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Lousy wrap up

                                           

We finished our series "I Became a Christian and All I Got Was This Lousy T-Shirt".  It's based on the book by Vince Antonucci.  It's been a good series and challenging for all of us.  What's been the most challenging and/or helpful to you over these past 5 weeks?  How are you stripping off the t-shirt? 

Song for Sunday

Here's a new song we're going to sing Sunday.  Matt will sing the adult voice, I'll sing the baby voice.  We're obviously not as skilled as this guy . . .

dying to self

This week, as I was studying for Sunday, I was thinking alot about dying to myself, getting rid of selfishness, and serving others.  I'm as guilty of anyone of living a self-centered life.  I have my plans, and I hate when they get messed up.  Over and over again in the New Testament, though, we see Jesus' "plans" get interrupted - but instead of it being a distraction and annoyance, He uses it to impact lives.

How do I miss that?  I don't see the opportunity, I see the distraction.  I wished I didn't do that.  I wish I would be interrupted and see it as an opportunity, a divine appointment by God to impact the lives of others and be a part of what He's doing in my life and the life of someone else.

So, as I'm studying, I get a call - an unexpected appointment.  A visit that I don't really want to make, but that I need to make.  I need to make it, because that's dying to self, that's listening to God's voice, that's taking the divine appointment, and that's really living.  How are you dying to self this week?  What opportunity is in front of you, but all you see is the distraction?

Church attendance

This is why there needs to be new churches starting in Michigan and why those churches HAVE to target people that weren't already going to church!

Oh, and it's also why we supported Vince Antonucci at Verve on the Vegas Strip.  And, it's why we're planning to take a trip next February to Vegas to help.

 

Tattle-tell

I tell my kids to not tattle on one another, but I'm asking you all to do just that.  I'm looking for some stories (especially you Journeyers) of people who are serving others that most people probably wouldn't know about.  So, anyone you know that's doing some great things serving others, or listening to God's voice and doing things other people might think is crazy (like helping someone who's down and out, or giving money or stuff away)?  So, help me out . . . give me a story or two.

I Love Memorial Day, I hate Memorial Day

My love/hate relationship with Memorial Day has nothing to do with the troops who so bravely have served and are serving our country to protect our freedoms.  I'm grateful for the sacrifices made and want to honor those brave men and women.

But, when it comes to the actual day off, I have a definite love/hate relationship.  It's great to be able to have the day off.  I got a ton of stuff done.  Painted part of the garage, some shutters, mowed the lawn, cleaned the driveway, weed wacked, cleaned the basement, and hung out with friends for our annual grill out/kickball game.  Good times.

But, the bad is that I have one of those jobs (like a lot of people) where the work doesn't go away, so I just have one less day to do it all in.  This week and next are especially busy.  I have one less day to do the message, and I've got a wedding in Traverse City on Friday and Saturday that I'm performing.  Next week I've got a wedding on Thursday, and another on Friday/Saturday.  I love the extra day off, but I'm feeling under the gun and behind already, even though the week hasn't even officially started!

Not just today, not just now

I was up running through the message this morning and spent a little time praying in the auditorium.  And, as I prayed, a thought (that has come and gone before) popped into my mind once again.

I prayed that God would do something so significant, so God-sized, that we couldn't even attempt to take credit for it.  And, then this picture came to mind about how what is happening at The Journey right now, today, isn't the only thing happening at The Journey.  The lives changing today aren't the only lives that will be changing.  Many of those coming on Sunday and seeing their lives changed will be the first in a long line of Jesus followers.  There will be kids and grandkids and great-grandkids who will follow Jesus.  Many of the people today will be the ones that their grandkids look back at and call "blessed" because they were the ones who turned the corner for the family and began following Jesus.  The impact that we are having now doesn't even compare to the exponential possibilities for change and impact that this group of followers will have on the future generations.

If you're leading a group, a family, a church . . . it's easy to get discouraged, it's easy to just see the urgent, it's easy to just live today and just live now.  But what you're doing has eternal impact, what you're doing is shaping eternity.  Pursue Jesus, work hard, pray diligently, be willing to do whatever Jesus wants you to do, and one day there will be generations of people who will look back on these moments that you are living in today, and now.

We do stupid well

The last in our series on purpose over preference and how that plays out on Sunday mornings.  Our purpose is to help uncross the arms of as many people as possible.  To create an environment in which the skeptic, the questioner, can come in and open themselves up to the possibility that this might not be so bad, and ultimately uncross their folded arms and open them wide to embrace Jesus.

You've probably already read the post about how we do "Church for dudes".  So, our environment . . . the lights are low, stage lights on.  We have a band that kind of looks like a band you might see at a concert or a bar.  There aren't 17 singers, and 32 accompaniest.  The music is loud (that's why we have an ear plug dispenser in the lobby.  It's why we do stupid videos.  We always say we do stupid well.  It's just part of who Matt and I were when we began The Journey, but it connects well, and we use lots of guy humor.  The environment, from the minute you walk in the door, is one that we want to convey to people "if you haven't been to church, or haven't been in a long while, this is different than what you thought". 

It's why we do message series', and why we try to be creative in tagging a line for the series, and tying it to the culture.  It's why we use lots of "guy" illustrations and sports analogies.

It's why we encourage guests to bypass the offering boxes.  It's why we have boxes at the back, and don't pass a plate.  You would not believe the amount of people that has been important for!

All of that goes back to purpose over preference.  Listen, I know we all have our preferences for a church service, but my hope for each of us, is that we could set that aside and be about the purpose that God has called your individual church to.  If you don't agree with the purpose, that's one thing.  Find a church that you do.  But, if you agree with the purpose, we're called to release our preferences for the greater good.

My workout plan

I've always battled the discipline to excercise well, and consistently . . . until now.  Now, I can just "move my boogie body".  Enjoy!

First Five, Last Five

People make up their minds about a place (including church) during the first five minutes after they show up and the last five minutes before they leave.  Which means, that 1.  they need to feel like this is a place where they can come and feel comfortable; 2.  they need to feel like there are some people that maybe they could get to know and like; and 3.  that they don't feel totally lost and wondering what is going on. 

That's why our host roles are so important.  To have friendly people just saying hi.  That's why we have "roaming hosts" whose sole assignment is to look for new people who are kind of looking around trying to figure out the place.  The roaming hosts then will go up and greet them (usually with a "I don't know if I've met you before") and then walk them around and show them what they need to be shown (especially when they have children who need to be checked in).

That's why the Journey Java Bar is so important.  There's a comfort level that comes with a cup of coffee in your hand.  That's why we give it away for free.  Often, people will ask if they can bring it in to the auditorium, and are surprised when we say sure.  And our Java Bar workers do an awesome job!

That's why our Kids Check-in area is so important.  We want parents to be greeted in a friendly and professional way.  We want them to know their child will be safe and have a blast and if their child needs them, we have a system in place to get the parents quickly.

That's why we look to end services with some energy.  We don't always do this, but this is why we like to end big.

That's why we have those big blue signs, so that people can easily see where bathrooms, kids rooms, and the auditorium are.

That's why we have hosts at the end of the morning, holding the doors as people leave and saying "have a good week", etc.

For those of you who serve.  Thank you for making the first five, last five a great experience for others.  Thank you for the way you hold off on talking to some of your friends to make sure others are greeted.  Thank you for being aware that every single Sunday we have multiple people who are at The Journey for the first time!