Haiti Mission Trip + Last Minute Supplies Needed
Our next Haiti Mission trip is coming up this Saturday. I & our team from Eagle Pointe church & a team from Mountain Lake church, will head back to Port Au Prince/Carrefour Feb. 11-18. Our team will be providing basic medical care in areas where there is none. We are also providing feeding programs, working with an orphanage, & building a church & school. ***See VIDEO at bottom of this post of some of the work we’re doing.
I will be posting updates, pictures & videos, all next week on my Facebook page & Twitter. I hope you will follow the work we are doing & be praying for us & the Haitian people we will be serving.
***NOTE: Below are some last minute items we need to round up right away to take to Haiti… (If you can help – please EMAIL ME immediately)
1) We need a decent computer & printer, & a laptop for our church in Haiti. (GO GOD – computers & printers have been taken care of)
2) We need lots of small toys, stuffed animals, & bags of candy to hand out to kids at our medical clinic & orphanage.
3) We need several LeapFrog LeapPad App Center Download Cards. (This is for Pastor Ricardo & Kendra’s children who they homeschool. We already got them a LeapPad)
Again, If you can help with any of these items – please EMAIL ME immediately!
BTW: Our next Haiti Mission Trips are June 9-16 & Oct. 6-13. ***We may add a 2nd week in June due to demand. ***In addition to construction types & general helpers – we ALWAYS need doctors, nurses, EMT’s, etc for these trips. Let me know if you are interested in going.
We’ve Got A HUGE Day Coming Up This Sunday!!!
FIRST:
Seriously, do not miss the exciting wrap-up of our “You Don’t Have What It Takes” teaching series this Sunday Jan. 29th – 9:30 & 11:00AM . My message will be on how “You Can’t Control the Future” – & why that is a very good thing.
We try to make sure that EVERY Sunday at Eagle Pointe is dynamic, relevant, & life-changing. However, I believe that this Sunday will blow your mind & that this will be the most powerful, life-changing message of this series. (and that’s saying something). PLEASE DO NOT MISS IT!
Also, if you have friends you are praying for to discover Jesus – you need to do flat-out WHATEVER IT TAKES to get them here! I believe God is going to use this message to soften & open even the hardest & most closed off hearts towards Him. PRAY & INVITE! PS. Don’t forget to bring coats & jackets for the homeless this Sunday.
SECOND:
This Sunday evening Jan. 29th at 6PM will be our Momentum Pre-Super Bowl Party & everyone is invited! Wear your favorite football team gear, bring some good potluck food to share, and join the fun! Momentum is one of the best environments for you to get inspired & equipped for ministry.
In addition to having fun & thanking all those who serve & help carry out what we are doing here at Eagle Pointe, I will be sharing something God has been showing me recently that all of our folks need to hear. If you call Eagle Pointe your church home you REALLY need to be there this Sunday evening! Please help me get the word out & get everyone in our church there on Sunday morning & evening.
Leaders are Learners – New Website
I have set up a new webpage/blog designed to help our ministry leaders of Eagle Pointe church grow in their leadership abilities & calling. As I say, “leaders are learners” and we all need to be constantly growing & stretching ourselves so that we can better serve our Lord & our church. I also decided to open this site up to everyone who might be interested. We have many ministry friends & partners around the country & world who may benefit.
Periodically, on this site (usually once a week), I will share podcasts, seminars, etc that I am learning from. Usually, when I am working out at the gym I am also listening to some audio training to help me be a better leader. As I say, working out my body & mind.
What I ask of each of you is that, as I post these, you listen to them at least 3 times. We never get everything the 1st time through & we will normally miss some things the 1st time or two. So, listen 3 times & then “reply” to that post & let me know what were your top 5 takeaways from it. I pray we all grow together to become all that God desires us to be in our leadership roles in His church.
Here is a link to the new site - Leaders Are Learners
Haiti Mission Trip – Supplies & Donations Needed
Here is an updated list of supplies needed for our Haiti mission trip. At the bottom is also a list of the money for projects we need to fund-raise between now & then. We leave on Saturday Feb. 11th!!! PLEASE help us round up these supplies & donations. We need these dropped off at Eagle Pointe by Sunday Feb 5th – so we can pack everything up & have it ready to go.
Also, if you are unable to bring items to Eagle Pointe – again, donations of money are definitely needed (we will be buying a lot of needed supplies in Haiti – easier than carrying it all & supports the local economy). You can donate online HERE (be sure to select “Serve The World”) or email me.
General Items:
- Tooth brushes
- Tooth paste
- Small toys, dolls, etc to giveaway to children (LOTS of small items are easier to pack in suitcases & can cover more kids – ‘happy meal size’ is ideal)
- Candy to giveaway to children (lg bags of smaller pieces)
- Multi-Vitamins (Children & Adult)
Medical Items: (We need LOTS of these medical supplies)
- Anti-fungal medicine (Lotrimin or other otc athletes foot meds)
- Permethrin 5%
- Neosporin/polysporin
- Benadryl (tabs & children’s liquid)
- Ibuprofen (adult and children’s liquid)
- Acetaminophen (adult and children’s liquid)
- Imodium
- 1 % hydrocortisone cream or other prescription steroid cream
- Permethrin 5%
- Antibiotics by prescription (Amoxicillin, Keflex, Bactrim, Ciprofloxacin, Augmentin, etc)
- Mebendazole by prescription
- PinX (otc pinworm medicine)
- Antibiotic eye drops – by prescription
- Visine and Visine allergy
- Albuterol inhaler by prescription
- Prednisone oral tablets and liquid – by prescription
- Glucometers & test strips
- Guaze
- Medical tape
- Blood pressure medicines by prescription
- Diabetes oral medication by prescription
Money – fundraised: (Items bought in Haiti)
- $3000 – building materials for school & pastor’s house
- $600 – local laborers to assist w/ construction projects
- $2500 – food for feeding programs (local church & while we are there)
- $1000 – to bless local church in their ministry
Please help us make a difference in the lives of so many struggling people & families in Haiti & show them the real, practical, & tangible love of Jesus!
PS. If you are interested in going on our next Haiti trips (June 9-16 & Oct. 6-13) please email me.
You Don’t Have What It Takes
This Sunday at Eagle Pointe we will kick-off an incredible, life changing teaching series called “You Don’t Have What It Takes“. As we face the start of a brand new year, many of us have fears & uncertainties about our world, as well as, doubts about ourselves & our abilities.
The reality is that trying to juggle everything life throws at you can feel like a three-ring circus. No matter how hard you try, you’ll never be able to handle it all on your own. Bet you didn’t know that was a good thing!
We all struggle with feelings of “we’re not good enough”, “we can’t handle it all”, “we can’t please everyone”, & “we can’t control the future”. We all battle fears & insecurities; we all struggle with feelings of inadequacy; and as a result we tend to allow those fears to paralyze us & keep us from moving forward into the life that we were created for & designed to live.
In this series we will learn how God can “make up the difference” of where we fall short, & how He can help us break free of our fears & insecurities & launch out boldly into the life He desires for each of us.
I cannot encourage you strongly enough to not miss this Sunday at Eagle Pointe & each week of this series — it WILL change your life! Please also care enough about your friends, neighbors, co-workers, etc to do flat-out WHATEVER IT TAKES to get them here!
Here are 2 promo videos you can share with friends…
Don’t Miss The Bus!
2012 is going to be 1 wild ride here at Eagle Pointe Church – are you ready? Have you already jumped on the bus? To me it seems that there tends to be 2 types of people in church settings when it comes to this. Those who sit back & wait. They want to observe from a distance, not get too close to the action, and wait and see if the ride, once it gets going, looks like something they want to be a part of. For whatever reason, they don’t want to jump on board too soon. Maybe they don’t want to take the risk of committing themselves, their time, talents, and resources when they’re not 100% sure what the outcome will be.
Problem! These are also the same people who usually wait until it’s too late. By the time they decide to jump on board, the bus is so far down the road that they can’t catch up. That’s the way it is most of the time with whatever it is that God is doing. God reveals His vision for something He is up to, & it’s up to us to decide if we’re willing to and going to have the faith to jump on board His bus before it departs.
I love the story of Peter walking on the water with Jesus (Matthew 14:22-33). Many people chastise Peter for taking his eyes off Jesus and beginning to sink. In my view, Peter was the only disciple who had the guts & audacity to believe Jesus enough to get out of the stinkin’ boat. The rest stayed in the comfort & safety of the boat, while Peter took the leap/step of faith and went on the adventure of a lifetime with Jesus.
God wants to take Eagle Pointe Church on the adventure of a lifetime in 2012 & beyond! Are you going to sit back, observe, and wait and see if the ride looks safe? Are you going dip your toe in the water to test it out? Or are you going to take a leap of faith as Peter did? Are you going to jump on board the bus, buckle up, hold onto your pancreas, and get ready for the ride & adventure of a lifetime?
The bus is departing very soon! It’s time to decide! What will YOU do?
Helping the Homeless this Christmas
Here in the Greater Atlanta area, homelessness is a serious epidemic. Experts estimate that we have approximately 20,000 homeless people in Greater Atlanta. With only 3,500 shelter beds available in the area, that leaves several thousand homeless Atlantans with nowhere to sleep at night. AND – here we are barreling full steam ahead into winter.
Many people suffer from the misconception that homeless people are too lazy to work or addicted to drugs. However, many homeless people are victims of job loss, physical illness, domestic violence, etc. In fact, statistics tell us 40% of these homeless people are women & children! Think about that! Also, approx. 50% of these homeless people work – they have jobs!
The problem is that most are earning minimum wage. One wage earner being paid the state’s minimum wage ($6.55/hour) would need to work 85 hours per week to afford a two-bedroom apartment. Even with two full-time minimum-wage earners, decent housing is not attainable in most places in Greater Atlanta. Therefore, we have an epidemic of families living in their cars or on the streets.
Last night while watching my kids play in the comfort of our warm home, I thought about all those families & people living on the streets. It was cold & raining last night here in the Atlanta area. And I thought about how it wouldn’t take much in today’s economic climate for any of our families to find ourselves in the same situation.
I will be talking about some of this & how we can show care to those in need/”the least of these” this Sunday at Eagle Pointe, as we continue our “Let It Be…Christmas” series. As well, your generous gifts towards our “Serve the World Christmas Offering” will help us & our ministry partners continue to assist homeless people & families in 2012. (You can DONATE ONLINE & please check out the blog series I did… “Serve the World: Christmas Offering – Part 1, Part 2, Part 3 Part 4, & Part 5.”)
In addition to that, I want to challenge you to do something right now, today & this week, in order to help the homeless.
We’re collecting supplies for Winter Survival Kits for the Homeless. We need Jackets/sweaters, Ponchos, Gloves & Hats, Hand & feet Warmers, Blankets, Socks, Wipes, Batteries AA & AAA, etc. You can drop supplies at Eagle Pointe church this week from 6:30AM – 6:00PM.
This Saturday Dec. 10th at 9AM we will be putting together the Winter Survival Kits at The Extension. Then at 4PM we will be giving out these kits to area homeless people at Must Ministries.
Please contact Rusty Draper (678) 551-9736 if you would like to help on Saturday – we do need several volunteers.
Serve the World Christmas 2011 – Part 5
I just wanted to add 1 last thought to this “Serve the World Christmas” series I’ve been doing all week. If you missed “Serve the World: Christmas Offering – Part 1, Part 2, Part 3 & Part 4” please go back read them to better understand this post in context.
One thing that has been very popular the last 2 years has been our “Serve the World Christmas Gift Certificates“. This is a great way to “Spend Less & Give More”. It’s a great way to cut back on the consumerism & materialism of Christmas & help keep the focus of Christmas on what it should really be all about. Again, Loving God, Loving Others, & Serving the World!
Rather than buying more stuff and/or more things that we really do not NEED – I encourage you to give our ”Serve the World Christmas Gift Certificates” to your family & friends this year. You can make a donation in someone’s name & let them know that you were thinking of them this Christmas. And rather than giving them something they really didn’t need, a donation was made in their name to provide provide food, immunizations, medical care, mosquito nets, Bibles, & the love of Jesus Christ in parts of the world where the average family lives on less than $2 a day. As well, this gift will help fund local mission work with Children’s homes, homeless shelters, battered women’s shelter, community service days (Faith in Actions), & benevolence assisting struggling families with financial needs & counseling.
These ”Serve the World Christmas Gift Certificates” are available in our Cafe’ at Eagle Pointe, as well you can email our office to request the gift certificates.
Please pray about cutting back on the “stuff” of Christmas – give your best gift to Jesus this Christmas – & help us truly “Serve the World” in Jesus’ name in 2012! In addition to giving on Sunday mornings at Eagle Pointe – you can also give generously towards this effort by GIVING ONLINE.
Lastly, I hope & pray that you will help us make this a Christmas to remember!
Serve the World Christmas 2011 – Part 4
Happy Thanksgiving! I know most of us are very busy with family & cooking – but I thought it was worth a try to get this post out right before “Black Friday”. I pray you will help spread the word about what I’ve been sharing this week in this 4 part series.
If you missed “Serve the World: Christmas Offering – Part 1, Part 2, & Part 3” please go back read them to better understand this post in context.
I propose that we “DO” Christmas different this year. Rather than buying into the frantic, crazy, stressful, non-stop month of parties, shopping, & trying to make sure that our friends, families, & kids have lots of “stuff” to do & presents to open – let’s just SLOW DOWN! RELAX! And ENJOY what this season is really about. As my daughter Brianna says, “Christmas is about 3 things: 1) Celebrating Jesus, 2) Spending time with family, & 3) Helping those in need!” DANG! I love that girl! THAT pretty much sums it up!
BTW: That’s a lot of what our December message series “Let It Be… Christmas” is all about! We’re using the Beatles to talk about what Christmas is really all about & how God wants to use us to show that He & we care for our families, neighbors, those in need, & our world. (Also, check out our “Let It Be…Christmas promo video here). Don’t miss this series kicking off this Sunday Nov. 27th. It will run each Sunday in December & on Christmas Eve.
This “Serve the World: Christmas Offering” is ALL about Brianna’s #3 – Helping those in need. I ask that you join us in helping in providing food, immunizations, medical care, mosquito nets, Bibles, & the love of Jesus Christ in parts of the world where the average family lives on less than $2 a day.
For the month of December please pray about & consider making a special donation to this offering, which we pray will fund our mission work in Haiti & the Phillipines for 2012. Please help us provide food, immunizations, medical care, mosquito nets, Bibles, & the love of Jesus Christ in parts of the world where the average family lives on less than $2 a day. As well, this offering will fund the local mission work with Children’s homes, homeless shelters, battered women’s shelter, community service days (Faith in Actions), & benevolence assisting struggling families with financial needs & counseling. Our goal is to raise $30,000. (This is above & beyond the approx. $30,000 it takes to run our church & preschool each month) This is also a rather modest amount considering the incredible amount of work we do with this amount of money.
Please join us in praying that God will FAR surpass our goal! Please pray about cutting back on the “stuff” of Christmas – give your best gift to Jesus this Christmas – & help us truly “Serve the World” in Jesus’ name in 2012! In addition to giving on Sunday mornings at Eagle Pointe – you can also give generously towards this effort by GIVING ONLINE.
Lastly, I hope & pray that you will help us make this a Christmas to remember!
Serve the World Christmas 2011 – Part 2
Be sure to watch the above video & if you missed “Serve the World: Christmas Offering – Pt. 1” go back & read it 1st – so that you’ll get this part 2 in context.
Listen – if we as Christians don’t step up and address these issues – people starving – parents burying their kids – kids being orphaned by diseases all over the planet… I think years from now people will look back at the 21st century Christian church and ask – “What were they thinking?” “How could they not do something?” It’s like the way we look back at the church – who for 300 years read their Bibles – and kept their black brothers & sisters in slavery. Tell me how that works? How do you justify that? The problem is that we don’t have enough people who will take action!
I also had a conversation a couple of Christmas’ ago with a pastor friend. We were kind of making fun of the people who boycott stores that do not say “Merry Christmas” – during the month of December. I don’t think I’ll ever forget – my friend said – “I want to boycott those stores that invoke the name of my Savior – in the name of the almighty dollar. I had another conversation with my daughter Brianna – who asked me – “Daddy, why is it Jesus’ birthday and everybody buys all kinds of gifts for everybody else – but Jesus doesn’t get anything?” She said – “If it was my birthday – and everybody except me got gifts except me I’d be pretty upset.”
Then I did a little research and found that the average family in America spends $1300 buying Christmas gifts – that’s just the average… Some spend a lot more – & too many go into debt pulling off Christmas. We spend a ridiculous amount of money on gifts for everyone we know – on video games, iPods, clothes, and all kinds of stuff that our kids can’t begin to be grateful for or appreciate. Question – does this in any way sound like a celebration of the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ – of God’s love coming to earth in flesh? To me – it is more of one giant orgy of materialism – and it’s sickening!
I am challenging all of us – and everyone who will listen – to drastically cut back on Christmas gifts this year! I’ll give you a moment to catch your breath ——- But guess what? Christmas is not my birthday – & I don’t need anything! It’s not your birthday – and you really don’t need anything! Now, I know this is a hard pill, especially for our teens and kids, to swallow – but compared to 99% of the other kids in the world – our’s live like stinkin’ royalty! 99% of the kids in the world would trade places with them in a heartbeat!
So, in our family we’re calculating the maximum amount we can afford to spend on Christmas, without going into debt – which isn’t a whole lot on a pastor’s salary, paying off 2 adoptions, etc… We’re cutting that in 1/2 and using 1/2 to buy gifts & taking the other 1/2 and giving it Jesus for His birthday. Now, how do you give the Jesus – who is not here in the flesh? You could give to His work – the local church! And we should definitely be doing that. But Jesus also said that when you do this for the least of these – people who are suffering – starving – dying from diseases – you are doing it for Me. It’s easy to get overwhelmed – when you look at the incredible needs all over the globe – and think what could I do about all of that? Well, you can’t fix it all – but we can each do our part. Our Eagle Pointe family could come together and address a small portion of it.
During the month of December we’re doing a “Serve the World: Christmas Offering“. This offering will help fund our church’s mission work in Haiti & the Phillipines for 2012. Please help us provide food, immunizations, medical care, mosquito nets, Bibles, & the love of Jesus Christ in parts of the world where the average family lives on less than $2 a day. As well this offering will fund the local mission work with Children’s homes, homeless shelters, battered women’s shelter, community service days (Faith in Actions), & benevolence assisting struggling families with financial needs & counseling.
We’re encouraging people to go above and beyond their normal, ongoing support of all the ministries & mission work we do here at Eagle Pointe Church – & give to support our Serve the World: Christmas Offering. Please pray about it & see what God leads you & your family to do. In addition to giving on Sunday mornings at Eagle Pointe – you can also give generously towards this effort by GIVING ONLINE.
Serve the World Christmas 2011 – Part 1
I think the above video is all too indicative of our world today! (If you didn’t watch it – invest 4 minutes & do so) There’s something very wrong with us as a people and as a society! What do you think God is thinking when He sees us acting like that? About 3 years ago God began to really open my eyes and breaking my heart to the conditions that so many people in our world live in. Not just their physical needs – but also their spiritual needs. But reality is – that it’s very hard for people to focus on their spiritual needs when they’re starving to death – when their children are dying of diseases.
2 years ago I was at the gym working out – when a guy who knew I was a pastor approached me… The cyclone in the Myanmar had just happened – 50,000 people died… And another 50 to 100,000 people were expected to die – because they lacked the basic necessities of life – to survive the aftermath of the storm. And as so many people do – this guy was blaming God. He comes to me & says – “How could you believe in a God who would allow that to happen? If God is real – why doesn’t he do something about that?”
He went on and on – I listened for a while – and finally I put down the weights – I turned to him – and said – “God did do something about it!” He looked at me very perplexed and I said – “God created you and me and the other 7 billion people on this planet – and instead of sitting around and complaining and blaming God – God created each of us to get off of our fat happy lazy butts & go do something about it!” And with that – he lowered his head – and walked away.
In America alone – we spend more on entertainment each year – than it would cost to eradicate Malaria & other diseases throughout the world. In America alone – we spend more on hair products & make up each year – than it would cost to than it would cost to feed every man, woman, & child on the planet. But it’s because of our own human greed – selfishness – & irresponsibility that people are starving and dying of diseases all around the world. We won’t get off of our butts & go do something about it!
In Part 2 I’ll dive a lot more into this idea… But let me share with you something our church is doing this year. During the month of December we’re doing a “Serve the World: Christmas Offering“. This offering will help fund our church’s mission work in the Philippines, Haiti, as well as other local & global mission work we do for 2012. Please help us provide food, immunizations, medical care, mosquito nets, Bibles, & the love of Jesus Christ in parts of the world where the average family lives on less than $2 a day. In addition to giving on Sunday mornings at Eagle Pointe – you can also give generously towards this effort by GIVING ONLINE.
Our Eagle Pointe Life Groups will be helping provide Christmas gifts for a bunch of kids at a Children’s Home we work with for battered & neglected kids, as well as, helping several families both inside & outside of our church pull off Christmas/meals/gifts this year.
So, let me encourage you – before you dive head first into “Black Friday” & the Christmas shopping madness. Just say “NO!” to the greed, selfishness, extravagance, excesses, and debt this Christmas. Step back, take a deep breath, and ask yourself —– “Is this what Christmas should really be about?”, “Do my kids & others really need 20 new things this Christmas?”, “Does the way our society celebrates Christmas – even remotely resemble what a celebration of God’s Love coming to Earth 2000 yrs ago should look like?”
I’ll let you chew on that for a while – stay tuned for tomorrow’s ”Serve the World: Christmas Offering – Pt. 2” – don’t miss it!
Can Someone Please Slow Down This Ride?
Normally I use this blog to post about leadership, ministry/church related issues, local & global mission work, etc. However, today this post is very personal.
I woke up this morning wondering – “Where in the heck did the last 13 years go???” 13 years ago I stood in a hospital holding my newborn baby girl, and there was no man-tears about it, I cried like a baby at the sight of the most beautiful thing I had ever laid eyes on. (Umm – sorry my beautiful wife – I mean next to you of course) It was truly a life-changing experience – to hold this fragile new life in my hands & realize that God had just given me one the most precious gifts in all of life.
And I was gone! Completely, utterly, head over heals in love with my little girl. I remember the first word she ever uttered – “da-da”. I remember her first wobbly steps across the living room floor. I remember her first day of school & teaching her to ride a bike. I remember putting her on a school bus for the first time & tearing up as my baby rode off. (I also remember thinking that if anything happened to my baby, I would dismember the bus driver) I remember daddy/daughter dances. I remember times she was scared & she’d take off running to daddy. She knew her daddy would protect her.
My wife, Gina, used to say that just couldn’t believe how such a little girl could have such a big man wrapped around her little finger. I am guilty as charged!
I remember playing Pretty, Pretty, Princess & my little girl putting necklaces, earrings, & make-up on me. I remember taking her to Disney World for her 5th birthday while she was in full-blown princess mode. It cost a small fortune, but that didn’t matter because this was for my little princess.
I remember her first soccer practice & how nervous she was about playing with other kids who had played longer than she had. She was afraid she wouldn’t be good enough & that they might laugh at her. I remember kneeling down, giving her a reassuring hug, & then looking in her eyes & telling her that she could do anything she set her mind to – that she was more than good enough – & to go kick some butt! And with that she was off!
I remember coaching her soccer team for a few years & the rides to & from practices where we would talk about everything – life, school, her fears, God & even lots of girl/hormonal/development stuff that I REALLY wish she would have talked to her mom about. And while it was extremely awkward to talk about these things with my little girl, I tried to never let her see it. Because I was also thanking God that our relationship was such that she felt comfortable talking to me about this stuff.
I could go on & on & on & on… but I think you catch the drift here. Well, on Sunday my little princess turns… (not sure I can actually type this)… she turns 13!!! Ummm, excuse me, but where exactly did my 5 year old little girl go? 13 years cannot possibly have gone by already! And besides mourning a childhood that is passing by —- I’m not so sure I’m ready to let her be a teenager. Really? Not yet! Not so soon! Come on God! Can’t we slow this ride down and give me a few more years?
Tonight we’re having a big party with 20-something of her friends & honestly, I’m not sure I’m ready for this. I sit with a lump in my throat & my eyes watering as I write this. (Must be my allergies!)
But let me tell you – she is one amazing young lady! God truly reached down & touched this girl — Gina & I cannot take much credit for how incredible she has turned out so far. She loves Jesus, church, ministry, & missions. She’s got straight A’s in school & is a pretty darn good soccer player. And she could be a role model for most adults when it comes to maturity, compassion, & heart for God & ministry.
I’ll also tell you that I am SO grateful for some mentors God placed in my life years ago who challenged me to find a healthy balance between ministry/career & family. (My hot-blooded Italian wife also helps keep me in check!). I’ve been criticized that I am not more “available” to people. (ie. Tues & Thurs evenings & part of Saturday are soccer time with my Bri-Girl; I don’t answer my phone at dinner time or when I’m spending time with my family; etc.) I’ve been told that our church could be much “bigger” (ministry speak for a successful church).
But here’s the reality, & this applies to any of our careers —- we’ve got lots of years & lots of opportunities to build our churches, companies, careers, etc. But please don’t miss this – we only have a very small window & one shot with our kids!!! So, I’ll take the flak & criticism – but I WILL NOT blow my one shot with my kids!
So, Happy Birthday to my beautiful, amazing, smart, & talented daughter Brianna! You Rock! You are truly a gift from God & I am so incredibly proud of you!
Oh yeah – God, any chance on that slowing the ride down thing?
Lazy/Boring Church Is A Sin!
I must confess that I got burned out on “Pastor’s/Church Conferences” several years ago & I still have not recovered. Whether it was just attending, or the times I had the privilege of being a speaker at them, I always left feeling discouraged & dejected.
The reason for this discouragement & dejection was the number of pastors & church leaders attending in hopes of finding that magic formula, pill, or program that they could just copy & paste or plug n’ play into their church back home.
The bottom line is that if a church wants to be used by God to impact a community – IT TAKES WORK!!! HARD WORK!!! AND LOTS OF IT!!!
For far too long the church has been lazy… that’s right… LAZY. We have sat back on our butt & done nothing, asking God to “do it all” and claiming to be “led by the Spirit.” And then people walk into our boring, lifeless & predictable services & we give “God all the glory” (or the blame!)
One of the things I have realized in reading Scripture though is that Jesus was far from boring – He created experiences for His followers – experiences that they NEVER forgot…do you remember…
- Jesus walking on water…don’t think for a minute that Peter didn’t think about that moment every time he walked by a lake.
- The mount of transfiguration. Peter & John were both so blown away by this that they both wrote about it in Scripture.
- The feeding of the 5,000.
- The day of Pentecost in Acts 2.
- Bringing back Lazarus from the dead.
- Turning water into wine (the Baptists hate that one!)
I could go on & on – the bottom line is that Jesus was constantly creating experiences that communicated to His followers who He was in a way that they would never forget…
AND THE CHURCH SHOULD BE DOING THE SAME!!!
Here at Eagle Pointe we meet weekly to brainstorm, plan out, & prepare for the next several Sunday’s. We have creative team meetings, as we will tonight, to think through every aspect of our teaching series’ – sets, decor, special songs, videos, dramas, etc. We are serious about Sunday’s & the experience that is created for the people coming through our doors.
I have had pastors tell me that our process leaves no room for the Holy Spirit… that we are not open to the Holy Spirit’s leading… & quite frankly to me that is a cop-out, an excuse for their laziness!
I am sick and tired of pastors & church leaders blaming their laziness & lack of preparation on the Holy Spirit!!! One of the things that I have discovered is that the Holy Spirit is always at work… & NOT just on Sunday’s – but during creative team meetings, brainstorming sessions, & even in the last couple of week’s as I fasted, prayed, & planned out our teaching series’ for all of 2012! YES – I actually believe God can speak to you an entire year in advance! (Call me crazy —- & many people do!)
If you attend Eagle Pointe – here is my promise to you. We take church seriously. Everything you see is done with a purpose. We are serious about Jesus… & serious about seeing as many people as possible meeting Him. And because of that fact we are willing to do all that we can to reach those people!
It is our desire NOT to just have a church service – but to create an experience through song, video, messages… & any other tools that the Holy Spirit might choose to place in front of us.
Sure – we’ve been accused of entertaining people… Well, I would much rather entertain you than bore you!!! Jesus didn’t mind creating experiences… and His church shouldn’t either.
We know GOD is in charge – that HE is ultimately responsible for all that is happening… but we also understand that God works THROUGH people… & that He is honored when people plan, pray, WORK… & then sit back & watch Him make up the difference.
We are serious about making His name famous… & that just can’t happen when church is boring. (Again, I believe a boring church is a sin!!!) SO… we are going to always do all we can to make sure that when you attend church on Sunday – that it is one of the BEST hours of your entire week!!!
Let me also encourage you to not miss a single week of our “Let It Be… Christmas” series kicking off on Sun. Nov. 27th! It will run Sundays in December & 3 services on Christmas Eve. We have put A LOT of time, energy, effort, planning, preparation, & WORK into this series. It will most definitely not be boring & it will be a life & eternity changer for many people. Also, go flat-out crazy inviting people to join you. Below is a sneak peak at 1 of our promo videos for this series…
*** Some ideas borrowed from Dan Southerland, Rick Warren, & Perry Noble
The One & Only Way To Do Church
I am amazed that there is still such a lively debate going on over “the right way” to do church. Especially here in the “Bible belt” of the Southeast U.S., & in particular here in Greater Atlanta where I am. But the debate is raging… traditional vs. contemporary – house church vs. mega church – postmodern vs. well… I don’t know what THEY are against –—– usually everything!!!
My point is that people get trapped into thinking that there is one way to do church – and if other churches are NOT doing church that way then they are WRONG. And to take that even further… the people in the churches that feel as if they are right openly criticize and condemn… and some have even staged protests outside of other churches.
Personally, I have been verbally attacked in person, via email, & via other blogs. Uh, somehow I am not thinking that is what Jesus meant when He called us to love one another AND to make disciples. However, I have gotten used to this – it happens all the time. It used to really bother me (I’m human) – but over the years I have learned to let it roll off my back.
People ask me, “Is the way Eagle Pointe is doing church the RIGHT way.” My response is always, “No, it is a different way!” There are so many different people in this world… and it is going to take so many different styles of church & styles of pastors to reach them. To claim that there is ONE worship style that is right is both dangerous, narrow minded and egotistical. And to attack people who ARE NOT compromising the Gospel… or compromising Scripture is both arrogant and wrong.
There are several questions that I think need to be asked when evaluating a ministry to see if it is in line…
#1 – Is It Growing?
Jesus called us to reach people–period. Healthy things grow–period. And NO ONE can make a BIBLICAL case for a church remaining small & not caring about the community in which it exists.
I hear it from time to time, “We’re small – but we love each other and it is our call to minister to one another.” That is a partial truth… it is A PART of our call… but another part is to go and reach people for Christ. A church that is inward focused & gives the community the middle finger and tells them to go to hell is not doing it right – period.
It’s not about the style of worship either. There is a baptist church near us that is growing like crazy – and they are as traditional as they come. We must be VERY careful NEVER to confuse methodology with theology!
#2 – Is It Scriptural?
I am all for doing anything & everything, “whatever it takes” to reach people for Jesus! However, Scripture must never be compromised!
Now here is where people will look at churches like Eagle Pointe and claim we are compromising Scripture by not dressing up… or they will condemn the fact that we have a rock-n-roll worship band & other things like that.
The problem is that these objections are based on personal preferences rather than precepts, and that is a dangerous line to cross.
#3 – Is It Engaging?
I think there is one word to describe a church that is boring – SIN! Look at it this way – God is not boring. He invented laughter. He invented the sunset. He’s the One who developed the concept of sex! (Thank you Jesus!)
And Jesus – He was not a boring dude. He was always telling stories… and wherever He went there was this crowd that followed Him. (So much for keeping it small!) And when He walked on the water… or turned water into wine – trust me – He engaged people.
And the Holy Spirit – one good read through Acts chapter two will highlight the fact that when He moves it is completely obvious!
And the Bible – is the most exciting book ever written. There are stories of war, romance, kings and queens, you name it – it’s in there.
Unfortunately I know too many churches who have taken God, Jesus, the Spirit, and the Bible and made them the most boring and irrelevant things on the planet.
God is NOT boring – His Bride, the Church, should not be either!
I know we are not perfect – we never will be. I tell our church often that as long as I am the pastor that things will probably be screwed up around here. However, I believe with all of my heart that we are doing exactly what Jesus has called US to do in OUR church & in OUR community… and that we are doing it exactly how He has called us to do it. And that is the conviction that every pastor and the leadership of every church must have.
So – style – doesn’t matter. Dress – doesn’t matter. Political preferences – doesn’t matter. Jesus matters! His Kingdom matters! The world around us that does not know Him as Lord & Savior matter! Let’s stop tearing down other pastors & churches – & let’s start building the Kingdom of Christ!
Those are my thoughts on the matter – what are yours?
*** Some parts/ideas borrowed from Dan Southerland, Rick Warren, & Perry Noble
“iGod” Series Starts This Sunday – BE THERE!”
Is there really a God? What is He like? Well, join us as we explore these questions & more, & discover the All-Present, All-Powerful, All-Knowing & All-Loving God of the Bible.
The reality is that God wants us to know Him – God wants to reveal Himself to you. The more you know about God – the more life is going to make sense – & that’s why we are doing this series. Some of us are unclear about your future because you are unclear about God. Some of us lack direction in your life because you have a faulty understanding about who God is. A lot of people wander through life – they lack direction – they are afraid – they worry all the time because they have the wrong picture of God. If you don’t have a proper picture of God – then your life is never going to make sense.
Our “iGod” teaching series kicks off this Sunday 9:30 & 11:00AM @ Eagle Pointe Church. Not only do you REALLY need to be here this Sunday & for this entire series, but I challenge you to be a Kingdom Builder! Pray for & get busy inviting your friends & everyone God brings across your path this week. Also, please help us promote this series by watching & then sharing our 3 promo videos below on your social media.
I can’t wait to see you & those you bring with you this Sunday @ Eagle Pointe.
“Warrior” Series Wrap-Up & Covenant Ceremony
This Sunday we will wrap up our “Warrior” teaching series in a very special & powerful way. In addition to teaching about “The Passionate Warrior” we will be having a “Covenant Ceremony” at the end of this coming Sunday’s message time.
This has already been an amazing series that God has used to bring marriages & families back together; to have men & women understand & embrace God’s call on their lives; & to help people see that there is a battle being waged for our families, churches, communities, & world. (If you have missed any of the series, please go to our Eagle Pointe Channel & watch)
Our Warrior Covenant Ceremony will be along the lines of what you may have seen in the recent movie “Courageous”. I am going to challenge the men of our church to step up & live out the values we have talked about in this series & to be the Warriors God has created them to be. Men, if you feel ready & willing to accept the challenge please join us this Sunday at Eagle Pointe & plan to participate in this ceremony. Guys, you don’t have to wear suits – but I do encourage you to dress nice this Sunday.
Below is a copy of the covenant we are challenging the men to make between themselves & God; between themselves & their family; & between themselves & their church family. We will present copies of this covenant to each man who takes part in the ceremony & I hope that you will sign it, have 2 friends/accountability partners witness it, frame it, & hang it on a wall in your home as a daily reminder.
Again, this will be a very special & powerful time that I strongly encourage you to not miss.
IRAN: Next 24 hours critical to stop execution of Pastor Nadarkhani
IRAN: Next 24 hours critical to stop execution of Pastor Nadarkhani
Pastor Yousef Nadarkhani is facing execution anytime from Thursday onwards after refusing to renounce his Christian faith. Pastor Nadarkhani has appeared in court three times this week and each time has refused to renounce his faith when asked to do so by the court.Next 24 hours critical to stop the execution of Pastor Yousef Nadarkhani
The facts:
- Pastor Nadarkhani is repeatedly being asked by the Iranian court to renounce his faith in order to avoid execution, and that the last chance he will be given to do so is today (Wednesday Sept. 28th), after which he could be executed at any time.
- Pastor Nadarkhani has been charged, and faces execution, solely on the basis of his adopting Christian faith. As such, the Islamic Republic of Iran is violating its obligations under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR). Article 18 includes a provision for the right to “have or to adopt” a religion, which has been interpreted authoritatively by the UN Human Rights Committee as including the right to change one’s religion.
- Iran’s constitution sanctions Christianity as a legitimate minority faith and asserts that Christians are allowed to freely carry out their religious rites. Article 23 asserts that no one may be “reprimanded simply because of having a certain belief”.
I ask you to join me in doing 2 things immediately:
1st – Use this LINK to email the Iranian embassy, urging them not to go ahead with the execution following the trial.
2nd – Please pray for Pastor Nadarkhani, his family and legal team using the prayer points below:
- For God to stay the hand and change the hearts of the Iranian judiciary, that they would reconsider the death sentence handed down.
- That the international community would swiftly take decisive and effective action on behalf of Pastor Nadarkhani.
- That God would lift up Pastor Nadarkhani.
- For peace, strength and comfort for Pastor Nadarkhani’s family.
- For wisdom and eloquence for Pastor Nadarkhani’s lawyer who is also facing legal difficulties.
- That God would comfort members of Pastor Nadarkhani’s church and denomination.
- That Iranian Christians would not be bound by fear and would keep their eyes fixed firmly on God.
Please act now! For more info on this follow this LINK.
