Kirk Bowman's blog

I just got a 2009 calendar. We use those year long fold out calendars in staff meetings so we can see big picture on our planning.

Right now – my 2009 calendar is blank. But soon it will start filling up with events and projects.

While looking at my fresh new blank calendar I was hit hard with the idea – 2009 is a blank page right now. What will I plan for? What do I want my life to look like in 2009? What do I want to do? Where do I want to go?

For me – definitely time with my family, going to the nations, great events in the life of our church that help people, series of messages that will hopefully touch and lift people, fun stuff with friends and family – and room to breath.

I know all of life can’t be planned. But some of it can.

2009 – it’s blank page. What will you write in it?

I’m teaching on the parables of Jesus this summer and really enjoying it. Yesterday we looked at the parable of the talents.

This idea really sticks with me. The guy who blew it messed up because he was afraid and buried his talent. He even lost his one talent he worked so hard to hold on to.

Fear will shrink your world.

It will make you afraid to work, to try (again), to love, to reach out for something fresh and new. You will get guarded about everything.

The enemy will want to steal your confidence and hope. He wants to shrink your world.

If there ever was a day we as believers need to stand up in confidence in God, in His cause, In His goodness and even in our calling – today is that day.

As His church, let’s stand up strong for faith, hope and love. The world needs us to do this more than ever.

What a great week!

Got to spend all of last week with all my girls. Went scalloping and fishing in Florida. Out to eat. Hanging with family. One round of golf. It was a short but sweet week away. Creating great memories. Loved it.

Mega Worship on Saturday has to be one of my favorite events in the life of our church. An hour and a half of worship and prayer. 150 people all totally focused on God. The time flies. I really love it. One really cool part of this one - tons of under 30 year olds.

Great day at church today. Loving the energy right now. Meeting lots of new people. Numbers are down a little. Summer time. Last few weeks before school kicks back in. But it's all good.

Our high schoolers and young adults are headed to Panama City for Next Gen conference this week. Pray for them. I know it will be great.

Something really, really cool is happening in our church right now and I am lovin it!

Yesterday was another amazing God experience. 9 people responding to Christ. Worship off the chain. Again. Great spirit in the house. Met tons of new people in our café in guest reception. More than one of them broke into tears telling us how they felt God move in their life in service.

Loved teaching on the parable of the eye is a lamp. The value of the right (God’s) perspective. This is my last week to go so long. Still kind of bottled up from One Prayer. Next week back to 35 minutes (or so).

Also, our amazing church turned out en masse again for our Big Serve Saturday. We had so many people show up to serve in our Habitat for Humanity serve day that we got to send a big team to Habitat and then about 50 people back to ABCCM to do some more work over there.

I love great quotes and collect them. Here is one I read the other day that I thought was profound.

“When the purpose of the room is lost, clutter inevitably follows”
Peter Walsh

Isn’t that so true? Rooms without a purpose become the junk room in our house. As a constantly recovering pack rat, I have to continually make conscious moves to remove the clutter.

This also happens in church life. When we have a sense of purpose we have to continually evaluate - Is this ministry, or project or new thing (or old thing!) really helping us fulfill our vision? Just adding ministries to add ministries saps the life out of our church and our best people.

This is probably true for our own lives and schedule and budget as well. Where is the clutter in those rooms? It probably collects easier when our sense of purpose is lost or becomes weak.

We had a great day in church yesterday. I know I keep saying this but worship is off the chain right now.

It felt really good to preach again. It’s been quite a few weeks because of One Prayer. I think I actually went a bit long. A little bottled up.

Our church is responding to our 99 Days of Serving in a humongous way. Teams are going all over Asheville doing good. It’s so cool. Our next Big Serve Day is coming up this Saturday, July 19. We’re going to help Habitat for Humanity.

BTW, if you are part of our church please go to this website and log in some of your experiences in serving this summer.

Summer and travel does something to my blog-o-rhythm. For those of you who do read this regularly, sorry for no past last week.

Here’s a bit of a catch up:

Had a great time ministering at Philip and Susan O’Reilly’s church last weekend – The Rock of KC. They are some of our dearest friends. Always great to be with them. Excited for their new building which should be ready by late September. Their church is doing so well.

We just finished of our One Prayer series yesterday. Ed Young laid the smack down! The whole thing was amazing. Lots of fun. Great response from everyone. Salvations every week. But I can’t wait to get back to teaching myself.

Worship is off the chain every week at church right now!

I am totally loving the new Coldplay CD – Viva La Vida. And I’m completely enthralled with Leeland right now.

My big thought from the word this past week – God’s normal is blessed