Missing In Action...

Wow! It's been over a week since my last entry...it feels like it's been longer than that. This has been one of those weeks where no matter how hard I work...I just can't get ahead or caught up. I've been working on t-shirt designs, invite cards, door hangers, the outreach event this weekend, and this coming Sunday's message "Don't Lose Heart"...I really think it's gonna be a good one. All that to say...I'm back and not M.I.A (missing in action). I'm sure Heath (one of our drummers) was worried about me...I think he's the only one who reads this blog. LOL.

Anyways...I'm excited about this weekend. It's a holiday weekend and we're doing a big outreach with the Savannah community. I really believe that we'll have a bunch of new families join us on Sunday, as a result of the event Saturday. Then the following Sunday, September 7th, we celebrate our 1 year anniversary! Lots of stuff going on...this is fun.

Hope to see you Sunday.

Music & Outreach...

Next Saturday, August 30th, our Lifepoint band will be playing at the Savannah community event. What an amazing opportunity for Savannah to get a little taste of Lifepoint Church. I'm hoping to have around 40 or 50 of our people at the event...loving on people, painting faces, and handing out invite cards. It's going to be very strategic outreach leading up to our 1 year anniversary, September 7th, and Lifepoint Church is currently praying and fasting for great things to happen...I'm praying for over 200 in attendance!

On September 7th we're going to be starting a brand new series - "LOVE WINS" - during this series we're going to look at the many attributes of love. "LOVE WINS" isn't just going to be a series of talks and information...it's going to be part of the DNA of Lifepoint Church. I'm very excited about what's to come: personal growth, spiritual growth and numerical growth of Lifepoint Church.

Hope to see you Sunday.

Circus & The Church...

So we spent 7 hours (travel, circus, dinner, travel) last night going to the Ringling Bros. Circus. The boys liked it (didn't love it)...I think Emily and I enjoyed it more than them. The actual circus was too long and a beat down...2 hours, intermission, and then almost another hour of performances...which at $10 a ticket was a great value...but a long time to watch clowns, elephants, and dogs dressed up. Oh...and to top it off...the arena vendors wanted $9 for a 20oz lemonade!?!? We didn't get lemonade...I walked down and up the 70 steps (yeah, we had 'nose bleed' seats) to get popcorn and soda from the concession stand.

So I'm thinking...all this hype - "Greatest Show On Earth" (which they didn't deliver on), they wanted your money at every turn, and I left feeling like to much of my time was taken from me. So how does that relate to the church world?!

I'd submit to you that to many churches are promising amazing music, fun stuff for kids, and a hip atmosphere - and they don't deliver on the "hype." To many churches are all about $$$. And all to often people walk away from a Sunday morning service, at some churches, thinking "I'll never get that 1 1/2 or 2 hours back."

I truly believe at Lifepoint we deliver on the "hype" - we've got awesome music, kids who leave wanting to come back, a very casual and inviting atmosphere, we rarely talk about money (yes, we receive weekly tithes and offerings - but I only teach on finances once or twice a year in a Sunday morning setting), and we keep our weekly Sunday morning gatherings to about 60-70 minutes.

All that to say...I won't be going back to the circus for a very long time because of what I experienced there. And what really saddens me...is that so many people all across America will visit a church this weekend for the first time OR for the first time in a long time...and walk away thinking "...I won't be going back to church for a very long time because of what I experienced there..." and that's just not okay. I hope that thought echos in your heart for a long time.

We are the church...make sure that you make people feel welcomed and valued as they come to check out this "church" thing. People are hurting and God cares about them. Other churches out there...don't promise something that you don't deliver on - keep it simple and just love on people.

Hope to see you Sunday.

Jonah / Prayer & Fasting...

Today we finished our series "Jonah" - we wrapped it up with "Jonah's Anger." Overall, I'm very pleased with the series, the content, and the response from our people. Knowing that Jonah is typically considered a "kid's story"...it was encouraging to hear so many great responses from adults who had never spent any time reading the 4 chapters in Jonah. Jonah can teach us all a lot about obedience, prayer, repentance, and anger / resentment.

For the next several weeks I'm going to be challenging Lifepoint members / attenders to pray and fast for the upcoming school year. My expectancy level for what God is going to do is sky high. Just to think a year ago Lifepoint Church didn't even exist...and today we have roughly 110-120 people who call it their church home is amazing. Our 2nd year is going to be even better. We're going to break 200 in weekly attendance, obtain land, and start a building project!

Pray for us...pray for those who are far from God in our area...and pray that we have favor with those we come in contact with.

Hope to see you Sunday.

Jonah...

Today is the last week in our current series "Jonah"...we'll be talking about Jonah's anger and unforgiveness in our own lives.
We'll also touch on the point that it's NOT about us...it's about Nineveh. Everywhere we go is NiniIt's gonna be a good one.

Hope to see you Sunday.

Yankees vs. Rangers...

Last night me, Micah (MC Director), Johnny (Student Pastor), and Clint (our kidz director's husband) went to The Ballpark In Arlington...or whatever they are calling it this week. We watched the New York Yankees (my favorite team) play the Texas Rangers...we had an awesome time!

We had fairly decent seats (upper deck - home run porch in right field)...but we never made it to our seats. I got us reservations at the Diamond Club (air-conditioned, upscale, restaurant & buffet - overlooking left field). The food was good...not your typical ballpark meal - nachos, hotdog, 72 oz coke and peanuts - we had pasta, fish, prime rib, salad, fruit, and iced tea...did I mention it was air-conditioned and nice?!?! Oh...and to top it off...we met Nolan Ryan! He was 2 people behind me in the buffet line...supper nice and friendly - Clint talked his ear off and Micah got a handshake.

We watched a good portion of the game...my team lost...but the hang time was amazing. I love hanging out with people, building relationships, living life together, and laughing.

Genuine relationships is a key focus of Lifepoint Church- Lifepoint Church is a community of real people who are committed to connecting individuals to Christ through: Genuine Relationships, Engaging Worship and Relevant Teaching. Building relationships and connecting people to Christ...that's what it's all about, right?

I challenge you...spend some time with people this week...your family is important, but for this challenge they don't count. Have dinner with a friend or someone from Lifepoint, spend more than 5 minutes talking to your neighbor (how about inviting them to church?!?), take to to connect with people...they matter to God...they should matter to you.

Hope to see you Sunday.

Guest Speaker...

So this past Sunday, 8.3.08, I had the amazing privilege to teach at Palm Valley Church (our sister church) in Mission, Texas. Now, obviously Lifepoint Church is my FAVORITE church...but Palm Valley Church is a very close 2nd. If you don't know, Palm Valley Church is a church of about 2,500 people (3 separate worship services on Sunday mornings) - and is led by an amazing Pastor (Rick Gannon). 3 different services, in what I consider a BIG church, was awesome! I have to admit...Saturday night I was a bit nervous...but Sunday morning was amazing. I loved every minute of it...and look forward to being able to do it again someday.

Sunday was a big day for Lifepoint Church as well. Johnny our Student Pastor taught his very first Lifepoint service...and he did an amazing job! In addition, Blake was back from vacation...back leading Lifepoint Church in worship...he was missed the previous week. I love our church and it's people!

Hope to see you Sunday.

Get Away / Work...

I'm out of town right now on a mini-vacation. We're currently in Mission, TX (about 3 miles from the Texas / Mexico border) at our "sister church" - Palm Valley Church. Emily and I have the privilege and honor of spending time with our dear friends at the church for a few days...then the work begins.

On Sunday I get to teach at Palm Valley Church...an amazing church with an awesome pastor and creative staff. Now, I get to (as a lead pastor) teach every Sunday at Lifepoint Church...and currently Lifepoint Church has about 120 people who call it their church home. Palm Valley Church however, has roughly 2500 who claim it as their church home...so, needless to say the crowd for this Sunday will be a little bit bigger than what I'm used to. Not only will the crowd be bigger...but there's 3 different services I'll be teaching at on Sunday morning! Be praying for me...my strength and delivery.

I'll be praying for Lifepoint while I'm gone...Johnny (our student pastor) will be teaching and Blake is back...so Lifepoint is going to have a great day this Sunday.

Hope you're at Lifepoint Sunday.