT ONLY are we GOING to be more creative in the upcoming weeks, but I’m going to let you in on a little secret... I’ve already had enough extra time to piece together a little “teaser trailer” for our upcoming series that we will show in church later in August. BUT, we will give a SNEAK PREVIEW of the trailer this weekend at the Family Meeting! I showed it to the board this morning, and they were excited about it. I hope you’ll be there with us on Sunday evening for that meeting.
Study Break!
Jul/11/2010 11:55 PM
So, I’m up at Carter’s Lake for a couple of days taking a “study break,” where I’m not breaking FROM study, but breaking TO study. I’ve hauled our Starcraft popup to the campground and set up shop to have some study time with a little peace and quiet.
I don’t normally do this... I just wanted to get a little ahead on the NEXT big study that we’re going to do... I think we’re going to spend some time in Genesis, looking at the beginnings of our faith. Starting with Abraham, we will explore how God began to interact with man in his redemptive work.
You can see my “study setup” in the picture above. Here are some of the books that I brought with me:
When I get back, I hope to have at least a good part of the series mapped out, and be able to begin to meet for creative planning with Sherry, Rachel, and Casey. I am really excited about this next study! More details to come!
I don’t normally do this... I just wanted to get a little ahead on the NEXT big study that we’re going to do... I think we’re going to spend some time in Genesis, looking at the beginnings of our faith. Starting with Abraham, we will explore how God began to interact with man in his redemptive work.
You can see my “study setup” in the picture above. Here are some of the books that I brought with me:
- The Holy Bible: NIV, NASB, ESV, NLT, and others
- Genesis 12-50, Baldwin
- Primeval Saints, James B Jordan
- The Patriarchs, Beth Moore
- Joseph, Charles Swindoll
- Plus, of course, the many commentaries and other sources in my Logos Bible Software program... An entire book case on my laptop!
When I get back, I hope to have at least a good part of the series mapped out, and be able to begin to meet for creative planning with Sherry, Rachel, and Casey. I am really excited about this next study! More details to come!
Bold Move #3
Jun/05/2010 08:44 PM
Man, I am just as thrilled as I can be to announce that beginning in September we will be meeting in the Ellijay Elementary School on Sunday mornings! This big, bold move will allow us to go back to having ONE service, AND allow us the space to do ministry with all ages of children!!
A year ago, meeting in the school was simply not possible. For whatever reason, God has seen fit to throw the doors open for us to be in this beautiful auditorium right near downtown. You’ll be hearing LOTS more about this in the coming weeks! (our first Sunday will be September 12... That’s 14 weeks from now!)
A year ago, meeting in the school was simply not possible. For whatever reason, God has seen fit to throw the doors open for us to be in this beautiful auditorium right near downtown. You’ll be hearing LOTS more about this in the coming weeks! (our first Sunday will be September 12... That’s 14 weeks from now!)
Bold Move #2
May/24/2010 10:13 PM
Open our Arms to All Children
That’s right... We’ve been talking about adding “children’s ministry” for about a year now.. But God has kept that door firmly shut. BUT NOW THINGS ARE CHANGING! Not only has God thrown open doors in miraculous ways for us (read: Bold Move #3) BUT, He has clearly given us a vision for HOW we are to go about it.
Here’s the deal. Parents want the church to influence their kids for Christ, right? The truth is that we only have about 40 hours per year to influence them, compared with a parent’s 3000 hours! Seems like very little influence. Well, what if we teamed our 40 hours with mom & dad’s 3000 hours to send a single cohesive message all the time? If we can resource parents on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis, wouldn’t that make for much more powerful influence?
This fall, we’re NOT “adding” children’s ministry to our lineup. We aren’t creating a whole new department. We are putting together a cohesive strategy to influence kids Sunday through Saturday every single week from diapers to graduation. Doug gave us the brief overview on Sunday... You can listen to the podcast here. (it’s OtherJesus37.mp3)
What this will mean is a whole new scope of ministry for us at The Orchard! We are now going to be able to have a reach into the lives of parents with kids all over Gilmer County! HOW in the heck are we going to do that? I hope you’ll join us this coming Sunday to find out in Bold Move #3!
That’s right... We’ve been talking about adding “children’s ministry” for about a year now.. But God has kept that door firmly shut. BUT NOW THINGS ARE CHANGING! Not only has God thrown open doors in miraculous ways for us (read: Bold Move #3) BUT, He has clearly given us a vision for HOW we are to go about it.
Here’s the deal. Parents want the church to influence their kids for Christ, right? The truth is that we only have about 40 hours per year to influence them, compared with a parent’s 3000 hours! Seems like very little influence. Well, what if we teamed our 40 hours with mom & dad’s 3000 hours to send a single cohesive message all the time? If we can resource parents on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis, wouldn’t that make for much more powerful influence?
This fall, we’re NOT “adding” children’s ministry to our lineup. We aren’t creating a whole new department. We are putting together a cohesive strategy to influence kids Sunday through Saturday every single week from diapers to graduation. Doug gave us the brief overview on Sunday... You can listen to the podcast here. (it’s OtherJesus37.mp3)
What this will mean is a whole new scope of ministry for us at The Orchard! We are now going to be able to have a reach into the lives of parents with kids all over Gilmer County! HOW in the heck are we going to do that? I hope you’ll join us this coming Sunday to find out in Bold Move #3!
Bold Move #1
May/19/2010 04:38 PM
Branch Wide Into the Community
I know it sounds a little vague... Maybe it doesn’t even make any sense. I wanted to let you know about the FIRST BOLD MOVE that we are making as a church here in our community.
We have a UNIQUE opportunity! A few of us began mentoring some students at Clear Creek Middle School a little over a year ago, and we got HOOKED! We have seen some real life change begin to happen, and it is awesome. I wish I could just begin to go into some of the details... But suffice it to say that THIS is the KEY ELEMENT of our BRANCH ministry. It is all about Building Relationships, Answering Needs, and Changing Hearts.
The big problem has been the system of red tape. We’ve been severely impaired by a system that hasn’t been able to handle more than a few people getting processed to get into the schools. It has been a long-term issue for us... but we have been patient and prayed for God to open the door.
The GREAT news is that HE HAS opened the door in a HUGE way! The Orchard Church, and ONLY The Orchard Church has been given special permission to operate under a different system! NOW we can answer the loud call for MORE MENTORS in the school. Not only that, we’ve also been contacted by Gilmer Middle School... They are asking for mentors over there as well! Our goal is to have THIRTY mentors in the schools this fall!
This is an AMAZING thing. Some churches’ mission is to feed people. Others are to do door-to-door evangelism. Our call from God is to build relationships, answer needs, and change hearts. I’ve talked with pastors from all over the country, and it seems like NOBODY else has this kind of connection to the schools! What an incredible opportunity!
There is SO much more to it than I can share in a short blog entry. If you can, please take some time to listen to more details from the most recent podcast located here. It’s called “OtherJesus36” and the caption is “Bold Moves 1.”
This is such a vital move for us... A BOLD move. This is who we are, and God is using us in the lives of middle schoolers and their families. Join us! If you’d like to become a mentor, let us know via email. We will hook you up!
I know it sounds a little vague... Maybe it doesn’t even make any sense. I wanted to let you know about the FIRST BOLD MOVE that we are making as a church here in our community.
We have a UNIQUE opportunity! A few of us began mentoring some students at Clear Creek Middle School a little over a year ago, and we got HOOKED! We have seen some real life change begin to happen, and it is awesome. I wish I could just begin to go into some of the details... But suffice it to say that THIS is the KEY ELEMENT of our BRANCH ministry. It is all about Building Relationships, Answering Needs, and Changing Hearts.
The big problem has been the system of red tape. We’ve been severely impaired by a system that hasn’t been able to handle more than a few people getting processed to get into the schools. It has been a long-term issue for us... but we have been patient and prayed for God to open the door.
The GREAT news is that HE HAS opened the door in a HUGE way! The Orchard Church, and ONLY The Orchard Church has been given special permission to operate under a different system! NOW we can answer the loud call for MORE MENTORS in the school. Not only that, we’ve also been contacted by Gilmer Middle School... They are asking for mentors over there as well! Our goal is to have THIRTY mentors in the schools this fall!
This is an AMAZING thing. Some churches’ mission is to feed people. Others are to do door-to-door evangelism. Our call from God is to build relationships, answer needs, and change hearts. I’ve talked with pastors from all over the country, and it seems like NOBODY else has this kind of connection to the schools! What an incredible opportunity!
There is SO much more to it than I can share in a short blog entry. If you can, please take some time to listen to more details from the most recent podcast located here. It’s called “OtherJesus36” and the caption is “Bold Moves 1.”
This is such a vital move for us... A BOLD move. This is who we are, and God is using us in the lives of middle schoolers and their families. Join us! If you’d like to become a mentor, let us know via email. We will hook you up!
Bold Moves
May/15/2010 01:53 PM
It started on an airplane two weeks ago.
I was flying back from a church planter's Conference in Florida when God rocked my world. Frankly, I had come to feel pretty good about how things were going at The Orchard. We were just about to celebrate our first year of ministry, we had just baptized another small wave of people, our numbers were good, and everyone seemed generally happy. At the conference, everything I heard and saw told me that we were doing great!
That's when God rattled my cage. The Holy Spirit began to call my name on that airplane. He reminded me once again that building the Body of Christ was HIS job... Not mine. He also showed me that He was at work all around me, and that HE WAS JUST GETTING STARTED! He began to stir in my heart on that plane about making some big changes in what we're doing.
Over the next two weeks, as I prayed and investigated... HE continued to reveal ways that He was working, and to show me things that I had been blind to. Here's the kicker. Over the last two weeks, GOD has opened some doors that had been FIRMLY SHUT before that airplane ride. Miraculously, God has begun to make possible what seemed impossible.
I hope you can join us for this THREE-WEEK MINI SERIES here at the end of May about three bold moves that I believe God is calling us to.
That's when God rattled my cage. The Holy Spirit began to call my name on that airplane. He reminded me once again that building the Body of Christ was HIS job... Not mine. He also showed me that He was at work all around me, and that HE WAS JUST GETTING STARTED! He began to stir in my heart on that plane about making some big changes in what we're doing.
Over the next two weeks, as I prayed and investigated... HE continued to reveal ways that He was working, and to show me things that I had been blind to. Here's the kicker. Over the last two weeks, GOD has opened some doors that had been FIRMLY SHUT before that airplane ride. Miraculously, God has begun to make possible what seemed impossible.
I hope you can join us for this THREE-WEEK MINI SERIES here at the end of May about three bold moves that I believe God is calling us to.
Birthday Weekend
May/06/2010 10:45 PM
Hey! I haven’t been keeping up the whole blog thing very well... Things have been kinda crazy lately! BUT, it feels good to get back to it.
Last Sunday was a great day! First, we had our regular morning worship services, where we continued our “Other Kingdom” mini-series. If you weren’t there, we saw what Jesus said about Kingdom Marriage. The big question, of course, was “Am I in motion toward the Cross?” In case you missed it, the podcast can be found right here. Lots of people have asked me about it, so I got it up as quickly as I could.
AFTER the service, we had a GREAT time out at the field celebrating ONE YEAR of ministry as a church! The weather was very threatening all weekend long, but the day turned out to be just beautiful! Thanks SO MUCH to all our volunteers who really pulled it off. There was a ton of food, and everyone got a chance to relax and enjoy the day. I’ve got a bunch of pictures for you to see right here.
Last Sunday was a great day! First, we had our regular morning worship services, where we continued our “Other Kingdom” mini-series. If you weren’t there, we saw what Jesus said about Kingdom Marriage. The big question, of course, was “Am I in motion toward the Cross?” In case you missed it, the podcast can be found right here. Lots of people have asked me about it, so I got it up as quickly as I could.
AFTER the service, we had a GREAT time out at the field celebrating ONE YEAR of ministry as a church! The weather was very threatening all weekend long, but the day turned out to be just beautiful! Thanks SO MUCH to all our volunteers who really pulled it off. There was a ton of food, and everyone got a chance to relax and enjoy the day. I’ve got a bunch of pictures for you to see right here.
Easter is Coming!
Mar/02/2010 05:05 PM
Wow! It is MARCH, and we got our brand-new mini-series kicked off this past Sunday! This will be a good series to be in for a few weeks, and we find Jesus doing a full-court press with miracle after miracle that are very important. This series is also important, because it will take us all the way up to EASTER, which is just a five Sundays away!
Speaking of Easter... You know, that is a really big deal for us. It is the holiest of holy days for all believers, and we want to treat it right. We’ve already begun to pray and to talk about what that morning will look like at The Orchard Church, and we know that God will show up in a big way! BUT, we also have a bunch of other stuff that we need to get on top of! We will most likely have a record attendance that day... Where will we put all those people? We’re already feeling pretty full in both services! Should we add a third service for that morning? What about video projection in the other theater? Would that just be awful? Will the parking lot be able to handle all the cars? Should we offer nursery and preschool in TWO hours? What about the already crowded lobby? How will we get 200+ people through there? I know, I know. Easter is about GOD and the incredible miracle of redemption because of his blood. BUT, we DO have to plan for everyone to get together and celebrate, too... And there is an awful lot of planning to do! Do you have any good suggestions about it? email me!
Speaking of Easter... You know, that is a really big deal for us. It is the holiest of holy days for all believers, and we want to treat it right. We’ve already begun to pray and to talk about what that morning will look like at The Orchard Church, and we know that God will show up in a big way! BUT, we also have a bunch of other stuff that we need to get on top of! We will most likely have a record attendance that day... Where will we put all those people? We’re already feeling pretty full in both services! Should we add a third service for that morning? What about video projection in the other theater? Would that just be awful? Will the parking lot be able to handle all the cars? Should we offer nursery and preschool in TWO hours? What about the already crowded lobby? How will we get 200+ people through there? I know, I know. Easter is about GOD and the incredible miracle of redemption because of his blood. BUT, we DO have to plan for everyone to get together and celebrate, too... And there is an awful lot of planning to do! Do you have any good suggestions about it? email me!
Sunday Rundown
Nov/15/2009 10:39 PM
Thanks to everyone who invited friends and family to the “Storm Story” service this week! Wow, what an amazing crowd we had! It’s a great thing that we decided to open up “The Overlook” for the teenagers upstairs, because we barely had enough seats for everybody downstairs. I think the only available seats were on the front row. PLUS, we had over 20 people in the upstairs room. Seems like we are getting closer and closer to having to start that second service!
Sunday’s message was one of my all-time favorites. Not just because I really loved the truths there, but because of the incredible testimonies of some close friends. Those videos were very powerful, and even had me teared up. A BIG, BIG thanks goes to Chuck & Gail Vautrot, Amy Balfa, and Steve & Saber Marks. You guys are awesome. Thanks for sharing your hearts and your storms with us on Sunday. In case you missed it, you can download the message from the podcast page. I will check and see if we can get the videos up online, also.
So, here are a few of my thoughts on this week’s service:
Sunday’s message was one of my all-time favorites. Not just because I really loved the truths there, but because of the incredible testimonies of some close friends. Those videos were very powerful, and even had me teared up. A BIG, BIG thanks goes to Chuck & Gail Vautrot, Amy Balfa, and Steve & Saber Marks. You guys are awesome. Thanks for sharing your hearts and your storms with us on Sunday. In case you missed it, you can download the message from the podcast page. I will check and see if we can get the videos up online, also.
So, here are a few of my thoughts on this week’s service:
- It was awesome to see so many new faces in the service! Great to meet new friends. I could tell that a lot of our folks went out of their way to invite people.
- Big key: God doesn’t morph to my circumstances... He morphs ME in my circumstances into HIS image!
- We STILL NEED HELP in the nursery and preschool! There were only a few kids this week, but the SAME people are ON week after week.
- We need more comfortable furniture for those kids in “The Overlook.”
- The band does a great job
- John Crawford is an amazing individual... Thanks for loaning the drums to us.
- I hope everyone has a great week!
Sunday Rundown from Montana
Nov/02/2009 09:30 AM
Well, I got in the car right after the service yesterday, and spent the next nine hours traveling to Missoula, Montana for a church planter conference! What a day.. Lots of car time, airplane time, and now experiencing a little jet lag on my first morning here on the other side of the continent! Here is the view this morning out my hotel window. Some of the mountain peaks around here have snow on them.
Well, here is the Sunday Rundown, from my perspective here in Montana:
Well, here is the Sunday Rundown, from my perspective here in Montana:
- We saw several decisions for Christ yesterday!! THAT is what we are all about! Praise God!
- The big room felt pretty full yesterday, but very few kids in Preschool/Nursery! I know we have a lot of kids out sick right now. I hope all our families are doing well and returning to health quickly.
- Casey is really doing a GREAT job picking songs... I feel like our crowd is responding more and more each week!
- BIG SHOUT OUT to JOHN CRAWFORD! He provided us (temporarily) with the electric drum kit that REALLY made a huge difference in the sound quality AND he helped us tweak out the sound board for optimum sound enjoyment by all! I actually received several comments on the response cards about how good it sounded yesterday.
- I am still LOVING the series we’re doing... Normally I get pretty tired of a series after a few weeks, but I am having a blast going through the book of Mark.
- We had several first-time visitors yesterday, and it was great to meet them.
- Our cleanup crew is doing a FANTASTIC job on Saturday nights. They make life SO easy for us on Sunday mornings. You guys are our heroes.
- Chuck Vautrot just sacrifices for Saturday nights to happen... His truck suffered serious injury in the movie theater parking lot just because he was there. You are the man, Chuck. God will honor you.
- I am really excited about the next two weeks in our series. NEXT week, we are going to talk about what GOD does when we LISTEN and UNDERSTAND! The week after, we are going to look at the story of Jesus in the boat during the storm. That will be a great time to invite your friends to church. Everyone needs to hear about what to do when the storm comes.
Sunday Rundown
Oct/04/2009 10:10 PM
Another great morning at The Orchard Church. If you were there, it won’t surprise you a bit to know that we hit our all-time high attendance number of 155 people! There was pretty much STANDING ROOM ONLY in the big room. Some friends of mine arrived after we started, and I just had to apologize. The only seats available were on the front row, so they just decided to hang around in the back. Man, that’s frustrating, but a great problem to have. In case you’re curious, we have been targeting January for adding a second service, but maybe we should rethink that? What do you think? Email me and let me know!
Here are my thoughts from this morning:
I hope you all have a great week!
Here are my thoughts from this morning:
- Once again, astonished at all the PEOPLE! Man, we’re having a blast. It is always exciting to see that place fill up!
- Hello, Mark chapter 2! It’s about time after 8 weeks in chapter 1.
- No new songs this morning... But the music was fantastic. I really think people like singing when they feel comfortable with the songs. I was out of the room by the end of the service, but I heard that Agnus Dei was awesome.
- Doug Moore cleaned the carpet in the ERA this week, and it looked GREAT!
- What the heck is with that scary “Final Destination” movie poster right beside the lobby door at the theater?
- a bunch of people signed up for the mentoring opportunity! THAT is exciting!
- Met a lot of new friends this morning.
- Thanks so much for all the encouraging words. Many of you had great things to say after the service.
- Amy Balfa rocks. As always.
- My personal favorite point from the morning: Jesus doesn’t always give us what we WANT. He gives us what we NEED.
- My other peronal favorite point: Physical healing is TEMPORARY. Spiritual healing is ETERNAL.
I hope you all have a great week!
Sunday Thoughts
Sep/29/2009 12:11 PM
I have to say a big thanks to everyone on our setup and leadership teams for flexing and filling in the gaps for a few missing key people. You guys did great. We missed the Whites and the Vorpahls, but you guys really filled in nicely and helped out. Here are my thoughts for the day:
- Chad, you really stepped it up this morning. Thanks for doing a great job filling in for Casey. Several comment cards echoed that same sentiment.
- Lauren, thank you for filling in at the tech booth.
- Steve M, John C... We have no idea what we’re doing with our continuing sound issues. Thanks for coming in and smoothing out all the wrinkles. You saved us from what could have been a disaster, and turned it into something great!
- That new song “Faithful” by Steve Fee is cool.
- We had over 130 again today! Our seating capacity is nearly maxed out!
- The lobby is difficult. It definitely isn’t designed for the traffic that we’re putting through it. We are going to have to figure something ELSE out. (and we are definitely talking about it.)
- Chuck, Gail, Larry, and Angela did a fantastic job making everyone feel welcome.
- Mark chapter 1! Done! Moving on...
- I keep hearing lots of positive responses on studying through the book of MARK. In 20 years of ministry, this is already the LONGEST series I think I have ever done... and we just finished CHAPTER 1 of 16! Chapter TWO will go MUCH, much quicker.
- I am really... REALLY excited about our Life Groups starting to minister in Ellijay outside our current sphere of influence.
- I am LOVING this! We are having the time of our lives! Thank you, God for making all this possible!
Sunday Thoughts
Sep/01/2009 06:36 AM
Sunday was yet another great day of worshipping together!
My biggest thought is that, as I look around the filled movie theater on Sunday morning... I listen to the band play, I hear the voices of people singing songs to God... I wonder, “How in the world is all this really happening? How amazing is it that God would do such a thing? It was only five short months ago that we stood in the movie theater lobby on a Sunday morning, wondering if anyone would show up... Wondering if we had really heard the call of God to do something new... Wondering if we hadn’t in fact made a big mistake. Did we hear God right?
On this Sunday morning, I wonder... What is about to happen next? Already, we’ve had several weeks of near-capacity crowds. Seating is harder and harder to find. (especially if you arrive just a little late!) The lobby is jam-packed full of people. We are seeing people make decisions for Christ. And we aren’t even six months old yet.
What an incredibly humbling experience. Who am I that God would use me in this way? What business do I have in leading a group of people in a closer walk with God? It is simply amazing that God would choose to use someone like me to be part of a team like this that would raise up a local body in this way. Thank you, Lord for your call, your faithfulness, and your goodness. What you have done is amazing. I can’t wait to see what happens next!
- The band kicked it this week. Great job!
- Once again, GREAT to meet new friends.
- We have GOT to figure out a way to spread everyone out more in the lobby. That place is just PACKED with people before the service.
- We are going to have to free up more seating before the end of the year. This morning we were at 85% capacity.
- 6AM is earlier on Sunday than 6AM any other day of the week.
- That buzz in the amp has GOT to GO! Hopefully getting that taken care of this week.
- We are definitely still having sound control issues... My mic flipped out at the beginning of the message, EVEN THOUGH we checked it twice before the service.
- The Other Jesus has got to be my favorite series so far. BUT, at this pace, how long will it drag out? I love it, but is it going to be too long? I just looked through it again, and believe that we will AT BEST be in chapter 5 by the end of the year. Maybe it is time for a rework.
- Loved the flow of the service today. I feel like we really got it right. I enjoyed the worship songs at the end, especially.
My biggest thought is that, as I look around the filled movie theater on Sunday morning... I listen to the band play, I hear the voices of people singing songs to God... I wonder, “How in the world is all this really happening? How amazing is it that God would do such a thing? It was only five short months ago that we stood in the movie theater lobby on a Sunday morning, wondering if anyone would show up... Wondering if we had really heard the call of God to do something new... Wondering if we hadn’t in fact made a big mistake. Did we hear God right?
On this Sunday morning, I wonder... What is about to happen next? Already, we’ve had several weeks of near-capacity crowds. Seating is harder and harder to find. (especially if you arrive just a little late!) The lobby is jam-packed full of people. We are seeing people make decisions for Christ. And we aren’t even six months old yet.
What an incredibly humbling experience. Who am I that God would use me in this way? What business do I have in leading a group of people in a closer walk with God? It is simply amazing that God would choose to use someone like me to be part of a team like this that would raise up a local body in this way. Thank you, Lord for your call, your faithfulness, and your goodness. What you have done is amazing. I can’t wait to see what happens next!
Sunday Rundown
Aug/09/2009 05:32 PM
Today we kicked off our brand-new series on Jesus in the book of Mark. I will get the podcast up online later today. We talked about “the beginning of the gospel,” looking at John the Baptist.
The big question this morning was, “who are you the beginning of the Gospel for?”
Today was our 18th Sunday morning worship service. In some ways, things are really starting to feel very routine, but some things really continue to astound and suprise:
Several of you listed public prayer requests... I will be making sure those go out on the Orchard Prayer Twitter this afternoon/evening. If you aren’t already following our Twitter feeds, (we have two!) you can sign up straight from your cellphone... Here’s how...
To follow our PRAYER feed,
text to: 40404
message: follow orchardprayer
To follow our GENERAL feed,
text to: 40404
message: follow orchardellijay
I hope you have a great week!
The big question this morning was, “who are you the beginning of the Gospel for?”
Today was our 18th Sunday morning worship service. In some ways, things are really starting to feel very routine, but some things really continue to astound and suprise:
- Routine: 6AM curtain call for setup crew is getting pretty worn.
- Routine: People really have the whole name tag thing down.
- Surprise: We had our second-highest attendance posting this morning! Second only to Easter!
- Surprise: We continue to be amazed at the number of first-time guests on Sunday mornings.
- Routine: Saturday night cleanup crew continue to sweat and serve
- Surprise: The comment cards each week contain new insights into peoples’ lives and what God is doing.
Several of you listed public prayer requests... I will be making sure those go out on the Orchard Prayer Twitter this afternoon/evening. If you aren’t already following our Twitter feeds, (we have two!) you can sign up straight from your cellphone... Here’s how...
To follow our PRAYER feed,
text to: 40404
message: follow orchardprayer
To follow our GENERAL feed,
text to: 40404
message: follow orchardellijay
I hope you have a great week!
Giving Message
Aug/06/2009 10:18 AM
Wow. I really can’t believe how many people have spoken, called, and emailed me to request this past Sunday’s message on giving. (okay... it isn’t a TON, but it is definitely more than for any other message before!) I was really sweating this message before Sunday, and it seems to have generated lots of response. You can stream or download the entire SHIFT series, including “Give” from the podcast page.
A podcast is a recording that can be played directly over the internet, downloaded to your computer, put on your iPod, or burned to a CD. They are really simple to use. iTunes came along a few years ago and really standardized this format. (Go, Apple!)
A podcast is a recording that can be played directly over the internet, downloaded to your computer, put on your iPod, or burned to a CD. They are really simple to use. iTunes came along a few years ago and really standardized this format. (Go, Apple!)
More Than You Know
Jul/19/2009 11:53 PM
Man, I am really surprised at all the great comments about the SHIFT series that we’re doing right now. I really feel that it is sort of a “back to basics” kind of thing... But that is necessary even for mature christians every now and then. You sure can tell that it is still summer time. But it seems like most everyone is winding down their time away.
I just want to let everybody be aware that the BAND (Casey, Rachel, Chad, Sherry, Zac, and Caleb) really do very much more than you know. In fact, I feel like they are over-burdened. Here is the Sunday schedule for these guys... You should check it out.
hang lights on light bars
wire up all video connections
wire up all audio connections
wire up all lighting connections
take down lights
disassemble staging, carry out, put away
put away speakers, stands
clean up around area
That’s right... That is over SIX HOURS of effort to pull off a single Sunday morning worship time. This doesn’t count clean up on Saturday night, or even the lobby/welcome/food area on Sunday mornings. PLUS, getting everything together in a timely manner can be very stressful at times.
So what am I saying here? I’m not really sure. I just have a burden for these guys... They work SO hard all week, then come and bust it so that we can all worship together in music. They are just awesome. I think we rely on them a whole lot, and even take them for granted a little bit. Okay, maybe a lot. What do you think we should do about this? email me your thoughts!
I just want to let everybody be aware that the BAND (Casey, Rachel, Chad, Sherry, Zac, and Caleb) really do very much more than you know. In fact, I feel like they are over-burdened. Here is the Sunday schedule for these guys... You should check it out.
- 6:00 ARRIVE at Movie Theater
- 6:10 set up speakers, staging
hang lights on light bars
wire up all video connections
wire up all audio connections
wire up all lighting connections
- 7:30 Finish up general setup
- 7:45 Warm up begins
- 8:00 Practice
- 9:00 “Talk Through:” go over schedule for day
- 9:15 Team Prayer time
- 9:45 Doors open
- 10:00 Worship
- 11:30 power down everything
take down lights
disassemble staging, carry out, put away
put away speakers, stands
clean up around area
- 12:30 done for the morning.
That’s right... That is over SIX HOURS of effort to pull off a single Sunday morning worship time. This doesn’t count clean up on Saturday night, or even the lobby/welcome/food area on Sunday mornings. PLUS, getting everything together in a timely manner can be very stressful at times.
So what am I saying here? I’m not really sure. I just have a burden for these guys... They work SO hard all week, then come and bust it so that we can all worship together in music. They are just awesome. I think we rely on them a whole lot, and even take them for granted a little bit. Okay, maybe a lot. What do you think we should do about this? email me your thoughts!
New Series Gets Going
Jul/14/2009 02:52 PM
Our SHIFT series got underway this past Sunday! (you can download the message right here) As you know, this series is all about FOUR things you can do right now to shift your spiritual life into high gear. This week was great, since we talked about prayer... I am pumped about this coming week, as we’re talking about hearing God through His Word!
Here are some of my thoughts from Sunday morning:
It seems like summer time is keeping everyone busy... Even though we were DOWN quite a few of our regulars on Sunday, we still managed to have just under 100 people together at the theater! (hey, we were down SEVEN from our setup/worship team on Sunday morning!!!) In some ways I am looking forward to summer coming to a close. I am especially excited about the new series on JESUS that we are doing as soon as school starts back. More on that later!
Here are some of my thoughts from Sunday morning:
- We love Camp Highland!
- Kirsten and Jill took care of the coffee and food this morning since Tracy was gone. Thanks!!
- I LOVE having the whole band, but Casey and Rachel are an awesome team.
- The Holy Spirit speaks. Thanks, Kaylene for being sensitive and allowing Him to speak through you. What a difference it made in the rest of the service!
- That movie screen is big.
- We have a GIVING group of people. When a need is presented, we have some folks that just plain jump at the chance to serve in that way.
- Operating an excavator is fun.
- I have GOT to get more sleep on Saturday nights.
It seems like summer time is keeping everyone busy... Even though we were DOWN quite a few of our regulars on Sunday, we still managed to have just under 100 people together at the theater! (hey, we were down SEVEN from our setup/worship team on Sunday morning!!!) In some ways I am looking forward to summer coming to a close. I am especially excited about the new series on JESUS that we are doing as soon as school starts back. More on that later!
Summer Lovin'
Jun/14/2009 06:38 PM
This morning was really a lot of fun. We had a great service... The band sounded awesome, and we had a ton of great people there! It was awesome to have the group from Camp Highlands come for a visit... I know they’re sort of checking out different churches in the area, but I sure hope they come back. I know summer is here and people are away on vacations, or out of town for whatever reason... Seems like the size of our group fluctuates pretty dramatically.
I am really having a good time with this marriage series that we’re doing right now. It is really a big challenge for me in several areas. Having been a youth pastor for such a long time, I’ve never really had the chance to do a marriage series before. I owe a big thanks to Patrick Lencioni, who wrote the great book, “The Five Dysfunctions Of A Team,” which has a bunch of the principles that we’re studying in this series. This morning, I asked people in our group to write some nuggets of marriage wisdom on cards and pass them in to me... Man, there were some great thoughts on those. I am looking forward to sharing some of them with the group next week.
I am really having a good time with this marriage series that we’re doing right now. It is really a big challenge for me in several areas. Having been a youth pastor for such a long time, I’ve never really had the chance to do a marriage series before. I owe a big thanks to Patrick Lencioni, who wrote the great book, “The Five Dysfunctions Of A Team,” which has a bunch of the principles that we’re studying in this series. This morning, I asked people in our group to write some nuggets of marriage wisdom on cards and pass them in to me... Man, there were some great thoughts on those. I am looking forward to sharing some of them with the group next week.