I'VE MOVED

There's still a few bits and pieces to be done to it's appearance, but from this morning my blog has movied to -

www.churchatthemovies.com/blog

- or you can simply go to www.churchatthemovies.com and hit the BLOG tab.

See you over there in the brave new world of WordPress!

THE FINAL FOUR

Okay, so I'm still a relative novice when it comes to U.S. politics, so what I have to say about it all may do little more than make public my total ignorance. Then again that never stopped me commenting on any subject before, so here goes ...

There are 300 million people in this nation - and that's only counting the legal ones - so couldn't we come up with a better choice for leader of the free world than Clinton, Obama, McCain or Romney?

From all I'm reading it's just about down to these four now, despite Huckabee's smile, so when I come to voting on this issue later in the year, I wish they'd add another choice, like None Of The Above!

SCHIZOPHRENIC FEW DAYS

While our church's new website has been up and running for a few days now - though a lot more information still needs to be added to it - I am still working on shifting my blog over there and am practising with a new program.

If you want to check it out, my blog is also at -

www.churchatthemovies.com/blog

I'll let you know when it's finally fully moved over there.

DARNED EMAILS

This has been a good day - well so far anyway!

It was the day that I committed to doing something I am not too good at - I answered all my emails.

For many years now I have worked with a very simple administrative routine. I have a big in-tray on my desk and that's where I toss items that need my attention, constantly adding to the pile. When all those papers are so top heavy they are at risk of falling on the floor, I go through them and toss out around 75% of them because they are no longer relevant.

Which all goes to show why I'm the visionary and Charlotte is the admin pastor!

I approach emails slightly differently. If something requires a one or two sentence response, I reply immediately, but other than that I leave it in my incoming mail folder, which today had 57 emails sitting in it for periods ranging from days to months.

So I've been working my little fingers to the bone, dispensing information, maintaining relationships and generally being a very helpful and sociable person.

The current count is 16, all of which are there for reference rather than awaiting a reply. I could switch them over to my Saved Mail-In folder but the chances are they'd be lost there for ever and a day.

So if you got an email from me today - congratulations.

And if you're still waiting, I guess I was too enthusiastic with the delete key!!!

Sorry!

NO FOOL LIKE AN OLD FOOL

Since I weigh in at Weight Watchers on Monday mornings, I normally push myself that little bit more at the gym so that I sweat off a few more ounces before standing on the scale. That was a big mistake today.

My right knee has been giving me some minor pain for the past five or six days, but thinking it was pretty much okay now, I ran 7.5 miles this morning and then did another 2 miles on the elyptical. When I was done I could hardly walk and that's the way it has been ever since. Ibuprofen seems to be helping, but the best solution may be to avoid the gym for a day or so.

Guess the old bones are fighting back!

DOUBLING UP

Today we publicly announced what most folks have seen coming for quite a while now, that from Easter Sunday onwards we are going to two services on Sunday mornings. I watched a number of people awkwardly looking around for seats this morning and while there were spots all over the place, to all intents and purposes we are full.

Church growth gurus used to say that you are full at 80% of capacity, but nowadays that has been pulled back to 66% for two reasons - firstly that people like their own space more nowadays and secondly most Americans need more space as they're bigger than they used to be.

I like the idea of two services for a lot of reasons -

1. If my preaching sucks in first service I can fine tune it for the second.

2. We give people options as to which time slot best suits their lifestyle.

3. We create a lot more space for a lot more people and since I don't expect the trend of the past few months to slow down, we're going to need those seats.

4. It presents a load of fresh opportunities for folks to plug into serving as we'll need to double up volunteers in a whole bunch of areas.

5. It stretches us, which is always a healthy thing. Personally I enjoy the challenge of change - probably something to do with the ADD that's part of my DNA - some don't. It'll be interesting to watch them sweat, try to convince them they can do it and celebrate with them when they discover they really can!

Fun times ahead!!!

SHAPING UP

I was on a tricky topic this morning as I taught the next part of our Getting In Shape Series - Getting in Shape Physically. The difficult part was motivating people without laying a guilt trip on them and I think I succeeded to a great degree.

I'm no health nut or fitness fanatic, in fact inside me there's still a 332lb guy wanting to make a comeback. I'm just someone who has decided that I want to enjoy this life to the full and that in order to do so, I'd better eat more smartly than I have done thus far and exercise a little more than walking to the garage and back.

As I mentioned today, the trouble is that as Christians there are a load of things we don't do socially and so that tends to limit our options. So a ton of stuff we do centers around food, whether it's small groups, covered dish meals or men's breakfasts. Now food is all around us, so the key is learning to eat wisely and in moderation, or as I heard someone put it a while ago, we have to find out how to peacefully co-exists with food.

So that was church today.

Great crowd - our cafe was cleaned out by the time service started, which means we need to up all the goodies for next week. Lot of new faces again, which leaves me sinking in a sea of folks I don't know. Maybe I should content myself with not knowing everyone's name, but I'm not at that point yet!

IT ONLY TAKES ONE

It's amazing what damage one self-righteous bigoted idiot can do to the work of God in this country. I'm not talking about any old unbalanced Bible thumper sitting in the pew, I'm particularly focused on the insane, iuncompassionate statements emanating from the pastor of Westboro Baptist Church in Topeka, Kansas, Shirley Phelps.

It seems this upright, obnoxious servant of God has declared that she will picket any and all memorial services for actor Heath Ledger who was found dead in his Manhattan apartment earlier this week. She even plans to protest anything done to honor Ledger at next month's Academy Awards ceremony, because of his portrayal of a gay cowboy in Brokeback Mountain.

Thanks Rev. Bigot, I'm sure you're doing what Jesus would do. He wouldn't be trying to console a grieving family or lamenting the passing of such a young man either, he would have been right in there ranting and raving about the judgement of God with caring statements like yours -

"And then the other place I'm going to picket him is when they prop him up to worship his dead, rotting carcass further at the Oscars. I'll be right outside by the red carpet."

It's a pity that this one off-the-wall lunatic who really should be institutionalized is instead being quoted in the media, because for millions of Americans she will fuel their disdain for Christians and their conviction that churches are gathering places for hypocritical religious zealots.

There's no getting away from the fact that the church in America has a very real image problem and the only way around it is for every real follower of Jesus to deliberately and unconditionallylove people the way he did.

However at this moment - as you may have gathered - I'm having a tough time loving a certain pastor from Kansas!

WE'RE BACK

You can check out our new website here -

www.churchatthemovies.com

It's still in its basic form with a lot of stuff to be added, but at least there's something up there and its new and fresh.

FRIENDS

I read a lot nowadays about pastors feeling lonely and isolated, guys with no one to talk to who understands their world and who have been known to flip out, or burn out at least.

I hear all this and I come to the conclusion that I am just plain spoiled.

I was thinking of listing some of my friends in ministry that I interact with, but I wouldn't know where to start and would certainly tick some of them off because they didn't appear as high on the list as they thought they should or because I forgot them altogether. Some of them have real insecurity issues!!!!

Here's the deal -

Pastoring is a unique calling.

A ton of people can encourage you - and thankfully they do.

Everyone can offer their opinion - and unfortunately some of them do.

But only those who walk the same road have the faintest idea of what it is like to do what we do.

So here's to my friends - I thank God for you all.

And here's an old proverb for those that may be lonely - He who would have friends must show himself friendly.

MONDAY ROUND UP

Martin Luther King Day wasn't a holiday here, plenty of odds and ends going on -

+ Started the day with a good workout - ran 7.1 miles and then did 1.5 miles on the elyptical.

+ Stopped by WW with Gill on our way to a doctor's visit to try to sort out the issues that have been plaguing her this past couple of weeks. More tests scheduled!

+ Al is marginally improved today. Still in a very serious condition, but very slightly better. Please keep praying.

+ It was cold today.

+ Tony Dungy has decided to coach the Colts for at least one more season - let's hope they win the big one next year, which might well be Dungy's last.

+ Straightened up the storage room in the basement this afternoon. Our offices are down there and we accumulate a heck of a lot of stuff from books to cafe supplies to old cassettes, seasonal decorations and used banners. It was a mess.

+ There's no way the Patriots wanted to face the Giants in the Super Bowl. A New York victory would be a great end to the season.

+ Saw The Bucket List tonight. The fictional characters in the movie did two things that are on my list - driving a very fast car and visiting the Taj. The Taj is the most beautiful place I have ever seen.

+ Trying to plan some vacation time this summer before my calendar fills up with other stuff. At this time of year the thought of sunshine is very attractive.

+ Finally finished John Grisham's book Playing for Pizza - lightweight, but a good story.

HOW ABOUT THAT?

After being trashed all season by the New York press and a certain English pastor who clearly knows squat about football, the Giants are off to the Super Bowl.

Few people really rated Coughlin, Manning and crew, but while all the other NFC teams have tidied away their gear till September, this rag tag and bobtail bunch are on their way to Arizona.

Am I glad I saw the light!!!!

I HAVE SEEN THE LIGHT

This morning I was bold enough to suggest during our service that I wasn't sure if I wanted the Giants to win tonight. I was torn by the fact I would like to see Brett Favre succeed and I guess I immediately alienated half the church.

Let me now make it clear that in response to the combined efforts of threatening emails and prayers for my enlightenment, I am in fact sitting here rooting for the Giants!

BALMY NORTH EAST

Am I glad we don't live further south, like in Georgia where several of my friends have already cancelled service tomorrow because of severe weather down there.

Wimps!

Just kidding. It's never smart to expect your folks to put themselves in harm's way to get to church. No one is going to seriously lose their relationship with God because they were compelled to sleep late and watch Creflo Dollar on the TV. Although on second thoughts ....

But it's not so much living in the south (which I wouldn't want to do) that's on my mind this evening, as much as having to cancel service. We've had to do that a number of times, at least once every winter, but I'm glad we don't have to do that tomorrow.

Tomorrow is a key day in the life of our church. It really maps out where we're going from here. It's a day for our congregation as a whole to rise up and prepare to move to the next level or stay where they are and head for stagnation.

I have every confidence that the former will happen, but I am still approaching the day with a little apprehension.

Huge morning ahead.

I love this!

CHIPOTLE CHURCH

I had an epiphany today that I feel compelled to share with whoever might stop by this page over the next few hours or days - I finally discovered what a chipotle is.

To the best of my knowledge or at least within my personal tiny world, I lived at least the first 55 years of my life without ever having tasted chipotle sauce. Then suddenly it appeared on a menu in some restaurant or other, some place or other - and it tasted pretty good (bit of a kick to it). Next thing you know, everyone and his brother serves some kind of sandwich, burger, or fried chicken livers, complete with chipotle sauce. It's like it's mandatory.

So what is chipotle?

Are you ready? - A chipotle is a fully ripened and smoked jalapeno pepper.

Anyway, this rambling is going somewhere, so hold tight.

Did you know that one of the most succesful restaurant chains in this country at present is Chipotle Mexican Grill?

Did you know they only have three - yes three - items on their menu? You can have a burrito, a taco or a salad and that's it. There's no cookies, ice cream or even flan to go with it. No sandwiches, fries or vegetarian alternatives.

The success of this chain is put down to one simple principle - they stick to doing three things well.

I know a church like that. Okay I'll tell the truth, I pastor it. One of the reasons our church continues to flourish, when decline is the national trend, is we stick to doing a few things well. We're not full service, we don't try to cater to every taste, we offer what we offer and do those things increasingly more effectively.

1. Our main Sunday event and all it entails.

2. Our small groups.

3. Our outreaches at home and overseas.

That's it.

We're focused - the Chipotle Church!!!

VANISHING WEBSITE

If you try to go to our website in the next 24 hours, you'll find nothing, but do not be alarmed because we have definitely not been vaporized. We're getting ready to put up the basic version of our new website (we'll be building it over the next couple of weeks until everything we need is up there) and apparently in the transition it takes some time to switch everything from one server to another.

I have no idea whatever of what that all means, but thankfully we have a good website designer who either is an outstanding computer geek (in the nicest possible way that is) or gives a good impression of being one.

So check back!

RANDOM RAMBLINGS

+ Was waiting for someone coming for a counselling appointment tonight and started watching American Idol while they were on their way. They didn't turn up - so I'm still watching these insane auditions - funniest thing on TV!

+ Had a very good lunch today with the rest of the pastoral team, all thanks to someone in the church who brought it over for us. A great gesture. (We meet every Wednesday until 12.00 noon in case you were feeling left out of the catering loop!!!)

+ Changes on the horizon - have to do something different to accommodate the growing Sunday crowd.

+ I loved the story of the guy who came in Sunday because he was passing and saw our signs and then went on to give his life to Christ.

+ Having postponed our Ministry Leaders' meeting on Sunday because of the Giants-Packers game, it's getting tough rescheduling it as there are some busy Sunday evenings ahead.

+ Spent an hour on a conference call to Saddleback Church this afternoon, discussing the Pastors' Forum I help to moderate for them. It's tragic how many pastors find the forum to be their sole connection point with other leaders - I guess I'm just spoiled to have so many real people I interact with.

+ Started making some initial plans for our 10th Anniversary on October 5th. That's insane. Where did those years go? I guess we're not new any more - but I feel like we are.

+ Have everything booked for the Church Planters' Conference in Mountain Lake, GA next month. Was there last year for the first time and found it very motivating. There aren't too many church planters on Long Island, so I don't resent having to go to Georgia to hang out with five or six hundred other guys with a passion to plant churches, even though most of them talk funny.

THE BUCKET LIST

The trailers for Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman's new movie, The Bucket List, look mildly amusing even thought the critics pan it. It's about two aging men who make a list of things they want to do before they kick the bucket and I guess it tweaks the interest of a guy like me who has celebrated more birthdays in the past than he will in the future.

Don't worry I'm not in a morbid frame of mind or even mildly depressed, but just for the heck of it here's my Bucket List as of January 2008 -

1. I want to celebrate my 60th wedding anniversary.

2. I want to see my grandchildren graduate and dance with my granddaughter at her wedding (which will be quite an achievement as I can't dance now!).

3. I want to run a half marathon.

4. I want to drive a car at 200mph (I wonder if my Mustang is up to that???).

5. I want to establish three other Church At The Movies campuses in our county so that none of its 1.5 million residents is more than 20 minutes drive from one of our locations.

6. I want to see the Taj Mahal again.

7. I want to visit Iceland.

8. I want to see the summer Military Tattoo at Edinburgh Castle.

Not much to ask is it? I'm a simple soul!!!

THINGS THAT GET ME OUT OF BED

My old friend Gary Lamb struck a cord with me when he wrote this -

http://www.garylamb.org/2008/01/15/things-that-get-me-out-of-bed-in-the-mornings/

Then again, maybe he's a young friend!!!

AL

Today I broke one of my own rules!

I realized several years ago that if I wanted as many people as possible to be actively involved in the life of the church there were a lot of things I had to take my hands off myself. Hospital visitation was one of those and rather than do it all myself, we established a team of folks - The Barnabas Network -who have the right kind of disposition for this kind of ministry and we handed it over to them.

People in our church know that they don't want to be so sick that they see me approaching their bedside!

I have several excuses for breaking that rule and visiting one of our members in hospital today. One is that he is in Sloane Kettering and I didn't expect any of our Barnabas Network to hike all the way into Manhattan.

The second is I've known the patient, Al, and his family for getting on for twenty years now. I've done a lot of things with Al, especially when it comes to serving the homeless and those in need. He's a worker, a prayer, a man of faith who shares that faith fearlessly.

We've served hundreds at a time on the streets of Manhattan and we go out together more locally nowadays on Saturday afternoons with all the other volunteers who make our mobile soup kitchen happen.

I like Al. I have no favorites, but some people are special.

Please say a prayer for his complete recovery before you move anywhere else online.

MONDAY

Gill is still not up to par, so I picked up some of her load today, changed the bed, did the laundry, went to the store (and back again for the stuff I forgot), cooked a couple of dinners to cover us for the next few days and made a pot of soup for lunches.

She works hard!

We were meant to have serious snow overnight, but it never materialized, so that was a relief. I knew when I woke up today that I would either be going to the gym or shovelling snow. Thankfully I got my exercise on the treadmill.

Yesterday I had visitors to my blog from Australia, South Korea, Holland, Poland, Italy, Brazil, India, UK, Ireland, Canada and of course the USA.

One of these days I'll work out what it is I write that's worth reading!!!

THE OTHER MANNING

Well, well, Eli will be playing next Sunday but big brother Payton won't be in action until the start of next season. I thought the Giants might pull this one off, but never expected the Colts to be knocked out by the Chargers.

So who am I rooting for now?

I'm torn to tell you the truth. The fact I would like someone to beat the Patriots is pretty obvious - most of America is loooking for that. I don't expect San Diego to do that, so it's Brett Favre and the Packers or the Jersey boys.

I'd love to see Favre go all the way this season, but then the Jersey boys are our neighbors, so maybe I shouldbe supporting them.

Put me down as undecided, however one thing's sure, we may have to re-think the ministry leaders' meeting we have planned for early next Sunday evening!!!

PROBLEMS

Thirty five years ago, or thereabouts, when I was a young pastor leading a church that had been struggling for decades, I was invited to speak at a conference.

One of the other invited guests was a far more experienced minister than myself and he asked me how things were going with my congregation. I told him they were okay, but we had a few problems, to which he replied -

There will always be problems, but there are two kinds of problems. There are problems of growth and problems of decline.

We have problems at Church At The Movies, but I am happy to report they are the right kind. We have growth problems and the truth is the theater where we do the main service is pretty much full. Sure there are seats here and there and you could find places for a family coming in twenty minutes after the start if you split them up and put them in odd spaces in the middle of different rows. But for all practical purposes we're full.

Great problem - we need to address it quickly.

WHY WE DO WHAT WE DO

We had an outstanding service this morning. Great crowd, loads of new faces and best of all, eleven people indicated they had committed their lives to Christ.

... and that folks, bottom line, is why we do what we do!

Great day!

ONE FOR THE OLD GUYS

Did you see Brett Favre leading the Packers to victory in a blizzard today? Considering this time last year his record-breaking career was in the toilet, watching him resurrect it has been one of the highlights of the season.

I guess he proves the wisdom of the great philosopher Yoggi Berra - It ain't over till it's over!

Hope the Packers make it all the way to a Superbowl appearance against the Colts before they lose.

I'm half watching the Patriots now hoping the Jaguars hurt them, but that isn't going to happen! I should go to bed and will soon.

LIFE'S INTERESTING!

Spent six hours in the ER last night with Gill, who was experiencing severe back pains. Our chiropractor, a longstanding friend who is part of our church, said it wasn't a back issue and guided us to our Primary Care Physician. He said to come over straight away and then said he wanted a bunch of tests done, so we should go to the ER.

Bottom line, nothing too drastic, an infection that is still causing serious discomfort, but should clear up once the ant-biotics kick in.

Got to bed at 3.35am and was up at 6.30 for a crazy morning at Weight Watchers. We had 275 people there in total today, which among other things meant that by the time I got home I was shot.

But I'm rested now, Gill's on the mend and I'm ready to roll tomorrow!

See you there!

DREAMING TOO SMALL

I just read this prayer written by the British explorer Sir Francis Drake over 400 years ago -

Disturb us, Lord, when we are too well pleased with ourselves. When our dreams have come true because we dreamed too little. When we arrive safely because we have sailed too close to the shore. Disturb us, Lord.

Man, that's a bold prayer - and I love it. It's good for me personally and it's so suitable for us as a church.

In this, our tenth year, it would be so easy to look around with a sense of contentment, because the truth is God has been very good to us as we have grown to become one of the largest protestant congregations in our town of half a million people.

We survived.

We got established.

We get a good crowd on Sundays.

We have some great programs running.

We're making an impact in other countries.

We're helping other church planters.

But if that is the end of the line, we dreamed too small. If you put having a building into that mix and then think we would totally have arrived, you got it all wrong.

By the fall of this year when we celebrate our 10th Anniversary, we will need to have made some bold decisions. Most of them center around whether we are going to consolidate or move forward. It's a question of whether we've fulfilled our dream or dare to dream bigger.

Has God done all he can do around here or is there a heck of a lot more that he wants to be done?

Pioneers or settlers?

There is always the danger that yesterday's radicals become today's diehards. Trust me, that's not what will happen!

GETTING IN SHAPE PART DEUX

Today I got everything squared away for my Sunday teaching and I'm all ready to go - pity it's only Wednesday.

I am really pumped about some stuff I've been studying in Ephesians that I'm going to be talking about during our service as we look at Escaping The Treadmill Of Insanity.

I've been preaching since I was around fourteen years old, reading and studying the Bible daily for more than forty years, but the amazing thing about the book is that I constantly see things in it that I'd swear I never saw before.

It's amazing that although Ephesians is one of my favorite New Testament books and I've preached right through it several times during my years in ministry, I really never noticed what I am going to share on Sunday.

It's freeing, uplifting and pretty incredible.

Roll on Sunday!

GOD'S IN CHARGE

I'm sitting here watching Fox News as the results are coming on from the New Hampshire Primary. I can hardly believe I'm writing this, but I am very relieved to hear that the Associated Press just announced Hillary Clinton as the winner (albeit it with a lot of votes still to be counted).

I can't see Barack Obama as the leader of the free world and would rather have Hillary there than the silver-tongued, opportunistic, single-term senator from Illinois. Not that I want that to happen either!

My problem is that I don't see a lot of promise on the other side of the political spectrum at the moment, though of course I'd go for a former Baptist Pastor before an actor, a mormon, an old man or a liberal.

Anyway, I don't really want to stir up political debate here.

My main point is this - whoever wins any if these races and the ultimate big prize, God's the one who is really in charge and so I can sleep peacefully tonight and every night.

PUNCTUALITY

There has been an interesting discussion going on over the past couple of days on a Pastors' Internet Forum I help to moderate, centered on the issue of getting people to come to church on time.

For those who may be vaguely interested, my contribution to the accumulated wisdom of pastors from all around the country, was to suggest that there are certain things you can't change so you just need to get over them. Or in plain English, let it go!

We have a lot going on at The Regal Cinema on Sunday mornings and we have some great people who arrive at all kinds of different times.

+ There's a whole team who get there at 7.30 to offload equipment, lay wires, make coffee, set up tables and do 101 other jobs.

+ Other volunteers arrive during the next hour.

+ Our Cafe opens at 8.30 and from that time on folks start coming in for a healthy breakfast and to chat with friends.

+ Our service starts with the band's first song at 10.00am.

+ The teaching is generally underway by 10.30 or shortly after.

So what's late? Late for set-up? Late for fellowship? Late for the first song? Late for the preacher's opening comments?

The majority of our congregation are adults. They have busy lives. Many of them have children to get ready for the Sunday morning excursion. Some of our friends have other places they need to be before they come to us. Some stay in the cafe way after the first song because they are enjoying conversation with like-minded people in the cafe.

Church At The Movies is not a military base, it's a center of worship, motivation, teaching and mutual encouragement.

I'm happy for people to come and go as they please!

No one is ever late!

(Except the manager when he sleeps in and isn't there to open up for us)

SUNDAY REVIEW

+ The New Jersey Giants won their wildcard game this afternoon and I was happy about that, but only because they beat the team that has such a foul-mouthed head coach that the TV cameras seldom cut to him on the sidelines nowadays. Plus of course the Tampa organization dumped Tony Dungy a few tears back. Next week I'll be rooting for Dallas to defeat the Jersey boys!


+ Church went well today. A lot of new faces and a good crowd for the first Sunday of the New Year. Our Big Screen Cafe was back in operation after a four weeks break. Some folks prefer to watch the service there on a plasma TV rather than go into the main theater and though I don't fully understand that, I realize we're all wired differently and am happy to accommodate them.


+ I am amazed at how many people are there 45 minutes before service starts, just so they can hang out with one another. Of course we provide coffee, donuts and bagels to help them pass the time.


+ Got another wedding request today. That's three we have coming up in the next three months. I love doing weddings.


+ Still finding out how my new Treo works. Downloaded some music to it today. I can't get over a phone that I can put my own music on. I reckon I was born too early.


+ Looking forward to putting the finishing touches on our new website this week. It's definitely time for a makeover and this has been in the pipeline so long now that our existing site is like a historic document. We'll change the format of my blog too so that it will have a similar appearance to the website.


+ Roger Clemens' interview is just coming up on 60 Minutes. Is there a single person in America who believes he didn't take steroids? Mike Wallace's credibility takes a knock by even conducting the interview.

+ We're compiling quite a list for our New Friends Lunch at the end of the month. We had over 70 people there three months ago and the number looks like being impressive again.

FEEDBACK

I've had several very positive emails over the past couple of days from people who are new or new-ish to our church. Since I skipped the mind-reading class at Bible College decades ago, I appreciate the fact that some people share their journey with me by email.

I'll read some of these tomorrow as part of our look at the road we traveled in '07 and where we are at as we move into this new year.

Not a smart morning to miss!

NEW START FOR A NEW YEAR

Sunday's approaching and I'm getting ready and counting the hours because we're poised to start the year with a bang with our new series Getting In Shape. It's the season of New Year resolutions and talk of new beginnings and that's definitely the direction we'll be steering folks in over the next few weeks.

We're planning to see what the Bible says about a wide range of topics to help us get in shape spiritually, emotionally, physically, sexually and financially. Contrary to one helpful suggestion I received, I will not be teaching while walking on a treadmill nor while pedalling an exercise bike, but we will have some fun as we delve into relevant and important subjects.

We're going to do a kind of self-assessment on Sunday, taking a good look at where we've been over the past twelve months, where we are and where we're going.

A whole new year - a clean page - exciting possibilities!

RADICAL MOVE

Here's an idea a number of churches have tried lately. This account is by Margaret Pittman. I stole it from the Church Marketing Sucks website -

Occasionally churches get it right--they do something so significant that it makes you stand back in awe and amazement. And as a critic of the way most churches operate--as self-serving institutions, the event that occurred at my church did just that.

"Give Back Sunday" could have been a cheesy superficial marketing tool--allowing the congregation to take a little money out of the offering plate instead of giving money to the church. Whoopee. I get to take a buck and buy someone a cup of coffee--but oh wait, I can't even do that with a dollar. I can get someone a stick of gum ... maybe. What can I get someone for a dollar?

Anyway, everyone was invited to participate in taking an unmarked envelope out of the offering plate. There was a sense of palpable skepticism, as well as anticipation, in the congregation before we opened the envelopes. When we finally peeked inside, a stunned silence filled the pews. Wow. $20, $50 and $100 bills were in the envelopes--a total of over $13,500, with the instruction that we could not spend it on ourselves. We were told to bless someone this week because you have been richly blessed.

As the 300 or so people filed out after the service, many were crying, humbled and dreaming about how they could use their cash to help someone in need. Many were in need themselves, so the challenge will be for them to release the money to someone else in greater need. Perhaps for a large, well-established congregation this would not be so amazing, but this church is brand new and shares space with a Baptist church.

This church is able to give generously because it is not bogged down with building expenses and debt. This church is doing something right--taking the message of Jesus Christ outside the walls of the church and investing in the local community.

Stories of how folks have spent their 'talents' are being posted a on web site. The testimonies are pouring in.

This successful effort has made me think about what churches can learn from each other:

+ Don’t get bogged down in debt.
+ Give generously.
+ Take a step back now and then from frenzied ministry activities and ask yourself “Why? Why are we doing this? Why are we spending all this money?”
+ Make serving the poor a priority--no matter how big you get or how big your budget. It was important to Jesus (it was the topic of his very first sermon), so it should be important to us.
+ Oh, and yeah--it is more blessed to give than to receive!

INTO '08

There's a lot to be said for getting back into routine, however much I enjoyed the interlude of priceless time with our family over Christmas.

So this was it. January 2nd. On with business!

We had a good pastoral team meeting this morning. They really are one of the highlights of my week because God has brought such a good team together. There's a great blend of personalities, each with their individual strengths and between us an unbelievable total of years of experience in pastoral ministry.

We talk a lot, laugh too, agree, disagree and above all else are in our fifth year as a team of spearheading what God is doing through Church At The Movies.

We spent a lot of time talking about the year ahead of us - even had some preliminary discussion about arrangements for Christmas 2008 - and when we parted at lunch time, I was very happy about what we had accomplished.

I'll be talking a bit about the year that's gone and the year before us on Sunday morning.

Good days ahead!

TROUBLING NEWS FROM INDIA

I received an update today from Basil D'Souza about the unrest and persecution of Christians in some parts of the country, especially in the state of Orissa where Basil received this news from an outstanding pastor I know there -

Basil writes:
I spoke to DK on the phone yesterday and this is his latest report in regard to the 42 churches he oversees
* 6 Churches burnt
* 51 church members houses burnt
* 2 dead (a young lad and the husband of a woman and her family that attend one of the churches)
* Jissiah, one of DK's key pastors is still untraceable
* The north of India is experiencing a cold wave and in the hills and mountains of Orissa it is biting cold. Most of DK's work is in these areas.
* Many do not have food
* 7 days after the attacks first took place the situation seems to be under control. However with the curfew lifting, he will be able to personally visit these areas and assess first hand the loss of life and damage to property.

Please pray with us.
* For peace and normalcy to be restored
* For fear to be dispelled and faith to arise
* That this evil will turn out for good.....Gen 50:20
* That the Lord would stretch forth His hand with signs andwonders....Acts 4:29-31
* Restraint amongst tribal believers
* Wisdom and protection to rest upon DK and other leaders
* The government would rehabilitate those affected and ensure law andorder