Vacation thoughts

I want to take the time to let everyone know how thankful I am for those that stepped up at church for Stephanie and me while we vacationed.

Annie did great leading worship the first Sunday and the team did well the second one, though they were fewer singers than usual.

Terry, thanks for doing the funeral and preaching the last couple of weeks.  You did great and people enjoyed the messages.

Since we started the church in '99, this was the first true "vacation" we have really taken.  I was always preaching on Sunday when I got back, so sermon prep happened while we were gone.  I was gone, but never really in my head.  We have had vacations, but somewhere in there I was always working on something.

So our trip to Fripp Island, SC with the Crothers was wonderful.  I did NO sermon prep, made only 1 ministry phone call, and checked NO email for 7 full days (I looked at it the last night before we left).  I have never done that.  I purposely did not even look at the book of Matthew when reading my Bible for fear that I would start working on a message.

I didn't want to make any decisions while we were gone and just needed to relax, and I did.

It is hard to take a day off and get away from it for me because I am always thinking about doing this or that.  I say all that to say thanks to the church and to my family.  We missed being with you on Sun, but went to the Baptist Church of Beaufort, SC which started in 1804.  But it wasn't like being at PSC.  So we drove 20 hours home in time to get a few hours sleep and get to church the next week.  I wanted to see our people and and worship with you and hear Terry too.

This are two of my favorite pictures from the trip.  There are stories of a charging alligator, running, and Cole going back for his shoes after the pic by the sign.

A Great post about relationships

A friend of mine is a Pastor in Tampa.  He has a great church there and we converse regularly about ministry.  Bill Craig is his name and he and I became friends in Seminary and Stephanie and I went to his launch service of his first church in Ohio.  I say all this to quote from a very good blog entry he made today.  http://billcraig.blogspot.com

You need Gate keepers, Singers and Levites

At the beginning of chapter 7 of Nehemiah, He stands out by the people he surrounds himself with. He is undertaking a huge task and he knows that the success of this task will rise and fall on who he surrounds himself with. He surrounds him self with healthy relationships and healthy leaders. Nehemiah 7: 1 After the wall had been rebuilt and I had set the doors in place, the gatekeepers and the singers and the Levites were appointed. 

- Surround yourself with healthy relationships and leaders:

First Team: Gate keepers who oversee mission in neighborhoods, Accountability, staff...7:3 I said to them, "The gates of Jerusalem are not to be opened until the sun is hot. While the gatekeepers are still on duty, have them shut the doors and bar them. Also appoint residents of Jerusalem as guards, some at their posts and some near their own houses." These are people to protect what comes in and what goes out. If we don't have wise gate keepers in our life ungodly and unholy stuff can get in to our lives.

Second team: the singers: He surrounds himself with people who know how to worship God. If you don't surround yourself with such people, you'll find your self around people who worship themselves, culture, wealth, idols, they worship the moment. Scripture calls such people idolaters not worshipers.

Third Team: Levites, pastors, elders, people who care for other people, males and females who care for people. Want people to be loved. 2 I put in charge of Jerusalem my brother Hanani, along with [a] Hananiah the commander of the citadel, because he was a man of integrity and feared God more than most men do. He put people in charge who were Godly, men of integrity and feared God. These would be men who held God's word in honor, obeyed it, hit it in their heart. Deacons, Elders, Pastors, Priests, Teachers and leaders who walked with God.

Why are such relationships so important? If you shortchange yourself in any of these teams you are opening your self and your vision up to defeat and chaos. Secondly, You deserve the best around you! You are an image bearer of God. You deserve the best gate keepers, the best singers and the best Levites in your life. I'm not saying they have to be the best singers, preachers, but I am saying they need to be the best and walking with God with integrity and they should be spending time in God's word regularly. This is no place to short change yourself. This is no place for the church to short change itself. You deserve it and Christ's bride deserves it. 

I thought this was key because I am preaching on judging others this Sunday and no one like to be judged, but as believers, we need those "Gatekeepers" to keep us on track.

Spend time in God's Word and ask God to bring you someone like that.

funny Baptism

A pastor friend sent this to me today. Watch the second kids get baptized.

Audience of One

Great worship this last week.
If you missed the message, here it is


Click here to get your own player.

Daniel Fast Day Three

As we begin day three of the fast, I have a few thoughts.

1. It's amazing how hungry I am not.
2. I feel great right now.
3. My body is trying to figure out what all this healthy food is.
4. I better get more creative in my food fixing. Peas and carrots are not dinner.
5. I feel like I can think more clearly and more focussed.
6. Going to God is more frequent since you learn the idea of depending on him for all things.

If you have any thoughts or recipes, email them to me and I will post them.

Fast Day One

I thought that periodically during the 21 Day Daniel Fast I would give my thoughts about how I feel or how to pray.

Let me state that I actually do not feel that hungry at 12PM today. I finished my last meal yesterday, a Grilled Chicken Salad and a loaded baked potato around 2:15 yesterday. Usually during Fasts I'm dying right now. I think I have had a lot of time to prepare myself. What I cannot prepare for is the splitting headache I have this morning. Thanks goodness for the church's water. It tastes much better than the water at home or even bottled water. Must be the nitrates:)

I have come to find these verses of great strength:

Psalm 34:7 The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him,
and he delivers them.

8 Taste and see that the LORD is good;
blessed is the man who takes refuge in him.

9 Fear the LORD, you his saints,
for those who fear him lack nothing.

10 The lions may grow weak and hungry,
but those who seek the LORD lack no good thing.

Indeed we will lack no good thing.

Daniel Fast Requirements

A Note from Ken

Important reminder: Be sure to drink as much water as possible throughout the fast. In fact, a good goal is to drink a gallon of water a day! If you would rather fast one day a week for the next 3 weeks, that would be fine. What I am encouraging is a 3 week focus on total dependance upon God. Maybe your focus will be no sweets, coffee, soft drinks, etc during the 21 days. If you feel led to do the whole Daniel fast, then you need to stick to it, and not give up on it.

What about children?
They are under no obligation to join you in the fast.

Do you have questions about specific foods?

First, we're thrilled that you've decided to join with Prairie Springs to fast during the next 21 days!

Second, the list of foods provided is merely a first step to get you thinking about making better food choices. Remember, this fast is about growing your relationship with God. And He's not as concerned about what is in your stomach as He is about what is in your heart.

Daniel's decision not to eat the king's food was an outward symbol of an inward commitment he had made to God. Let your choices over the next three weeks reflect the hunger your have for God's presence in your life.

Since there is no definitive list of foods for the Daniel Diet, it is truly the spirit of Daniel's decision that we are imitating over the next 20 days. If there is something that is not specifically listed that you think still qualifies as a 'food of the king,' then ask God to reveal to you whether it should be part of your diet over the next few weeks. The details of the fast are between you and God — use this time to focus on Him.

God is certain to bless your life in new and exciting ways during the fast. We encourage you to write down your prayers and the many ways God reveals Himself to you. We can't wait to see what God is going to do in your life and in the life of our church!



Fasting Guidelines

FOCUS
The fast, as explained in the Sunday service, is a spiritual discipline designed to better connect us with God. As a church, we are fasting in order to deepen our relationship with God and to walk in step with His plan and purpose. What a great focus during the Easter season to focus on the work of the cross and how that message can be communicated to our communities. The best way to do this is to redirect our food source. This is accomplished through substituting our regular food intake with Bible reading, praying and journaling. The overall goal is to experience a genuine hunger for spending time with God.

TIMELINE
Sunday, February 24: 24-hour Liquid Fast
We will drink water, natural fruit juice and herbal caffeine-free tea (lunch will be our last meal and we will resume meals at dinner on Monday).

Monday, February 25: Begin the “Daniel Fast”
At dinner, we will begin to introduce meals with pure foods of fruits and vegetables. This plan will continue for the next 20 days.

The Weekend of March 16: Break the Fast
We will come together as a church and end the fast with communion at Prairie Springs Church. After church is the beginning of the Holy Week Experience by going to the downtown with Jesus riding a donkey then praying over the city. Go out to lunch afterwards.

MENU
The Daniel Fast is a partial fast, which means that we will eliminate some common things from our daily diet, but will have generous options available. We will focus on eating fruits and vegetables that are pure and simple. We have included a list of foods to eat and foods to avoid.

If you have any condition which would prohibit you from being a part of the Daniel Fast, there are other options. Choose something from your daily routine (i.e. specific foods or beverages, television, other technology, etc.) and fast in that manner for the next 21 days. Remember, the details are not as important as the spirit in which you participate.

*If you have any known medical conditions or suspect such conditions, consult your doctor before beginning the fast.
Foods to Eat

WHOLE GRAINS: Brown Rice, Oats, Barley

LEGUMES: Dried Beans, Pinto Beans, Split Peas, Lentils, Black Eyed Peas

FRUITS: Apples, Apricots, Bananas, Blackberries, Blueberries, Boysenberries, Cantaloupe, Cherries, Cranberries, Figs, Grapefruit, Grapes, Guava, Honeydew Melon, Kiwi, Lemons, Limes, Mangoes, Nectarines, Papayas, Peaches, Pears, Pineapples, Plums, Prunes, Raisins, Raspberries, Strawberries, Tangelos, Tangerines, Watermelon

VEGETABLES: Artichokes, Asparagus, Beets, Broccoli, Brussels Sprouts, Cabbage, Carrots, Cauliflower, Celery, Chili Peppers, Corn, Cucumbers, Eggplant, Garlic, Ginger Root, Kale, Leeks, Lettuce, Mushrooms, Mustard Greens, Okra, Onions, Parsley, Potatoes, Radishes, Rutabagas, Scallions, Spinach, Sprouts, Squashes, Sweet Potatoes, Tomatoes, Turnips, Watercress, Yams, Zucchini

Seeds, Nuts, Sprouts

LIQUIDS: Water (as much as possible), Unsweetened Soy Milk, Herbal (caffeine free) Tea, Natural Fruit Juice (no added sugar)

Extra-Virgin Olive Oil (small quantities), Honey
Foods to Avoid

• Meat, Poultry, Fish
• White Rice
• Fried Foods
• Caffeine, Coffee, Tea (including decaf)
• Carbonated Beverages
• Foods Containing Preservatives or Additives
• Refined Sugar or Sugar Substitutes
• White Flour
• Margarine, Shortening, High Fat Products
• All Breads
• Dairy (milk, butter, cheese, yogurt, etc.)

Calling on PSC to Fast

I'm sorry we didn't get to have church yesterday because of the weather. About 7 AM yesterday I went outside just to see how bad it was. I thought I would walk down the driveway to see how slippery it was. After a few steps I knew we would have to cancel. I hate canceling church. Stephanie and I have no idea what to do on a Sunday if there is no church. Many of those that were called were a little upset because we had to cancel. Some of the leaders and the worship team were excited about how great of a service we were going to have.
I hate not preaching too. I'm going to preach the same message I was going to do yesterday, but that is harder than you think for me. I memorize the message (I have no manuscripts)and it will be hard to hang on to it for another week.
So here is a preview. I am preaching on Jesus' section about fasting in the Sermon on the Mount. Fasting is an outside the box idea. Many people fast today to get something in return. I have heard preachers talk about fasting so that God might bless you with something like finances or health. A Scriptural concept of fasting is the notion that it is a Spiritual Discipline. It is supposed to be a part of our faith and Jesus spoke as though we actually do it.
I must confess, I don't fast very often. It is an act of sacrifice to God. When you fast, you become dependent upon God to sustain you. It will enhance your spiritual walk with God as you depend upon Him for strength and focus.

So here is the deal church. I am asking Prairie Springs to join me in a 21 Day Fast starting Sunday, Feb 24 until March 16. It will start after lunch on Sunday, where you will do a liquid only fast until Monday evening for dinner. This a partial fast called a Daniel Fast. What this means is over the next 20 days you will eat only fruits and vegetables. The guidelines will be in another post. No meat, dairy, sweets, or any caffeine. This will be a real challenge for me as well as for other caffeine addicts. If you cannot do this type of fast then do a liquid fast one day a week for the next 3 weeks. Maybe your fast will be giving up sweets and caffeine/coffee or soft drinks.

Why are we doing it? What better way to focus upon God and the work of the cross than to do this for the next 3 weeks. We are doing this as an act of worship to God as well as going before Him on behalf of our community and friends that so desperately need Jesus. The last day of the fast is Palm Sunday where the fast will be broken with a celebration of the Lord's Supper. Then we begin "The Holy Week Experience" with the riding of a donkey into Sun Prairie and praying over the city. After that we can all go to lunch.
I pray that you can join myself and many others in this Fast to honor God.

Enough already

It is official, we have had enough snow. I hereby declare an end to winter. Sixty inches of snow and counting. If God wants to give me the desires of my heart, I desire that Winter end and Spring begin.
OK so it doesn't work like that. As I prepare to get ready for the annual Pastors and Wives retreat in Green Lake, I realize that every year we go, it snows during the retreat. Quite amazing actually. Maybe it is because it falls around my wife's birthday. She of course is 29 this year, and more beautiful than the day we met in 1986. Wow, we will have been together for 22 years. I'm surprised she hasn't said "enough already." Days like today remind us that this is a far cry from Phoenix, which is where we really wanted to plant a church. Ah, but to be where God wants you is a much better place to be.
But enough snow already.

Super Bowl Ads

Now that the game is over and the evil empire has been defeated, I was thinking about one of the ads I saw. Many people watch the game just for the ads these days. This Super Bowl was seen by more people in the US than any other show except the finale of MASH. A few ads were simply stupid and some were just the basic formula that beer companies have used for years (the Cavemen is no different than the talking frogs, and variations of this dumbed down mentality).



The talking stain caught my attention. See more here www.talkingstain.com
At first it is like what is going on here? Then I had the idea of Evan Baxter in Bruce Almighty where Bruce is controlling him while Evan is doing the news. This is one of my favorite clips of all time. Makes me laugh every time I see it. Anyway, in the ad, the guy is in for an interview and you keep hearing jibberish while the guy is talking. You then realize that the interviewer is focusing on the stain and not paying any attention to the guy. I think it is very clever.

The funny thing is there are spiritual principles found in the ad. How many times do we know how people behave or see them doing things that are opposed to God, and then later talk about giving God glory for what he has done. Sports figures or musicians do this all the time. They are talking, yet all people are hearing is the stain.
It is easy to blame big name people, but we all do it. We say or do things at work that do not honor God, then we turn around and invite our coworkers to church and wonder why they don't come. They hear the stain. The tagline of the commercial is "silence the stain!" The stain of sin affects all of us. The problem is, some believers still let it talk.
I'm reminded of the hymn "Jesus Paid it All."

I hear the Savior say,
“Thy strength indeed is small;
Child of weakness, watch and pray,
Find in Me thine all in all.”
Refrain:
Jesus paid it all,
All to Him I owe;
Sin had left a crimson stain,
He washed it white as snow.

Lord, now indeed I find
Thy pow’r, and Thine alone,
Can change the leper’s spots
And melt the heart of stone.

Indeed the stain has been cleansed, but let's live so that others don't see our sin and focus on it instead of the transformed life. In the commercial the kid is clueless to his stain, we shouldn't be clueless to our sin. What we want others to see though is victory over sin.

SILENCE THE STAIN, LET THEM SEE JESUS!

Go Pack Oh, Ugh!

Has anyone seen my heart? i just had it ripped out. The governor will surely call this a day of mourning.
Not that I didn't see it coming. They should have won, there was no way they could lose, and yet that's why they did. My wife's boss echoed these sentiments on Thursday when he asked, "Do you want to know what I think will happen, or what will happen? I think there is no way they can lose with everything in their favor, HOWEVER, every time I have felt this way, they lose. So that's what will happen."
That about sums it all up for me too.
So the "Big Game" will hold no interest for me, I honestly don't care what happens.
It was nice being able to see the game on a big TV with lots of friends around us. I think there were 28 of us total (16 kids!!!) but we had a good time till the end. Good fellowship with other believers.

I think about the last football season and realize that as a big football fan, I really only watched 3 or 4 games that the Pack played in their entirety. They lost three of them. I really haven't had time for football this year. With all the church stuff happening, the kids, the meetings, small groups, etc, I just didn't make watching the games a priority. Does that minimize me as a true fan? Some say yes it does. I should order my life around the games.
Then I ask myself, "what is a fan?"
fan –noun
an enthusiastic devotee, follower, or admirer of a sport, pastime, celebrity, etc.: a baseball fan; a great fan of Charlie Chaplin.
[Origin: 1885–90, Americanism; short for fanatic]

—Synonyms supporter, enthusiast, partisan, booster, addict.
Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.

I can honestly say I don't fit that definition. I mean I don't "cheat on" the Packers with another team, but am I a devotee? Do I live and breathe Packers Green and Gold? If I am to be a fan of something, shouldn't I feel as though they would bring me great joy, not frustration?
O wait, it's a game.

I was writing this post and came across a really funny satirical article about being a Packer fan. I want you to read it and think about the Church. This comes from http://tominthebox.blogspot.com/

Yes, Of Course I'm a Packers Fan

Yes, of course I am a Green Bay Packers fan. My family has adored and followed the Packers for four generations. My grandfather attended every game during the 1960s. My father has held season tickets for our entire family since the early 1980s. I currently have 6 seats on the 40 yard line for every home game.

I have continued the tradition of love for the Packers. It’s important to me that this demonstration of love is passed down to my kids and they come to love and appreciate the Packers as I do. I’ve gone with my kids to about 1 Packer game on average every year for the last 10 years. Although I don’t attend that many games, my kids know the Packers are important to me because I send them to the games. My wife and kids haven't missed a single regular season game in the last 4 years.

Why don’t I go to the games that often? You know how it is; things can get really hectic during the week, and Sunday is about the only day I have for myself. Now, I love the Packers. Don’t get me wrong. Just because I don’t attend doesn’t mean I’m not a fan. I'm really truly crazy about them. I don’t have to physically sit in a seat with other fans to be a fan. There are no laws stating that I need to attend a game to be a fan. Do I have to work for my “fanship” status? I know in my heart that I’m a fan, regardless of what all those hypocritical season ticket holders around me say when I do attend games. They don’t know my heart. Besides, I can watch the games on tv and it’s just as well.

How often do I watch them on tv? Well, I don’t have to watch the game “per se.” If I’m washing my car, I can listen to the game on the radio and it’s just as good. Besides, with my earpiece radio, I can even hear the game while I’m shoveling snow. Like last week during the Seattle game. If I had gone and sat in my season ticket seats, I wouldn’t have been able to enjoy the game thinking of the accumulation of snow on my driveway. By the time my boys were home with my Dad, I had the driveway cleared. That was a great game, huh?

As far as Sunday’s go, like I said, it’s really the only day I have for myself. I can go to nfl.com or watch SportsCenter to see what happened. As a true fan, I usually find out what happened during the games before I go into work because there is this one nut at work who can talk about nothing else. He brings up the topic of the Packers continually. Farve did this, another guy did that that, Brooks did this play and Green did that play. He knows all the players names and even how to spell them. It’s embarrassing.

Of course we all like the Packers. This is Green Bay, for crying out loud. We don’t have to talk about it all the time. I just don’t feel comfortable verbally sharing my fanship about the Packers with others. Yes, I bought my season tickets. Yes, I go to a game once a year. Yes, I’m training my kids to respect the Packers. But “No” I don’t really feel comfortable talking about it at work. People should be able to tell that I'm a Packers fan because I wear something with a little green on the Fridays before a big game. I don't have to wear a cheese hat for people to know I'm a fan. They should be able to see it by my pleasant smile.

The crazy nut Packers fan always goes straight up to this guy who transferred in from Chicago and tries to convert him. He talks about all the greatness of the Packers. You can tell the Chicago fan really doesn’t want to talk about it. I think it could even be considered harassment. It’s embarrassing. When the Chicago fan asks me, “Hey, aren’t you one of those Packers fans too?” I just shrug it off and try not to make a big deal about it by saying something like, “Yeah, my family has owned tickets a long time. It’s kind of a family tradition. And going to sporting events is good for the kids.”

The crazy Packers fan has all the statistics memorized. He even starts talking about how Farve gave special nods and how the offensive line performed a run block but Farve threw a pass anyway. Who cares about all of the strategy and details? The Packers won! What else do you need to know? We know they won, leave all the detailed analysis to the sports reporters. I don't need to know who nodded to enjoy the fact that we won. At work, let me work. That’s what my workplace is for.

The crazy nut fan put a little metal “G” symbol on the back of his car. How embarrassing. I could never get one of those “G” symbols because I may cut someone off and that would be embarrassing for all Packers fans. Besides, the symbol is very similar to another vile symbol… that of the University of Georgia. I wouldn’t want to confuse anyone into thinking I'm a Georgia fan. I would never want to be confused with a fan of a college team that plays a high school team and calls it a “bowl game.”

In any case, my love for the Packers is something that is really quite a personal matter. But that doesn't make me any less of a fan. You love your team, and I'll love my Packers. If I want to let my seats sit empty, that is my business and not yours. Yes, of course I'm a Packer's fan.

The Question is, am I a fan of God?

Outside the Box! Again?

Sunday we kicked off the Life outside the Box series. The idea of outside the box thinking is something most of us have heard on a regular basis. This idea is especially true in the business world. How many of have heard, "We need people that will think outside the Box." The problem is that we are supposed to think outside of we live. So what happens? Outside the Box just becomes another box. You know it's the next big thing mentality. I read an article today about Google and how they operate. They really seem to do business outside the box. No wonder people rate it as the best place to work.

So Jesus comes along and challenges the "box" of the religious culture in his day. The box in that day was very exclusive and Jesus challenged who was able to get in it. The good news that Jesus would bring would be that the Kingdom is available to people of every background. What a concept.

The opportunity for us to live outside of the box then comes from the notion that Christ calls us to another level of living.  Unfortunately we live in a culture "box" that is all ready to jump off the same clip.  Look at the list of the "blessed" in the Beatitudes and you will see not a list of attributes that we should have, rather a list of people that the Kingdom of God includes.  We have seen amazing transformations when people become Christ followers.  I dare say that in Jesus' time, most of us would not have fit into the religious box of the day.  Yet here comes Jesus offering the Kingdom to us.  That is the hope of the gospel.  

A call to follow Christ is a call outside the box.  Jesus' statements were controversial in his day, and still are today.  A genuine Christ follower is different than the typical church goer.  The Church is full of "lemmings" that say all the right things Sunday morning so they fit in the religious box, then they jump off the culture cliff on Monday by what they listen to, speak about, watch, and do. Not the kind of call Jesus is asking us to make.  I don't think Jesus went to the cross so that we could feel less guilty about our sin.  He paid the penalty for sin and made a way for us to have a real, transformed relationship with the Father.

Vision for 2008

Our focus for 2008 is on the Creative.  We want to be creative in our presentation of God's Word.  

It think that Nehemiah 8 best illustrates what I am talking about when it comes to being creative.

 1 all the people assembled as one man in the square before the Water Gate. They told Ezra the scribe to bring out the Book of the Law of Moses, which the LORD had commanded for Israel.

 2 So on the first day of the seventh month Ezra the priest brought the Law before the assembly, which was made up of men and women and all who were able to understand. 3 He read it aloud from daybreak till noon as he faced the square before the Water Gate in the presence of the men, women and others who could understand. And all the people listened attentively to the Book of the Law.

 4 Ezra the scribe stood on a high wooden platform built for the occasion. Beside him on his right stood Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah and Maaseiah; and on his left were Pedaiah, Mishael, Malkijah, Hashum, Hashbaddanah, Zechariah and Meshullam.

 5 Ezra opened the book. All the people could see him because he was standing above them; and as he opened it, the people all stood up. 6 Ezra praised the LORD, the great God; and all the people lifted their hands and responded, "Amen! Amen!" Then they bowed down and worshiped the LORD with their faces to the ground.

 7 The Levites—Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan and Pelaiah—instructed the people in the Law while the people were standing there. 8 They read from the Book of the Law of God, making it clear  and giving the meaning so that the people could understand what was being read.

Bold and italics are mine to emphasize the point.

As the pastor it is important for me to communicate in such a way that the Word comes to life and is understandable for the hearers.

Wait till you see some of the creative ideas that we have to tell the Easter Story.  I think this is a way to really generate some buzz around town as well as have a clear presentation of the Easter message.

It is always a challenge to come up with fresh ideas that may interest a unchurched person and compel them to come to church.  As Ed Young says, "Las Vegas (or Hollywood) has nothing to say, but knows how to say it.  The problem is that the church has everything to say, but doesn't know how to say it." It is not just about finding a need that may interest people, rather it is making the truth of Scripture come alive.  This is the idea behind the next series.  Life outside the Box is about understanding the heart of the most powerful sermon ever delivered.  Jesus' teachings are so outside of the "religious box" and the "culture box."  Curiously this is where he calls us to live.

Doing life like Jesus does helps us make a real difference by thinking more in terms of the kingdom.  You know that whole big God, little us idea.

 

Actually using this spot for 08

Last year it was a traditional newsletter. In 08, I'll finally use the blog that I set up in 10/06. I know that is really sad but what can I say?

So here is a link to the inaugural post that is actually a video clip.



So announcements you need to be aware of:

1. This Sunday will be a our vision casting Sunday.
2. We will have a special guest with us: Keith McCray who has a vision for youth ministry.
3. This Sunday is a potluck Sunday. Bring your favorite food. We really need main dishes. Stay to chat with Keith as well.
4. Next Tuesday at 7 PM is a Touched Twice meeting. It is for anyone that would like to assist us.
5. Mark your calendars for Sat January 26. This will be our luau in January. A great outreach for our community. Have your kids invite their friends and family. More info to come.

More to come later.