This week is a little crazy for the staff of Church of the Suncoast. We are trying to cram next weeks work all into this week since we are leaving Sunday afternoon after church for the Drive Conference.
Doesn't it always seem like doing stuff like this is not worth the hassle until you get up there and you can step out of the daily grind for a day or two? I know the best ideas and new initiatives always come about as a result of trips like this. Last year we took everyone to C3 in Dallas and God really did a lot since everyone was new. It was our first staff, so God did a lot to bring us together as a team.
Please be praying for us!
If you are a church leader who reads this blog and you are going to Drive shoot me an e-mail and let's hook up. I would love to ask you some questions about how you are doing church.
brian@canthisbechurch.com
Stay tuned for some notes from Drive next week and maybe even some pictures :-)
ISSUES (Part 3) Podcast
Church of the Suncoast
ISSUES Part 3
"Abortion"
PODCAST
This week we wrapped up the series with the difficult topic of abortion. So far so good. Everyone seemed to receive the message well. In fact a local pregnancy center that helps women after abortions is going to use the talk.
I am glad we did a series like this. It raises the authenticity bar and let's the community see a different perspective from a church. We had really good feedback... But, I am glad it is over for now. Tough stuff to talk about. A lot of sleepless Saturday nights :-)
Go God!
ISSUES Part 3
"Abortion"
PODCAST
This week we wrapped up the series with the difficult topic of abortion. So far so good. Everyone seemed to receive the message well. In fact a local pregnancy center that helps women after abortions is going to use the talk.
I am glad we did a series like this. It raises the authenticity bar and let's the community see a different perspective from a church. We had really good feedback... But, I am glad it is over for now. Tough stuff to talk about. A lot of sleepless Saturday nights :-)
Go God!
If You See Me... Don't Run Over Me!
I was praying this morning, and as usual, I was praying for a big number this weekend. If we have a big number then this will be the highest attendance month to date at the Suncoast... and I felt that little voice say, "Well what are you doing to make that happen?"
So as you read this I am out putting out a couple dozen of our little road signs. These last a lot longer than the big ones. Here is the design and where we had them printed:
LINK for Signs
Weekend Podcast (ISSUES - 2)
Church of the Suncoast
PODCAST - Issues - Homosexuality
Update: Thank you for praying as we covered this tough topic. I think the issue might have even kept a few people away. We did a talk on porn last year and that was a little lower too. But a great crowd none the less. Depending on this weekends numbers it might wind up being one of our highest months in our two year history.
The service had a great flow to it. The people all seemed really engaged. The talk was tough, but I think I did a good job. No one got up and walked out :-) And, I think it challenged a lot of presuppositions and prejudices.
Keep praying. One more week of this series I know we needed to do...
PODCAST - Issues - Homosexuality
Update: Thank you for praying as we covered this tough topic. I think the issue might have even kept a few people away. We did a talk on porn last year and that was a little lower too. But a great crowd none the less. Depending on this weekends numbers it might wind up being one of our highest months in our two year history.
The service had a great flow to it. The people all seemed really engaged. The talk was tough, but I think I did a good job. No one got up and walked out :-) And, I think it challenged a lot of presuppositions and prejudices.
Keep praying. One more week of this series I know we needed to do...
The Monday After...
I know a lot of church leaders and church planters read blogs on Mondays as they try to catch up of other churches (or try to feel better about their...). I also know Monday's are a time when every church leader has a holy hangover... a time when they feel like God let them down because of something that didn't go as planned that weekend. Maybe the numbers were low, maybe the message tanked, maybe the music was off, maybe someone was rude to you and had a conversation they should not have had with you before you got up to preach God's Word. Sound familiar???
Last week God opened my eyes to something I had never picked up on in Matthew. Here is the scene. A Canaanite woman approaches Jesus and the disciples as they are trying to get away from the crowds. I'm sure they all were tired. The woman had a demon possessed child and she kept pressing them to talk with Jesus. Finally they cave in and let her talk with Him. She presents her case and Jesus has an interesting response... Read this:
Jesus did not answer a word. So his disciples came to him and urged him, "Send her away, for she keeps crying out after us." He answered, "I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel." The woman came and knelt before him. "Lord, help me!" she said. He replied, "It is not right to take the children's bread and toss it to their dogs."
Ouch right? Here she is having traveling all this way to talk with Jesus because she believes He can heal her child and everything seems against her. The crowds seemed against her. The disciples seemed against her. Her race was against her. Her sex was against her in this day and age. EVEN JESUS seemed against her...
So what gives? I believe Jesus was looking for faith. Read on:
Then Jesus answered, "Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted." And her daughter was healed from that very hour.
How many times have you deep down thought everything was against you on a Sunday? How many time, if we are honest, have we thought God was against us??? I believe God is looking for the same kind of response...
Persistence
Belief
Faith
That is what I think God is looking for in those moments. Are we willing to push on even when it seems like everything and even God is against us???
Share your thoughts... Leave a comment.
Last week God opened my eyes to something I had never picked up on in Matthew. Here is the scene. A Canaanite woman approaches Jesus and the disciples as they are trying to get away from the crowds. I'm sure they all were tired. The woman had a demon possessed child and she kept pressing them to talk with Jesus. Finally they cave in and let her talk with Him. She presents her case and Jesus has an interesting response... Read this:
Jesus did not answer a word. So his disciples came to him and urged him, "Send her away, for she keeps crying out after us." He answered, "I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel." The woman came and knelt before him. "Lord, help me!" she said. He replied, "It is not right to take the children's bread and toss it to their dogs."
Ouch right? Here she is having traveling all this way to talk with Jesus because she believes He can heal her child and everything seems against her. The crowds seemed against her. The disciples seemed against her. Her race was against her. Her sex was against her in this day and age. EVEN JESUS seemed against her...
So what gives? I believe Jesus was looking for faith. Read on:
Then Jesus answered, "Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted." And her daughter was healed from that very hour.
How many times have you deep down thought everything was against you on a Sunday? How many time, if we are honest, have we thought God was against us??? I believe God is looking for the same kind of response...
Persistence
Belief
Faith
That is what I think God is looking for in those moments. Are we willing to push on even when it seems like everything and even God is against us???
Share your thoughts... Leave a comment.
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