- Just waking up from a 2+ hour nap!
- Very tiring yet productive day.
- Had 5 more people make professions of faith in Jesus!
- That now puts us over 150 since we launched 15 moths ago…amazing…thank you Jesus for allowing us to be a part of building your kingdom!
- For some odd reason I was wide awake this morning at 5am and couldn’t get back to sleep.
- It was weird having so much extra time this morning to get ready…sort of cool…but thus the 2 hour nap!
- After a couple of nice warm weather days, I almost left the house with only a hoodie on but then thought better and put my winter jacket on.
- Glad I did…it was freezing setting out signs this morning.
- The technology gremlins were out in full force this morning during set-up.
- Nothing too major but just a lot of little things that were annoying.
- Grateful for Andy, Mike and Cris and their willingness to keep troubleshooting until everything worked perfectly.
- Had a lot of people email/text/call in sick so we were short-staffed for serving but was able to get all the serving roles filled.
- Despite a lot of sick people out, we had a pretty decent size crowd today and they came fired up.
- Love when the crowd is engaged fully in worship!
- I wrapped up the “Little Faither” series by looking at the story of Elijah worrying after Jezebel threatens his life.
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- I really enjoyed preaching this series…in fact one of my favorites since we launched.
- Had so many people say how helpful it’s been.
- Even if for no one else, it’s been helpful to me during some stressful times both personally and professionally the past few months as I prepared for it and now finally delivered it.
- Next week we begin a new series and I couldn’t be more excited for what’s going to happen next week…as a reminder…DO NOT INVITE ANYONE NEXT WEEK!!!!
- That’s right you didn’t read that wrong…do not invite anyone…this will make a lot more sense once you’re there and see the special surprise we have in store for everyone.
- Trust me you’ll be talking about this for a long time.
- So if you’ve ever been to ExponentialChurch.tv, do whatever it takes to be there next week.
- If you’ve never been with us, then hold off until February 12th.
- Speaking of February 12th, don’t forget to mark your calendars that we will be sharing communion together in the lobby at 9:10am that morning and then everyone going out to Infinito’s for lunch at 12pm.
- Should be a great day of sharing life together.
- Hope everyone has a great week…see you Sunday for our special surprise.
Inside Today’s Experiences
- Wrapped up the Littlefaithers series today by looking at the story of Elijah.
- Again I was able to come in a little later…I could get used to that.
- Had some things today that were sloppy and that always drives me crazy…however for the most part it was a good day.
- Had a guy at the second Experience that just moved here from Charlotte. He has been attending Elevation Church. I told him I’m no Steven Furtick but he came up afterwards and said he’d be back so I guess I didn’t let me down too bad.
- Had our regions director of church planting, Chuck Frank, in attendance as well. Heard a few people “lovingly confronted” him about stealing me away.
- For such a heavy topic, I thought we did good of sharing God’s Word these past few weeks in a way that was uplifting instead of depressing.
- Can’t wait for next week…EASTER!
- So who are you inviting?
- Pray this week that God will open up the hearts of those you’ll be inviting, that He will open up doors for you to invite and that you will have the courage to open your mouth to make the invite at the appropriate time.
- Invite like crazy this week…let’s pack the place out and see many have their eternal destinies changed!
Inside Today’s Experiences
- Honestly I wasn’t all that excited about today until I actually got in.
- As a part of the transition, I’m coming in a little later than normal which is nice…I like…no I love sleep!
- Brian and the team are doing a great job…I’m leaving you in great hands.
- Nice size crowd at the early Experience…2nd one is still down in size, although there was great energy at the 2nd today. Loved it.
- Have really enjoyed the music the last two weeks…nice selection of some older and newer stuff, along with faster and slower.
- Loved Andrea on the new song…great job!
- Had quite a few out of town guests with us today that are friends of mine.
- Had another big group from Harrisburg down checking us out and eagerly awaiting our arrival this fall.
- Had another church planter in attendance who I met in San Diego last month. He’ll be planting in Reading this fall. Great to reconnect and meet some of his friends he brought along. Including a young man from Indonesia who is in the US for a year. He couldn’t stop smiling he was so excited about everything!
- Had a couple attending who used to attend the church I pastored at in Maryland. Love them…we were in a small group together for about 2 years and they are a great couple.
- Today’s message came out alright I guess. Always amazes me that in the moment God always takes stuff and makes it better. Wasn’t really liking it until after I gave it in the first Experience.
- When I was sharing stuff with the creative team a few months ago about this series, they said I always got excited whenever I said Littlefaithers so that why we called the series that. To hear what that name means, you’ll have to listen to today’s message.
- I am looking forward to next week…will be sharing a cool story from the bible about a man who allowed worry to overcome him until God knocked some sense into him.
- Gave some tours of the building today and then took some of the Harrisburg crew out to Moe’s. Mmmmm…good.
- Time for a nap as soon as the MD game is over and then back to church tonight for the informational meeting.
Inside Today’s Experiences
- First I love that we don’t change clocks until after the Experiences.
- So nice to get a regular nights sleep.
- Except that I woke up early anyway.
- Because of some unexpected events this past week we weren’t able to do a normal run through on Thursday night so I was bit nervous that everything would be working/look right today.
- Luckily since I’m preaching a series on worry right now, it wasn’t as worried as I might have normally been. :)
- Loved all the music today…good blend of high energy stuff and passionate worship.
- Andrea and Gayle also did awesome with Scars by Allison Iraheta.
- Heard her perform it on Idol the other week and knew it would fit well.
- Love the new stage set that Brian came up with.
- Looks completely different than anything we’ve done before.
- Crowds were sparse today…hope the rain didn’t keep people away.
- Had a lot of fun sharing today’s message.
- As I said, The bible is not hard to understand”.
- Just keep reminding yourself that since God loves me more than a bird, I don’t have to worry.
- Fun singing “Don’t Worry Be Happy” with everyone.
- Forgot how bad I really sing, until I listened back to it on the recording.
- We had a breaker keep blowing during the 2nd Experience putting half the stage in the dark.
- ARRGGGGG!!!!
- Hate that stuff.
- Had a group of 6 people from Harrisburg visiting today to get a feel for what’s to come this fall when we move there.
- I have mixed emotions…sad to be leaving but excited as well to be meeting with people who will be a part of the next phase of our lives.
- If you haven’t seen it yet, we started a Facebook page for the new church which I’d love for you to join.
- Wow I’m tired…time for a nap.
Random Thoughts
Been awhile since I a random thoughts post. Here we go…
- Excited about the 60+ resumes that have come in to take over for me at United.
- Couple of potentially good candidates in that stack. Pray for the search team to find the right person.
- Balancing my full-time responsibilities I still have at CFCOG along with starting a new church is interesting.
- I have a follow-up meeting this Friday with a man that owns one of the buildings we’re looking at. Please pray about that.
- We have two really good but vastly different options when it comes to where we’re going to meet.
- Speaking of buildings, if you know anyone who’s looking to buy a house, steer them our way. Here’s the listing for our house.
- Excited about the new series we’re starting this weekend called, Littlefaither: The Worry Wart Series.
- Don’t forget we ARE NOT changing our clocks this weekend until after the Sunday morning Experiences.
- Love that we do this…why lose an hour’s sleep when you don’t have to!
- It’s amazing the speed I can rip through a whole box of Girl Scout Thin Mint Cookies.
- What’s even more amazing is how quickly I can go through two boxes! :)
- Really enjoying the warmer weather!
- I know NASCAR said they we’re going to let the boys be boys this year but the whole Carl Edwards thing was a bit ridiculous.
- When someone dies in the future they are going to have a lawsuit on their hands for being accomplices in a homicide.
- The lawyer will argue that because they didn’t do anything about it now, others felt it was ok and the result was death.
- Speaking of sports, my Caps are kicking some serious butt. Hope they don’t use up all there good game play in the regular season then falter in the play-offs.
- Ok, one last sports thing…sorry ladies once my mind goes there it’s hard to stop…This week and the next two are arguably the best all year round. Can’t wait for March Madness to start…especially since my Terps are playing so well!
- Now back to our regularly scheduled blog, already in progress…
- The Toyota with the stuck gas pedal thing had to have been quite frightening…did you see the guys face after he got out and was being interviewed.
- I think he was in a need of a change of underwear!
- Can’t believe there are only 9 more episodes of LOST.
- Please writers don’t let us down…we’ve stuck with you this long…give us a good conclusion or I’ll send the smoke monster to your house.
- Glad Idol isn’t 5 hours a week anymore. Even with the ability to speed things up on the DVR, that is still crazy.
- I really liked Andrew, but he’s been a disappointment recently. Now I’m thinking a girl might win it…Crystal?
- Guess that’s enough for now…have a great day!