In Motivations
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Sunday Brain Dump – 11/30/14
- It was an eye opening day at The Heights!
- We continued “The Takeover” today, answering questions submitted anonymously by people who attend our church. Of corse I’m normally an expository preacher. The Takeover gives me a chance to switch it up and deal with some issues that people have questions about and I might not know to address.
- Inevitably, most of the questions I receive during the Takeover have to do with love, sex and relationships. Today I called in some reinforcements and asked my wife LaVera to join me in helping me answer some of these questions. We had a couple that really needed a woman’s perspective.
- First Lady is such an amazing blessing to me, and to our church. I’m so grateful for her!
- I apologize that we haven’t posted audio from our messages on the site the last couple weeks. Working now through those technical difficulties so that we can get caught up. Stay tuned!
- Another benefit of The Takeover is that it gives me some great insight into what I need to be preaching as I plan my preaching calendar for 2015. What do you think we need to preach about at The Heights next year? Let me know because I’m working on that now.
- Our children led us in worship today and did an AMAZING job. The leaders who get them prepared to lead worship have done a great job. They gave our adult praise team a serious run for their money! #challenge
- During both services we also prayed for the unrest in our country, originating Ferguson, MO. I mentioned on my blog this week that the local church must step up. It starts with us praying and acting.
- There have been many varying responses to what has taken place in Ferguson. People on both sides feel very passionately about their own perspective. I think that it’s so important that we engage in candid dialogue about race issues, especially those of us who are Christians.
- Sadly, most of what I’ve seen on social media is an inability to listen and dialogue. One brother actually penned a response to my blog longer than my blog, after confessing that he only read the first paragraph. We can do better people!
- I got some heat for my blog response this week from some people who disagreed with me (primarily the first paragraph). Learning to take the good with the bad. It’s a journey.
- I also was blessed to have some good, helpful conversations with some brothers who were willing to see things from varying perspectives. God also convicted me and moved me in those conversations as well. That’s what is needed!
- I hope to continue some of those helpful dialogues this week on the blog.
- I’ve read some great articles and blogs on this issue that I hope to share this week also. It’s important that we read, discuss, dialogue and grow. If your perspective of this tragedy is the same tomorrow that it was two weeks ago, you’re doing something wrong. Let’s grow together.
- Another thing that’s on my mind as we prepare for 2015 is our service schedule. Our 9:30am service is about full, which is affecting our attendance. Today we passed out a survey to our members and attendees asking them their preferences. We’ll probably have to make some shifts in the new year. Not sure what that will look like. Pray for us!
- While you’re praying, please pray that God will send some laborers into the harvest of young people. We have a growing population of children and youth in our church. We need our staff to grow with them!
- Have a great week!