Monday Morning Perspective

It was a great day at both Fairview campuses! Big crowds with lots of energy from friendly and excited people makes for a good day. The North Greenville University baseball team joined us for worship. It's always good to have our sports teams join us from a local university! 

We were in the 2nd message of our series God's Lost and Found as we looked at the lost silver. We got a strong word on the fact that Jesus not only loved hanging out with sinners but that sinners were drawn to Him as well. And the Pharisees hated it. Jesus intentionally shared parables that involved a shepherd and a woman, both of whom the Pharisees felt were beneath them. Eddie pointed out that the silver was lost in the dark, in the dirt and in the house. He drew the correlation to those that are in God's house, even every week serving and giving, but may be lost. 

We looked at the role of the Holy Spirit and how He is an agitator who stirs things up in order to bring conviction.  And we saw the need to celebrate the things God celebrates, and that is when the lost are found and when the wayward come back. We celebrate so many things that don't matter and have no eternal good. Eddie shared his hatred for award shows, which I can attest his honesty on that, as it's a celebration of things that are pointless. I admit I usually sneek a peek at the news the next morning to see the dresses which my husband also hates since its spending lots of money on things that don't matter but it can't hurt to peek right? Anyway, this has been a great series so far and I'm sure with the parable that's left, we are going to end with a bang. Two down, two to go!! Don't miss it!! 

Monday Morning Perspective

Well I hated to see our Jonah series end, but it's usually that way for me. Endings are always a bit sad but beginnings can be exciting. This beginning is very exciting. We started our new series yesterday, God's Lost and Found. I'm so excited about it because already it's brought fresh perspective and a renewed sense of urgency about reaching the lost and I know I need that, I think we all probably do. 

I love a few things Eddie pointed out early. One, as different as Jesus was, people were attracted to Him. He was a friend to sinners. If He wasn't, we would all be doomed. Two, numbers matter to Jesus. He counts. He knows how many He has. Nunbers represent people with souls who will live for all of eternity somewhere. Churches that are declining are the ones who don't care about numbers. 

We dove into Luke 15 with the lost sheep. We looked at the characteristics of sheep and the the Good Shepherd. We were challenged by the fact that so often our time, energy, resources are spent on the sheep already in the fold but forget about the ones outside the fold that we need to be seeking. 

We all need two things: a Good Shepherd and a flock, a group to do life with. 

Be praying this week as we have another preview service at our East campus on Sunday. Keep inviting people and promote our new campus. We are not two churches. We are one church, two locations. It's all about Him!! Have a blessed week!

Monday Morning Perspective

I just have to start by saying I'm totally overwhelmed at the way God allows us to join Him in His work! I'm brought to tears when I sit and dwell on how incredibly He has moved and allowed us to go on this adventure with Him and see up close the magnitude of His love, His grace, His great plan for us as individuals and us as a church! Fairview, we are blessed! We need to celebrate that and never take it for granted. Continue to pray! Continue to be faithful! Continue sharing Him with others and inviting others to come be a part of our family. People are hurting. People need hope and they need to know someone cares! Talking to two sweet ladies Sunday reminded me how much we need to pick up a phone and invite someone to church but not just church. How bout to lunch? Or to go shopping? Or have a cup of coffee? Build those relationships with people and church will be a natural place to invite them to.

 Anyway, Sunday was our 1st preview service at Fairview East! To say I was excited would be a huge understatement. I was praying so hard for my husband's energy level to hold up to do 2 services at Fairview and the service at the east campus. He felt great! He said he could feel prayers. Could I ask you to continue to pray for that? I know his heart is to have no letdown through all three. I was also praying that we would get back for him to catch his breath before preaching again. Thanks to great friends driving us back and forth, there was time to spare! I'm so thankful that when God calls you to something, He always enables and equips. Just please add to your prayer list that his energy level continues, good health, and timing as we go back and forth. 

Eddie did an amazing job with a review of the jonah series for the East campus!  He didn't want them to just get a random message at the end of a series. It was great! The FV East band is incredible. The lead was filling in and he did a super fabulous job. 

I hate to see this series end! I've been challenged so much and I like that. Today's message was another home run! I'll just say that the two things that hit home the most, and evidently with others based on social media, was "what makes us happy says so much about our spiritual condition", and "what do you love most, plants or people?". Maybe that will get your curiosity going enough to watch online! Have a great week!