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dream come true...

 

Posts Tagged ‘Connect’

dream come true…

Saturday, July 28th, 2012

Many of you have heard or read there’s a “Pray for Rain” gathering at Madison Park. Several times over the past two days I’ve had to explain that it’s at the actual Madison Park–24th and Maine.  We’re using the band shell there for a podium. Only once before has my dream come true…now it seems more true than ever.

My dream? That when people in Quincy (is the tri-states too much to wish for?) hear Madison Park there first thought is: Madison Park Christian Church. I dream that our people are so contagious, our actions so imitable, our spirit so infectious, that people just tend to think of us when something good is about to happen. It isn’t that we are so popular, or so visible, or so anything selfish; it’s just that we’ve done the right things, acted in the right spirit, made a palpable difference in enough lives that “Madison Park” means the church.

Then Jesus wins. It’s not about us…it’s about Him. It is always about Him. That’s all we want…for people to experience a life changing relationship with Jesus. That will happen when we are each a means of Encountering God in a meaningful way. That will happen when we are each an avenue through which others can Connect with God’s people around God’s word. That will happen when we are each Serving each other, the community and the world.  That will happen when each one of us is visibly demonstrating Life Change.

Thank you for making this dream a reality. Thank you for being people who infuse our community with confidence that a church matters and would be missed if it didn’t exist.

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Looks like a fun day to me…

Thursday, May 12th, 2011

We’re recording a new small group study today. My optimism is that it’s safe to say so…believing it will all come together and be ready for use in the not too distant future.  I’m looking forward to the day.  Not to the filming…being on camera’s not my thing.  But listening to the others do their lessons is both a pleasure and a teaching moment for me.  I love learning.

Our study is on worship.  I’m doing a session on Old Testament worship involving the sacrifices, offerings and festivals.  I love the power of rhythm that the festivals created.  I love the rhythm of coming together weekly to worship together.  I love that we do enough improvisation that our worship never becomes routine for me.  When I looked at the New Testament worship material I was reminded of how Christ-focused it was.

We have a great team here at Madison Park. There are so many gifts involved and so much being contributed. That, in itself, is a marvelous act of worship.  Today will be a day of worship for me.  Worship as I learn about worship. Worship as I enjoy the gifts of others. Worship as I’m able to offer myself to God. Worship as I anticipate how God will shape me and others through this material. Worship simply because God is God and He is worthy. Worship because Jesus died for us and gave us immediate and full access to God.

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Why not just say so…

Monday, January 10th, 2011

I thought the church was about helping people get to know Jesus. Or, become better followers of Jesus.  Or, just be a good person.  And it is. In fact, that’s what we’re all about.  We are trying to be so focused in our activity that all that we do accomplishes what the Bible calls “making disciples.”

So why the vocabulary of Life Change? And what’s this about Encounter, Connect and Serve? It’s merely our attempt to put contemporary words to an ancient task.  We’ve tried to summarize all that we do in strategic, intentional language that can help us make our decisions effectively.

But, rather than me repeat all of this, just open the attached document and read for yourselves.  I’ve tried to explain it succinctly for you.  If you have questions–ask. Comments? Make them. We want to hear from you so we are sure we are as clear as possible. The more we understand our purpose, the better able and further motivated we are to carry it out.

ECS explanation 1-7-11

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Overwhelming…Amazing…Frightening…Exciting

Tuesday, August 17th, 2010

Because I wasn’t preaching Sunday (and because of an emergency run to the hardware store to fix a baptistery leak), I had the chance to move around and see what goes on during worship. I was overwhelmed by the number of people that I didn’t recognize. I see a few folks every Sunday, but this week was literally overwhelming.

We have guests with us every week. We know that. In fact, I’m amazed by the number of new people God has brought our way. I’ve seen churches that might have a handful of guests during a year.  We have at least a dozen every week (some back for the 2nd or 3rd time). I don’t know the total for the year. We can only count those that fill out connect cards…but that is up over 150 for 2010.

The responsibility frightens me. These folks are looking for something. Some don’t even know what. Others, seeking specific answers or at least some ray of hope. Still others, for connection…friendship…acceptance. A few know…they want a church where they (and/or their children) can find Jesus and grow. Their initial impressions are critical.  In fact, one recently said, “I was greeted within 5 steps of the door.”

These are exciting times. But we need help. We need you to be hospitable. We need you to welcome people with a smile. We need you to make a seat available. We need you to offer to show them the nursery or the Warehouse or the rest rooms.  We need you to smile and nod. We need you to stop talking (for just a few moments) with your friends and speak to a stranger (the word hospitality means, love of strangers, by the way). We need you help us help them feel at home.

Some folks won’t find what they are looking for. We accept that. Some will discover that “Jesus is not for them.” Or, that our way of worship and/or preaching doesn’t fit them. We can accept all of that. What we must never accept is that we failed to give them a chance. If the gospel offends, if the truth threatens, so be it. But let us never be the offense.

Please, pray for us, that we demonstrate genuine hospitality. Please, lower your defenses and be friendly. Please, come out from your comfort zone for even a few seconds and greet some one. Please, look past your personal preferences and let another one in.

Someday, someone will say, “Because of you, I now know Jesus.”

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Is it happening?

Monday, July 26th, 2010

Our mission is simple: faciliate life change. In other words, we live to see lives transformed.  It’s why we do church. It’s the point of our activities.  We seek to Encounter God because that’s a means to life change (not forgotting that God deserves us to seek Him). We encourage Connecting Points because they are a means to seeing life transformed by God through His word and His people.  We encourage Serve activities because we know Jesus was a servant and service is a means to becoming more like Him.

But how do we know if it’s happening?  There are lots of practical ways to try to measure what we are doing.  We can count people in worship, in small groups and classes, or involved in service. We can count the offering and compare what we get to what we used to get and to what we need.  We can look at the calendar and see what activities we are doing and how folks are responding.

But, honestly,  the best way to know if it’s happening is for you to tell us.  And we want to know. So, please, respond to this blog with a brief story of the way your life is changing.  Tell us what’s happening that tells you that your life is different.  Relate an anecdote about a friend or family member in whom you see transformation.  Help us make sure we are actually doing what we’re here to do.

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