25%

The official figures are in - for the three Sundays since our relaunch on September 10th, there have been exactly 25% more people worshiping with us than for the same three Sundays one year ago.

Whatever way you cut it, that is good stuff and it means we are definitely moving in the right direction as we look to bust through the next major church growth barrier of 500 people on a Sunday morning.

The word is that once you get past the 500 mark, the next 500 comes far quicker, so the extra effort now is going to reap huge dividends in the not-too-distant future.

Here are a couple more quotes from my current favorite book - Go Big -

Ask for explosive growth to happen and position yourself for it to happen.

Remember, if it's possible, you don't need God. If it seems impossible, God is probably waiting for you to ask.

I LOVE IT

Just finished our first small group meeting of this session - Living A Blessed Life. It's a stufy in the Sermon on The Mount that runs parallel to our Sunday series on the beatitudes - Discover Recovery.

The group really was small, but it was a good evening as we talked about how those who realize they need God's help (the poor in spirit) are prime candidates for his blessing.

The best bit of the night came as our guests were leaving and one of them admitted to having had second thoughts about being baptized Sunday because he didn't feel he was good enough. Tonight reassured him that it's actually healthy to be in that frame of mind and he reaffirmed he would be getting baptized.

With my normal pastoral compassion, I simply agreed, "You'r not good enough!" Nor am I and nor is anyone - It's grace that brought us safe thus far and grace will lead us home.

WHO'S COMING?

We are gearing up for our Celebration Sunday and with that in mind, I stole this from Dave Ferguson's blog -

As I thought about our efforts to ask people to join us during this series I began to put people into categories and here are the people who I think are most likely to say "yes" if you ask them to join you at church.

1. Friends & Family - These are people that will say "yes" just because they like you and know it is important to you. I would not let that stop you from inviting them; if they will come who knows what God might do. Invite them to church and then out for dinner or more fun afterwords. You should definitely invite them.

2. Seekers & Searchers - These are the people that are spiritually searching and are very open to talking about God, religion and faith. These people don't claim to have the answers but really want to figure it out. We are doing a series on relationship and most all seekers and searchers are surprised to learn how God can help them in this most important area of life. Now is a great time to invite them.

3. Hurting & Needy - These are the people who have recently gone through a loss. They may have recently gone through a divorce, had a big job change, experienced the death of someone near them or some other tragedy that left them hurting and needing help. They are looking at the whole world differently than ever before and are open to ideas that before were unacceptable. You know someone like this right now...invite them.

4. Divine Appointments - These are the people that God has almost supernaturally put into your life. The only reason that your path crossed with this persons path is because God set up a divine appointment and he wants you to share Jesus with this person. If God has put one of these people in your life, invite them this series!

PUSHING OURSELVES

Eighteen months ago I joined a gym and started going there every morning to walk on the treadmill for 20 minutes at 3mph. Believe it or not, that felt like quite the workout when I weighed 330+lb.

Today I did a personal best, jogging 6 miles in just over 55 minutes - quite a difference from those initial efforts at the beginning of 2005. But that won't be good enough when I step onto the machine again tomorrow. Tomorrow's target will be under 55, even if its 54 minutes 59 seconds - and so it continues, pushing myself continually (well, most of the time, anyway), looking to improve on a daily basis.

Move that same determination into every part of life and I'd be well on the way to being superhusband, superfather, superpastor, etc., etc.

When we think about church life we should never settle with today's achievements. We always need to be fine tuning what we do and how we do it. We need to set our goals higher on a regular basis, pushing for more and in the process giving God more room to do what he does best, showing up, surprising us and accomplishing more than we could ever ask him or imagine he could do.

There's always more that we can do if we set our minds to it.

This week I resurrected a framed picture that was too far away from me for me to read the tag line. I put it right beside me on my desk. The wording goes like this -

Do not follow where the path may lead. Go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.

DONE DEAL

Brookhaven Conservative Party has a new leadership team. Last night's meeting went smoothly and our church's attorneys, Richard Johannesen and Ken Auerback now hold the top leadership positions in the party, with two of our church's members supporting them on the Executive. I'll be assisting them too in the newly created role of Chaplain to the Executive.

The conservative line is worth anywhere between 7% and 13% of the vote in local elections, so the party has been kingmaker for a number of years.

But sadly that influence has been abused for almost two decades, so it is an enormous breakthrough to have Christians in the leadership positions now.

When the Conservative leaders speak, politicians listen.

And they are going to be talking loud and clear!

ROLL ON SUNDAY

As I came out of Worship Central last Sunday morning, the Baptism Class was just finishing up in one part of the foyer of the theater. I looked at the folks there and was tremendously encouraged. I know them. I know their stories. I know a lot of what God has done for them over the past few months and where he has brought them from.

That's why we call the day we do baptisms Celebration Sunday. We celebrate new life, new hope, forgivenness, wholeness, purpose. I can hardly wait for Sunday to roll around.

We will celebrate!

THIS IS FUNNY!

Warning!
If you do not have a sense of humor, do not - I repeat, do not! - open this link ...

Finding A Church

DAY OFF OR OFF-DAY?

I started my day-off this morning jogging my daily six miles at the gym and I ended it by eating chocolate chip cookies, brownies, some spice cake and a handful of chips (fat-free chips you'll be glad to know, but I do have a big hand!).

Why should this be of any interest whatever to any poor soul wandering the internet who happens upon this page? The truth is, it probably won't.

But for those who know me and have seen my journey towards health over the past eighteen months, it may serve as a reminder of the fact that we move gradually towards our goals in life and don't suddenly arrive there. In fact, we generally battle every step of the way.

But the ultimate goal makes the struggles worthwhile - and thankfully one out of control evening doesn't wipe out all that has been accomplished.

At least this proves I'm not anorexic!

JUST IN CASE YOU'RE INTERESTED

Our email's back up and running. Don't ask me how or why - I did eventually get word from our webhosting company about what had happened, but since I don't speak computer geek-ese I have no idea what they are talking about.

Seems all the emails sent here for the past four days have been bounced back to their sources, so feel free to re-send - except for you spammers who finally got a taste of your own medicine!

TUESDAY WILL BE SIGNIFICANT

Most Towns/States don't have a Conservative Party - other major parties take the conservative position. But here in New York, there was a vacuum, so the Conservative Party was established to fill it. Sadly they did not stick to the politics their name implies. But all that is about to change.

At the Brookhaven Conservative Party's Convention on Tuesday evening the New Conservative Majority is set to take control of the party. With 340+ delegates to the old guards less than 100, the New Conservative Majority (for that you can read Chrustian leadership team) is set to have a new Executive established which will stick to Conservative and Christian principles.

They have asked me to act as Chaplain to the Executive to help them ensure that whatever they pursue is Biblical and will help the development of God's kingdom in this area.

There is an interesting time ahead for local politics. Please pray for Tuesday night to go smoothly and for this new force in the Town's leadership to have all the wisdom they need.

As I have written here before, their first demand will be that the Town Board revokes its restrictions on church buildings!

BITS AND PIECES

Finally the webhosting company has sent out an email to all their customers saying they have a major problem and are putting all their resources into working on it. I'm starting to think that means it's a two man operation and they're both too busy to communicate with us!!!

Thankfully our son-in-law's father was brought back to Long Island yesterday. He flew in a specially equipped jet and seems to be none the worse for his journey. He's going to be continuing his slow recovery in North Shore Hospital.

Happily an old friend is headed here and is somewhere close to our house right now. He will be speaking for us tomorrow in our service. Eugene Greco is an outstanding songwriter whose songs have been sung around the world for years. He's about to start a whole new chapter in life and ministry which we'll hear some more about tomorrow no doubt. We're just looking forward to catching up with Eugene and Joy after far too many years!

BEN'S FIFTH BIRTHDAY

Hey, no apologies, this is what grandparents are meant to do - show pictures of their grandchildren. So here's our Ben earlier today at his 5th birthday party. Wonder why he didn't invite me?

Guess it could be because he lives in Texas and already figured out I couldn't make it!

NOW IT'S GETTING REALLY FRUSTRATING

Not hearing from our web hosting company is what's driving me nuts. The website itself was only down for a few hours yesterday and it looks like we can now send outgoing email, but there's nothing coming in.

I'm getting really frustrated - especially since they're not returning my calls and requests for help I've sent through their website.

Guess it's like a lot of other services, it's not how they are when everything's up and running that matters, it's where they are when something goes wrong.

And the answer to that folks is --- nowhere to be found!

EMAIL WOES

If you have tried emailing me during the past 24 hours and are waiting for a reply, here are two things you need to know -

1. I seldom reply to any emails within 24 hours!

2. Our email service has not been working for more than a day and though I have left a phone message with our web hosting company and have opened several tickets with their technical support department, I have had no response from them, so have no clue what is going on.

If this pattern continues, I might have to start lifting the phone and actually talking to people.

Thank God computers have made our lives so much easier!!!

BE AFRAID, BE VERY AFRAID

I am reading this incredible book right now - Go Big by Bill Easum and Bil Cornelius (that's not a typo, the second Bil can't spell his own name even though he has co-authored a whole book!).

Here are a few quotes, that made me stop and think ...

We ask God to grow us into great leaders, but then ask for God to remove the very struggles that will grow us into great leaders.

Let God pull you out of your comfort zone and say, "Let's grow, let's do some things we never dreamed we would do".

When you follow Christ, he will lead you to a life that challenges the status quo.

What's keeping you from asking God to multiply your ministry?

When God wants to change the world he raises up leaders. God does not change the world by committee.

Every church eventually is a shadow of its leader.

Are you willing to spend more money than you think the church can bring in? Or are you going to let the checkbook be the God in your life?

Is the very thing you're attempting so crazy that God has to bail you out?

Leaders should never ask their church what it wants to do. What matters is not what we want but what does God want for your church? What does God think you can do? It doesn't matter what "they" think is realistic. What does God want to do.

That's probably enough for one day - I'm pretty much on overload already myself. You may well be asking What on earth is he going to do next? This is not the kind of stuff a visionary should be reading - or is it????

BETTER WATCH OUT

Remember all those things you said would happen when hell freezes over?

Better watch out!

TAKING THE INITIATIVE

One of the advantages of the land we bought to build a church on is that it already has a house and several other buildings that we can use for a number of purposes. So while the Town continues to stall our application for planning permission, one of the most productive things we do at Grace House is to operate a food pantry there every Thursday morning and evening, feeding up to 40 families each week.

I dropped some things off at the pantry this morning and was surprised to see that the inside of the house has been given a substantial facelift. We've done nothing much to it for almost six years now and it was definitely looking sub-par, so it was quite a shock to see the living room newly painted with pictures on the walls and a new carpet on the floor.

One of our guys who helps out at the food pantry had seen the need for some work to be done there and just got on with it last week. He didn't wait to be asked, organized or even financed, he saw the opportunity, realized he was capable and got stuck in.

I love pastoring a church where people pitch in without waiting for the pastor to initiate everything. That's why we're growing. It's a biblical principle that churches grow when everyone who is a part is functioning.

Thanks God for good people who take the initiative!

OUTSIDERS

Here's a great quote from the pastor of a church I visited in South Carolina a couple of months ago. Perry Noble's Newspring Church in Anderson has grown to over 6,000 in attendance since it started six years ago -

I said it Sunday–but I will say it again…one of THE main reasons our church is growing is because the people inside haven’t forgotten what it was like to be outside. The people who have received God’s grace are still aware of those who need God’s grace. The people inside are NOT content with playing Christian games…but rather are bothered by the fact that there are people right here in this community that, if they died today, would spend eternity in hell…and that fact does not allow us to rest at night.

I reckon he's right on. The me-centered individuals tend to be those who have been Christians since before Noah built the ark, have lived in a sanitized pagan-free environment for decades and have no concept whatever of what life or eternity could be like without Jesus.

Thankfully the vast majority of our folks come into the category that Perry describes.

GOOD NEWS

This is shaping up to be a very good week. Sunday was another outstanding day, building on the successes of our re-launch the previous week. Then last night the Mets clinched the divisional title.

Today we got word that our son-in-law's father is being flown back to a Long Island hospital later this week to continue his miraculous recovery following a sky diving accident in Arizona almost eight weeks ago.

He won't be waiting in Southwest lines like the rest of us, he'll be flying in a specially equipped Lear jet with all the medical personnel he needs. So while Freddy still has a heck of a long way to go, all this is progress that we thank God for.

A good week indeed!

THE TIME. THE TEAM

So now it's official, the New York Mets are the National League Eastern Division Champions.
Bring on the Yankees!!!

SCRATCHING THE ITCH

Twenty five years or so ago I was part of an inter-church planning group that hosted a large crusade in Pittodrie Stadium, Aberdeen, Scotland for Argentinian Evangelist Luis Palau. Palau was pretty much an unknown quantity in those days, but he had an impressive resume and was touted as "the next Billy Graham."

We all know now there won't be another or a next Billy Graham - that mantle seems to have fallen on a local church leader, not an evangelist, the man frequently referred to in the media as America's Pastor, one Rick Warren.

But Palau has been an effective minister, sharing the gospel with millions of people over several decades. His preaching is still relevant and powerful.

All those years back, I had an inside track to the man himself and remember sitting with Luis Palau and chatting one night after the crusade service was over. I was raised on expository Bible teaching and without being immodest, would suggest I was pretty good at it myself.

So Palau's style intrigued me. He did not teach through Bible passages, expound verses or even explain Greek words. He talked about things like marriage, loneliness, parenting, death, sex, mission, etc and of course he used a lot of Bible as he did so.

I asked him about his style and still remember his answer - Roger, you need to scratch people where they are itching.

It took me a few years to get the point and make the transition, but that's what we endeavor to do week by week at CATMO. We don't feed people with Bible information, we address things that really matter to them and apply the Bible to these issues.

I guess it works. Our current series - Discover Recovery is proof of that. When you teach on subjects that really matter to people, they respond and lives are changed.

Guess that's why we sold a heap of CD's of the teaching after service today. We must be scratching the itch!

MEANWHILE BACK IN THE REAL WORLD

Can hardly wait for tomorrow morning. Looking to see last week's guests returning and more new friends joining us. Plus all the regulars of course - the people who make it happen!

Discover Recovery is going to be an outstanding series. There was a ton of good feedback from last week's opening part, with our Prayer Chapel working overtime at the end of service as people prayed through some of the issues raised.

Tomorrow we crank it up a bit more and look at The Dawn Of Hope, which is the next natural step after you realize you're not God

If you're not God, who is?

That's easy - God is God and he knows us, cares about us, is all-powerful and a bunch of other things you'll have to be there to hear about.

Roll on Sunday!

73 MINUTES

Okay it wasn't anywhere near the record 28 minutes and change achieved by the winner (who responded to receiving his prize by first pausing to give thanks to God!), but it was good enough for me.

The Cow Harbor Race is now behind us and I appreciate all the encouragement I have received over the past few weeks - I've been grateful for donations to our work with kids in South Africa too.

Our church's team did well. I think I recorded the slowest time, with the best I know of to date being Rich Boes who was under 45 minutes or something obscene like that. Tomorrow we'll start to get the picture of what has been raised through sponsorship, which makes the effort doubly worthwhile.

Long Island's north shore is notoriously hilly around that area, which makes the course one of the toughest 10K circuits on the running calendar. I'm told if I could do this one, I could cope with a half marathon with ease - but that takes some believing and may never be put to the test!!!

THE LONELINESS OF THE LONG DISTANCE RUNNER

Tomorrow's the big day! I know 10K isn't exactly a marathon or even a half marathon, but it's the farthest I've ever run in my 56 years on planet Earth. So I guess you're wondering what preparation I'm doing for the big event.

Okay, you're not! But just pretend you're interested anyway.

The answer is that I'm doing nothing, as I was advised to make this a light week and save myself for Saturday. No gym, no running, no nothing. Here's the deal as I see it. I've been practising now for around 18 months - watching my diet, doing increasing amounts of exercise and pushing myself regularly to accomplish more.

With a race tomorrow, it's too late to prepare today. I've been building up to this for long enough, running out on the road by myself before most people are even out of their beds, getting sprayed by wayward sprinklers and barked at by mean looking dogs. Now it's over, just time to wait for the action. Too late to prepare now!

There's a life-lesson in there somewhere!

ON THE OTHER HAND

Here are some quotes from an email I just got from a first-time visitor last Sunday -

I have to tell you that I have been going to church 85% of my life and this was the first time that I have ever felt so welcome in church. Everyone was so welcoming,kind and informative.

Since church on Sunday I finally feel like God is hearing me and has begun to work in, on and around my life. This has been the first week in many months that the weight has been lifted off my shoulders.

I cannot thank you enough for doing your Discover Recovery series, it not only spoke
to my heart but down to my very soul. And for that I thank you for all that you do.

P.S. Kids loved it also.

IT IS WHAT IT IS

Not only is it impossible to fool all the people all of the time, but you can't please all the people all the time either.

I share the disappointment of a guy in our church who had a colleague come worship with us last Sunday for the first time, only to discover in work the next morning that she didn't like the service at all. Bummer!

The only specific that this guest homed in on was that it was a distraction to have people eating and drinking around her during the service. Now I have to admit that we do encourage people to take their Starbucks into the theater with them if they wish - after all, there is a cupholder in every seat. And I guess some take bagels, donuts or whatever too. All of which is part of the relaxed approach we are positively pursuing and is definitely more than okay with me.

So what to do about our visitor?

Well, we had around 30 or 40 new folks around last Sunday and all of the feedback I have got back directly and indirectly has been very positive.

So while I feel for the guy who got the friend to come, I have to pass this through the same sieve as I do 101 other things and come out with this conclusion - Not everyone will love Church At The Movies.

Me? I think it's the best thing since sliced bread. That opinion seems to be shared by the dozens of people who left their beds while it was hardly daylight last Sunday to get to the theater and make sure everything was set-up for the record fall turnout.

But I do have to come to terms with the fact that we will never be everyone's cup of tea. Some won't like our music, others won't like the video work, some will think the decor is over the top, some won't care for my torn jeans and the really unenlightened probably just plain won't like me.

But that's okay, you really can't appeal to everyone. So it is what it is. It suits those it suits. And sadly some of those we bring won't rate it at all!

PLAYING TO YOUR STRENGTHS

In our staff meeting today we chatted a little about counselling and how the development of our Celebrate Recovery program should ease that load considerably.

My comment that I hardly do any counselling at all was met with unbridled laughter which puzzled me for a moment. Then I was informed that since I have made it pretty clear publicly that I don't like doing counselling and don't want to do it, it's no surprise my phone is not ringing off the hook.

I'm not complaining. Apart from the fact that I'm not good at it, I am convinced that most counselling is a total waste of time. I've discovered that most people who suddenly want an appointment yesterday are not looking for help and are unwilling to make changes. They want someone to listen to them and sympathise with them - period. No offence but you can pay people out there to do that for you. You don't need to hijack a pastor from leading a church, especially when he's not going to be a blind bit of help to you anyway.

Yesterday I spent quite a bit of time talking to two church planters, one in Canada and the other in California. Both plan to start things rolling next year and have the mistaken idea that having done this stuff for so long I actually know what I'm talking about.

Spending time with them was fun. I'm meeting another church planter tomorrow. Planters are insane, a breed apart. Maybe there's a good reason I find an affinity with them!

I don't think it upsets anyone in our church that I play to my strengths. I do what I do best and don't mess about with the rest. Of course if there are those who are miffed by the fact I don't sit and soak it up when they want to vent about their problems, they could always go to counselling!!!

LET THE GAMES COMMENCE!

It was a long day yesterday, but when I pulled into my driveway at 12.30 this morning, the Mets had just won their rain-delayed game in Florida and the New Conservative Majority had won sufficient committee seats in the party to oust the current ineffective leadership and install a Christian in this significant position.

We won big yesterday. The old regime will be fighting tooth and nail to hold on to their positions and the kick-backs their endorsement brings from liberal politicians, but in the end of the day the Conservative Party in Brookhaven will be led by people who are truly conservative and above all are born again Christians.

Here's an interesting recent article from Newsday -

Conservative Battle With Punch

TOMORROW IS A BIG DAY

It's primary day tomorrow and that could be very significant for us as a church. Forget whether Hillary will get the nod to continue as the Democratic candidate for the November election. I think I already know the answer to that one. Another no-brainer is whether Elliott Spitzer will be the Democratic nominee to ride straight into Albany once George Pataki moves out of the Governor's mansion. I think I can call that one too.

The issues that concern me are right on our doorstep where political life stinks and the new group that took over Brookhaven Town Hall at the start of the year show little sign of being any better than the crowd they beat.

Locked up in all that is the unconstitutional restriction on church buildings passed almost one year ago that the Department of Justice in DC is now investigating for us.

What chance for Christians to influence the local Republican party? None, this is not the south or anywhere vaguely pro-Christian.

What chance for Christians to influence the local Democratic party? None, they have paid no attention whatever to our concerns and are riding high on the euphoria that came from last year's successes.

BUT ...
Both Republicans and Democrats are desperate to get the Conservative line in Brookhaven. Tomorrow Conservatives will vote for who will represent them in the upcoming Convention and there is a very good chance that Christians will take control of the Brookhaven Conservative Party.

Our attorneys, Rich Johannesen and Ken Auerbach (both committed Christians) are spearheading The New Conservative Majority and if sufficient of their candidates are elected, Rich could well be the next President of the Brookhaven Conservative Party and will be returning it to Christian and Conservative values.

Town Board members who want the Conservative line - and they all do - will need to agree to take the correct stance on a number of issues, first among which will be exempting churches from last year's building restrictions.

So tomorrow is huge. If you're a registered Conservative, voting for the New Conservative Majority will be a vote for fundamental Christian values in Brookhaven - and God knows we need them!

MOVING FORWARD

Three years after we moved into the movie theater and almost eight years since we launched, we took a giant leap forward today. Today was the day we decided to put all we could into what we are doing now and into where we are now, instead of living with makedo, looking forward to the golden day when we have our own building.

And the result was -

The nursery was crowded, Lil'K was packed out, KIDMO got off to an outstanding start, Altered was rocking, our cafe ran out of supplies, the Prayer Chapel was almost on overload and Worship Central had a great morning. This was the biggest crowd so far this year apart from Easter Sunday, with so many guests.

Talk about momentum - it's off the charts!

I could not believe how many people showed up at 7.00am today to help out with the more complicated set-up. There's a lot of work involved in preparing seven locations, but it was done with plenty of time to spare and the volunteers became our Big Screen Cafe's first customers.

This was a good day. One of those you want to bottle and preserve. It's hard to describe the buzz around the place. Did I say this before? - This fall is going to be huge.

16 HOURS

This has been a long weekend countdown for me. Still, the Mets won this afternoon and we have our last prayer meeting of the week this evening, so those are two positives to retire with tonight.

I've had a couple of interesting conversations this week with young parents who have been plugged into a different church. Seems in both cases they've found the formality and the need to dress the kids up each week has got the better of them. Now we're not fishing for people who are already Christians but if our style suits the needs of some better, then that's okay with me.

Some people find our way of doing church is not for them and they move on to another flavor - that's okay with me too.

Some love CATMO, some hate it and it just downright confuses others (I like that one especially!).

STAYING FOCUSED

A friend of mine who launched his church one month before we did back in '98 celebrates the opening of their first building this weekend. I know several other congregations that have reached that milestone in an even quicker time, while out own battles with the local Town Board are well chronicled.

Having bought land in the fall of 2000 (thank God we did with the way prices have skyrocketed on Long Island) it seems to have been like trying to walk through mud ever since.

So what to do? We need to continue to put everything we've got into building the church while the church building saga takes its course. Not every pastor would agree with me, but then I'm not every other pastor.

There are those who would be cutting corners everywhere they can waiting for the day when they can have a church builkding and really start to build the church. I wonder how many people they're willing to consign to hell while they do church in a half-cocked, unattractive fashion because they're getting ready to have a church building.

No newspaper ads, no promo work, no special events, everything kept basic - they're getting ready to build.

Build what? Build bricks and mortar, build a building. Do something there is no reference to or example of in the whole of the New Testament.

Now I'm not anti church buildings. I look forward to having one some day, but we won't compromise what we're all about to have a few more bucks in the pot for the time when we get the all clear. God will take care of our business on that day if we have been doing his work in the lead up to it.

The main thing is still to keep the main thing the main thing. That means building the church is our priority.

42 HOURS AND COUNTING

We're getting down to the wire for Sunday's relaunch and everything seems to be pretty much in place, with the exception of the lighting. Have to check back with the lighting engineer later this afternoon to see if the outstanding parts are in. It's getting pretty tight for time!

Just put the finishing touches to my teaching notes. I'm looking forward to this series for a couple of reasons -

1. It will be the longest series we've done in a long, long time - eight weeks. That makes it a heck of a lot easier in so many ways than chopping from one three weeks series to the next which is virtually what we have done all year so far.

2. The subject matter is foundational. The ministry of Jesus was to those who were beaten, broken and battling. So we're going to talk about the fact that life hurts but God heals. Discover Recovery scratches people where they really itch.

3. We're going to be encouraging folks who recognize they need help to join one of our recovery groups. As these flourish, they will become an entry point into new life and into the church for people we don't even know yet.

4. In general, I'm pumped about Sunday because there are so many of our CATMO regulars who have got plugged in, so many ministry leaders who have stretched themselves and their teams so they excel, and such a high level of expectation of what God is going to do.

The build-up has been several months and the preparations have been intense, but we'll soon be there.

If you're within driving distance, why not be in on the first Sunday of the new look Church At The Movies?

HOME!

It was a little intimidating standing near the starting line for tonight's practice and hearing that on race day there will be several nationally known runners there who will finish the course in well under 30 minutes.

Well, I finished the course tonight and it took me 84 minutes! But I wasn't out there to beat anyone or even to improve on a personal best time - I've never done the race before so I had no best to beat! Finishing at all was a victory for me.

Sure I was in the last group to cross the line, but I didn't really care as it had been a very pleasant experience running the 10K course.

What made it great was I met a couple of very special people. Both of them are serious runners and I got into conversation with them around one mile into the course. They suggested I had chosen one heck of a race as my first one, which did not fill me with excitement about what lay ahead at that stage. They stuck with me and told me what was coming. They even stopped and walked one huge hill with me.

Though they both normally bring in times well under 60 minutes, they told me they were gooing to stick with me tonight. We picked up a couple of other slower runners too and the five of us ran as a group.

Bob and Mary showed a great attitude. This evening was not about themselves - they gave it to us and made our experience that much better.

I'm not sure if they ever read the book, but they epitomised the truth that It's not about you! I don't know if they're Christians, but they are certainly an example of how believers should act towards those who are new to what we're about.

HOW DID YOU DO?

So own up, how many of you discovered the deliberate mistake in my last post (check it out below)???

Michael Guillen's new show actually starts on Thursday evening - tomorrow!

Bet I caught a lot of you out!!!

Including myself.

AT LAST ...

... A TV SHOW FOR PEOPLE WITH MORE THAN ONE BRAIN CELL!

Today I'm grateful for Digital IO or whatever it's called, that makes recording things so much easier than it was with those new-fangled VRC things!!!

Because while I'm still recovering somewhere in darkest Northport, I won't be missing the first episode of what looks like being one of the most interesting new TV shows in the fall line-up.

The fact that it's hosted by my friend Dr. Michael Guillen, no stranger to CATMO and our guest preacher on Easter '05, really helps. He is a great communicator and I am sure that Where Did It Come From will be as informational as it is entertaining, because Michael has this ability to use his brilliant mind to communicate the most complex of facts in an understandable way.

We've been talking about this series whenever we have got together for almost two years now and tonight it finally kicks off. Here's some of the promo blurb -

WHERE DID IT COME FROM
Hosted by Former “Good Morning America” and
ABC News Science Correspondent Michael Guillen, PhD

The concept of the luxury high-rise apartment wasn’t born in the modern metropolis of Manhattan, Roman architects came up with the idea more than 2,000 years ago.

Long before the United States and the Soviet Union were locked in an arms race, the ancient Greeks found themselves developing increasingly powerful weapons of mass destruction to overcome their enemy's growing defenses. Our modern calendar would not be what it is today if the great Maya civilization had not created astronomical calendars by meticulously recording the movements of the sun,moon, and stars. From high-rise apartments and sports stadiums, to ship building and weapons of mass destruction and more, WHERE DID IT COME FROM? follows host Dr. Michael Guillen, former “Good Morning America” and ABC News science correspondent, around the world each week as he explores the past to find the ancient roots of modern technology.

WHERE DID IT COME FROM? – a new series -
premieres Thursday, September 7 at 8pm ET/PT on The History Channel.

Smart cookie that Michael is, he got the History Channel to ferry him all over the world to put this together and though it seems to have been a long time coming, tonight we'll discover it was well worth the wait.

By the way, if you're an early riser you can catch Michael on Fox And Friends tomorrow morning at 6.40am.

RECKONING DAY

This is it. The day finally dawns. No more room for procrastination or wating for another opportunity. It's the day of reckoning, the final chance to do a full practice run for the Cow Harbor Race and since I haven't done a single one thus far, I'd better get this one in.

So tonight at 6.15 when most people are sitting at or at least contemplating dinner, I'll be running (more like a slow jog actually!) through the streets of Northport.

It sounded easy when I signed up. This will teach me to be cocky!

LAZY DAY

Decided to take it steady today, so little to report, but here are a few more photos from yesterday.

Got most of the new directional banners for Sunday today - they came out great. Also spent a bit of time rearranging my itinerary for India at the end of the year. Booked my flight a couple of months ago, but today it is $450 - yes $450 cheaper. It took a while to work through with Delta, but I cancelled my tickets, sucked up the re-booking fee, got new tickets (Basil wants me to be there a day earlier now anyway) and ended up with a $300 credit with the airline. Not bad, eh?

Tonight we have the third prayer meeting in our week of prayer - things are buzzing and this fall will be huge for us.

GREAT DAY

Our End Of Summer Festival lived up to all our expectations. Great weather after a lousy, wet weekend and above all a great crowd.

I've never seen a church with such a work ethic - people were helping out all over the place - which was great because we gave away a ton of food and ran out of drinks trwice! But the outcome was several hundred new contacts and a lot of potential new people in church.

We reckon there were somewhere near 600 people in the park today and I am convinced that having sown a lot this afternoon, we're going to reap a lot too. After all, Jesus said that's what happens!

GOING HOME

Thanks for praying for Jonathan. I just talked to him and he's on his way home. It seems that the pain he has been suffering is due to a bowel problem being caused by the medications he is taking for the sarcoidosis and their various side-effects.

He has to go through some more tests next week, but it looks like they have ruled out anything more serious at this stage.

TIME TO PUT UP!

This contribution to my blog is an unashamed, undisguised, flat out appeal for money. Hey, it's my blog so I can do what I like.

Two weeks from now will mark an outstanding milestone in my life. It's no great shakes to a lot of people, but for everyone who has known me for any part of my seriously obese first 55 years of life, participating in a 10K race is something you know you never expected to hear of Roger Blackmore doing.

It will be quite the achievement for me, even though it's not exactly the New York Marathon.

I hope September 16th will be a milestone to some other people who mean a lot to me too. I'm running for the abused and orphaned children who have been rescued from an awful existences in the South African township of Kurland and have found new life and new hope through the Kids Explosion program we sponsor there.

Our accommodations over there are stretched to the limit and we need a new house to take in more boys and girls. So along with the team from our church, I'm looking for sponsors who will help me help these children.

So ... whether you're an occasional or regular reader, if my written thoughts ever raised a smile from you, helped a light go on, encouraged you to keep moving forward or downright annoyed you, I'm asking for you to help.

Congratulate me on losing 110lb of fat and getting in shape, but above all help kids in need in a place I love by sending a spopnsorship donation to me at -

Grace Ministries,
35 Pine Road, Coram, NY 11727

Checks should be made payable to - Grace Ministries: Kids Explosion and donations are tax-deductible.

Thank you for encouraging me and investing in precious young lives!



Okay, don't just sit there - DO IT!

PRESBYTERIANS KNOW A THING OR TWO

While I'm sitting watching Houston giving the Mets a run for their money, down in Texas, our son should have been watching the state's other team, the Rangers tonight. The family had great seats for the game, but Jonathan alas is in hospital.

It has been a tough six months for him health-wise and while the sarcoidosis shows signs of slowly retreating, he has faced a number of other issues, some of which have been caused by the heavy doses of steroids he has to take.

Doctors thought the pain he has been suffering was due to gall bladder problems, but when he went to the ER yesterday because the discomfort had reached an unbearable point, the tests they ordered ruled that out.

Now he's going through all kinds of other tests while they try to get to the root of this new problem. Please say a prayer for him.

Don't pity his situation too much though. He's in an enormous private room in the local Presbyterian Hospital, with a sofa, flat screen tv and wireless keyboard for surfing the internet on the tv!

I've got nothing against Catholic Hospitals - all my grandchildren were born in one and I've had some dealings with Long Island Jewish's establishments too, but when it comes to patient care, there's something here that shouts at you - Presbyterians sure know a thing or two.

It's enough to make you want to change your religion!!!