Nuevo Laredo, Mx
November 18, 2009
Many of you may have heard me talk about this part of Mexico before. I’ve been visiting Casa Hogar Elim since 1995, and making mulitple trips each year for the past 6 years. Casa Hogar Elim is a children’s home that houses over 100 kids who are some of the most joyful, caring, loving kids I know. It’s a blessing to just walk through the doors- once you get past the odor, the poverty, and the language barrier.
This past week was my first visit in almost 10 months. It seemed like a lifetime. But, my first impression when walking through the door reminded me of why I keep going back- Read more
N*Rich 09
October 22, 2009
Well, I just got home from a trip to Atlanta for N*Rich 09. N*Rich is an annual gathering of the staff’s of all of North Point’s Strategic Partner churches. I think there were around 140 people there from about 20 or so different churches. Since we’re a new partner (we launched our Sunday environments on Aug 30th, 09), this was my first N*Rich to attend. Here are a few things I took away from the event. This is not at all an exhaustive list. Just a few random thoughts. Read more
Middle School Cheerleading and Church
September 11, 2009
This past week I found myself at another middle school football game. Cali is a cheerleader, and even though she has a broken leg, she’s pretty involved. She still cheers and dances, but she no longer “flies” during stunts. Since this was the first game of the season, we were all excited to see her. As a matter of fact, my mom, sister, and niece all came down to watch. This wasn’t easy for them since all middle school games are on Thursday nights, and my family lives 6 hours away. They had to take off work and/or skip school to come down. So, what does this have to do with church? Read more
Beachside Launch
September 2, 2009
Sorry I’ve disappeared for the past several days (weeks from this blog). I’ve been trying to recover. I had no idea this would be so draining… but, well worth it! We finally have a church in Fort Walton Beach where we can invite our friends!
This past Sunday night we had the launch service for Beachside. I say this to brag on the incredible team of people that put this together- It was amazing! I know it’s not all about the numbers, but there were approximately 280 people in attendance including about 60 kids. All that in spite of the heavy rains that lasted up until just before the service started. Now, the real test will be to see who returns. Our goal has never been just to start a church. We want to build and sustain a successful church that is leading people into a growing relationship with Jesus Christ.
I want to mention a couple of things that I think have been really significant in allowing us to get this far. I want to say this because I think these are the same things we must do to move forward. Read more
North Point Training- Part 1
July 25, 2009
One of the best things about our partnership with North Point Community Church is the incredible network of people we have available to learn from. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve picked up the phone, sent an email, or sent a tweet to one of these guys. There are currently 15 Strategic Partner churches and 7 or 8 that will be starting soon. This past week I spent 8 days (I know that doesn’t make sense) in Alpharetta (and Chattanooga and Kennessaw) training with these guys. It was a blast. Read more
Welcome to BeachsideCC.org
June 26, 2009
August 30th and the launch of our Sunday environments is almost here! After over a year of planning we’re about to have irresistible environments where we can invite our unchurched friends. Our goal all along hasn’t been to just create a place for us church people to go on Sundays. There are plenty of empty seats in existing churches in our area. Our goal has been to create a church that unchurched people will love to attend. Because of your patience, your service, your giving, and your willingness to trust God and do something crazy, we’re almost there! Read more
1 + 1 + 1 = 3
June 6, 2009
I know what you’re thinking. No, it doesn’t take a math whiz to figure this out. 1+1+1=3 is simple arithmetic. Did I insult you by giving you this information? Hang with me for a minute, and if I didn’t insult you already, I’ll run the risk of doing so with my explanation for this illustration. Not on purpose, but it’s really pretty simple. Read more
What do young non-Christians really want from us?
May 17, 2009
This past week I listened to David Kinnaman answer this question. Kinnaman is the President of Barna Research, and he has spent the past 12 years researching this topic. So, what was his answer to the question, “What do young non-Christians really want from us?” Nothing. That’s right. Kinnaman stated a somewhat hard to swallow truth- young non-Christians don’t really want anything from us Christians. However, what he asked next was crucial: “What do young non-Christians need from us?” They need Jesus. So, how do we help them understand what they need but don’t want? If young non-Christians see Christians as mostly hypocritical and judgmental, then how can we have any influence on them at all? What does this mean for the Church and specifically for Beachside? Read more
Should I be Content?
April 13, 2009
Lately as I’ve been praying I’ve had some long conversations with God about something that’s really bugging me. I’ve heard over and over again the old adage that we should be content with whatever size “ministry” the Lord gives us. He might call some to minister to 20, some to 200, and others to 2,000, or 20,000, and we should just be thankful for whatever He gives us and do our best to help those He sends our way. While I agree with this in theory, I can’t seem to agree with it practically. I think there’s really something missing in that whole discussion. So, I’ve tried to pray that God would help me to be content with where we are as a church. That we would be able to launch services in August and do the things necessary to be a good church that reaches whoever the Lord might send our way. But… God is NOT allowing me to be content with any of it.
Please don’t take that the wrong way. I’m so excited about launching Sunday services this fall that I can’t stand it. And if you’ve committed to be a part of Beachside I’m very grateful for you. I’m excited you’re a part of what He is doing. I also want to do everything I can to help you grow in your relationship with Jesus Christ as you help me. I want to be the best pastor/shepherd/leader I can be for you. But, I want so much more for you than that. I want you and I to be able to experience together a real movement of God in our community.
The thought that keeps coming back to me is this: Why would God have such incredible LOVE for all people that he would send his own son to pay the penalty for their sin if He didn’t really want them to experience His love? And why would He give us an opportunity to share His love with all the people in our community if He really didn’t want us to reach them?
Acts 15:19 has become one of my favorite passages in the Bible: “It is my judgment, therefore, that we should not make it difficult for the Gentiles who are turning to God.” James, and all the leaders of the church, decided really early on that the Church was for EVERYBODY, and that we, the church people, shouldn’t make it difficult for others to come to God. I’m ready to break down the barriers in our community, and I desperately want to see people turn to God. It’s NOT because I want to build Beachside Community Church so I can brag about more numbers. It’s because I believe God loves everyone and He desires for them to experience all His goodness.
So, here’s the verdict: I’m not content, and I’m not going to be until everyone in our community- no, everyone in the world- has had an opportunity to experience the love of Jesus Christ. I’m not sure how to do it, and I don’t really know what all He is calling Beachside to do. But, I know He is allowing us to join in on something really incredible that He is doing in our community, and I’m excited we’re on this journey together.
New Church Video
April 3, 2009
We’ve recently updated our website, www.whyanewchurch.com, with a new intro video that explains what we’re trying to do in very simple language. We hope this is helpful to those who are interested in what we are doing or are just wondering why in the world we desire to start a new church. We also hope this helps you explain the concept to your friends. I’d love some feedback on whether or not it is really helpful.
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