We just finished an amazing weekend with our men. Our annual Men's Conference is always a highlight.
It's such a great time to get a bunch of guys together. Team competitions, sanctified trash talk, inspiration, playing together, praying together - it's all good. Kevin Gerald brought it. 2 excellent messages. I love the sound and feel of a bunch of guys worshipping God - loudly - together. Lots of fun, lots of inspiration, lots of connecting.
Sunday afternoon saw us sending out yet another team to the nations. 3rd one this year. A team of 10 is going to Mali, Africa to work with our long time friend Bruce McDonald. Very strong team filled with great men and women. They are going to do a crusade and then help a church Bruce works with there. Pray for them. Should be an excellent trip.
Sunday service was superb. Great worship. Loved the videos of the guys telling what God is doing in their life. I'm totally enjoying teaching the Galatians series. 12 people responded for salvation or rededication.
In the midst of all that, there are a few people mad at me. And our church. Go figure!
Neh. 6:3 So I sent messengers to them, saying, “I am doing a great work and I cannot come down. Why should the work stop while I leave it and come down to you?”
3 comments
4:18 am?!?
i hope these brats aren't keeping you awake!
Posted on July 16, 2007 at 7:07 AM
I am officially now one of the old-timers at the Rock. In January of 1998 going to church was my New Year Resolution. Came to the Rock a lonley 23 year old religion-bound high school biology teacher looking for more. Nearly a decade later I'm married to my best friend, have 4 great kids that love Jesus, own businesses that provided for others, and I have consitently been in the lives of countless others to grow, love, & connect them to God and His House.
I can assure you when I walked in the doors of the church almost 10 years ago I wasn't ready to have or do any of those things. Still can't one minute without God. My family is just one of many thousand success stories that has come out of the ministry provided at the Rock.
Pastor, you and PS have consistently given to make God's house an excellent place that reveals Jesus Christ in a way that is relevant and real. You and the Holy Spirit make the Bible come alive every single Sunday -- week in, week out. 10 years ago I was a skinny tree that was ready to grow -- just needed didn't know how or have the resources. Today I am a shade tree where others can rest, be loved, & grow.
Don't ever grow weary in well doing. The Bible says to judge a tree by its fruit -- and the church we're growing together has fruit hanging off of every branch.
Take a nap -- 4:18am is against the law.
Posted on July 16, 2007 at 7:22 AM
I can't remember whether it was you or Pastor Kevin who asked the question in one of the Thrive sermons "Why do you go to church?". I've pondered in the four plus years that I've been attending the Rock why people come to the Rock. You've said that some people come expecting a "new age" church and go away because they aren't comfortable with the basic truths of scripture that are bedrock to the Rock. I suspect that there are others that come because of attraction to the modern format or the rock music format or casual worship clothing or they wore out all the other churches in town or a friend goes to the Rock or they thought the Pastor looked cute on TV or they found the Praise and Worship team attractive. If they attend for any other reason than the Rock is a group of caring people (not perfect), led by an anointed (but still not perfect) pastor with the goals of worshiping God fervantly and helping people get closer to God as a person, then they will eventually leave. If they leave acrimoniously, then it's good for us that they left because they obviously had some toxicity inside and we don't need any more toxic. I hate that they didn't "get it" but the Rock is full of the "living water" and if they didn't drink their fill???? What else is there to say?
Posted on July 24, 2007 at 8:18 PM