God is so good to us. This last weekend, I thought if close to ten percent of the people who attend at Brush Prairie campus would be willing to move to a campus or Sunday night, that would be good. We had over 4900 people in attendance for all 11 weekend services, and there are close to 400 people who indicated they would move to a campus or to Sunday evening (6:30 PM). THANK YOU LIVING HOPE CHURCH. You never cease to amaze me and always seem to just want to do the next right thing.
It isn't easy trying to figure out ways to make room at optimal inviting hours, but you are. Thanks.
I spent a little time at the campuses this Sunday and was amazed at the excitement levels. Even as a leader I can get mission drift so easy. These campuses were and still are God's idea. One church in multiple locations. Even if you aren't planning to change to a campus permanently, because we are together, let's try to stop and encourage them. Thank you Campus pastors and teams.
Remember Longview soft launches in just two weeks. Also, our Sunday night campus starts this weekend. Hopefully we can get a few people to come and support George, Bobby and the rest of the team this Sunday evening. There will be food.
If you have a campus story or thought, please share with the rest of us.
I can't wait to share this weekend about the importance of connection. You were made to do life with others. One the things we all need the most, yet brings out the greatest amount of fear and apprehension is connection and community. Each week of this four week series we will see God's vision for our lives and then I will share new ways we are making that reality for each chair. Please make it your priority not to miss this second installment of our new series, and if you can bring someone with you.
When you discover and surrender your life to His vision, you will never ever be the same again.
John
This weekend is our first baptism for 2007. Can't wait. My talk will be called "MARKED BY GOD TO BE BAPTIZED"
Would you help me out. If you have been baptized at Living Hope in the last couple years, would you mind sharing about your experience? I know there will be so many people who want to do it, but who just aren't ready to take the risk.
Baptism is all about identifying with Jesus. We practice, what we call spontaneous baptisms at Living Hope, because most all of the baptisms in the New Testament were done this way. That is a person would put their faith in Christ and then be baptized right then. Baptism is the public declaration of who you are following and who you belong to. It is the outward symbol of the inward commitment and change that has happened in your heart.
If you are planning on being baptized, invite people to be part of this experience with you.
If you have already been baptized, share your story with the rest of us.
I t is Sunday AM, I am getting ready to go to church. I hope if you can make it this weekend, you will. All the campuses will be focused on the same message. This weekend is a little different, because we are setting what will be our theme for the whole year. I was thinking about LOVE, and how our theme ought to be LIVE LOVE every minute of this year. There are over half a million minutes that will make up a year. When it is over how many of them will have been marked by love? We are marked by God to love others. John 13:34-35 says, "So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples." Read that verse again. The stakes are pretty high, wouldn't you agree? Can you imagine how different your marriage would be if you let love really prevail? How different would families be with this one value at the center of all they do?
As I was speaking God gave me a phrase that encapsulates the goal and the end game of this year.
LOVE IS the simplest thing you will ever hear. It is the hardest thing you will ever do. It will change things the most.
The thing about minutes is you have only the ones you are in. As we celebrate communion, the moments where love didn't happen are now gone. The past can bring so much guilt, but Jesus died to change all of that. As I think about the past, I learn from it, leave it and live today. Sounds cute, but takes work. I just want to say in all that we are doing day to day, in every moment, how can you LIVE LOVE in the moment you are in? Don't wait, love today. Seize just these moments you are in. They are all you have.
Live Love.
John
PS
NEXT WEEKEND IS BAPTISM. In two weeks, we will have our vision weekend and I want to announce something we are going to do as a church that we have never done. It will be a LIVE LOVE project that we can do together. See you soon.
