Monday Morning Perspective

As we look at the three crosses in Luke 23, our focus is the man in the middle, but we also looked at the two others. We see two men in the same spot who made very different choices. We make choices every day but the one crucial choice we make is the one concerning Jesus.

This Palm Sunday we heard the gospel shared as we looked at the cross of rejection, the cross of repentance and the cross of redemption. And the question for all of us is which cross are we on, rejection or repentance. 

John Leopard shared as he did several weeks ago at night church about his summer in Atlanta and the story of Mellow. I never tire of hearing that story for it reminds me that no matter the tendency to bypass, overlook, and refuse eye contact with people, that's not how Jesus calls us to live. I've been guilty way too many times for lots of different reasons, but thankfully God gives us another chance and another opportunity. If you're like me, you welcome that chance too. 

Nathan Brannon shared the life on mission moment at night church and he challenged all of us! He shared stories from his Thursday nights with Immerse downtown ministering to the homeless and the need for laborers. The harvest is plentiful and the workers are few. So thankful that Nathan is willing to be one of the workers and is going to the darkness to share the light and hope of Jesus. 

The worship music was amazing in our services. We are a blessed church. I was full of goosebumps and tears! 

And on a day where I was coming off of a day wondering where was the good and kindness and humility and passion in people, I was reassured, as I talked to many at church, members and visitors. One after another, selfless, giving, generous and kind people with an obvious love for Jesus came my way. Thankful to Jesus for those He brings together and allows us to do church together.

Eddie had boxes of Greg Laurie's book Tell Someone to sell/give away. That was a huge hit! Thank you to so many who paid for 4 or more books and took 1 so that others could take one free of charge. 

Thank you to those who bought a book to read, determined to take this Life on Mission series to the next level. 

Have a great week as we all do Life on Mission together. 

Monday Morning Perspective

For the Life on Mission message this week we turned to my favorite book in the Bible, Colossians. I absolutely love that New Testament book. We dissected 4:2-6, verses that are rich and stirring.  

Eddie made the comment that the longer we are Christians the fewer non-Christian friends we seem to have. That means the more intentional we need to be at looking for opportunities. 

This passage of scripture challenges us to be devoted in prayer. We looked at what Paul was praying for and it wasn't that his prison doors be opened but that the doors of opportunity to spread the gospel would be open. 

After we pray, we must go. And it's an as we go word. We must be wise in how we act as we go. Eddie gave a glimpse into what that looked like for him which should encourage us that even in our times of messing up, God is still powerful and capable of using us and getting glory. 

Then after we pray and as we go we must open our mouths and say something. We must speak the gospel as well as live it. Eddie mentioned that we are called to be salt and that means we are to preserve, add flavor to this tasteless world and create a thirst for the things of God. 

This was one of the best messages and most challenging in this series. I'm not looking forward to this one ending. 

We had a super special guest (at least to us) share the life on mission moment at the end of Eddie's message. She's Noelle Boiano. We've come to love her as we've heard and seen her heart for Jesus and people. She works at the North American Mission Board so having her share as we go into this season of Annie Armstrong Easter offering was sweet. Her testimony of reaching others was powerful and a great reminder that whether it's with our family or others, they're lining up what we say about Jesus with how we are living and acting. I loved the transparency with which she shared. I've never met someone who right from the start was just herself and very comfortable in her own skin. That's probably my favorite part about her, no pretense, no fake, what you see really is what you get. 

Keiffer Mendoza had all of us messed up at night church with his worship leading. He strummed as Noelle shared and we could not keep it together. We blame him hahaha! It was also the best song set going along with this series. I'm growing to love this band more every week, not just their leading but hearing their hearts as they share in leading and just talking to them off stage. Don't fear!! God is raising up a mighty generation to continue to spread the gospel as long as He chooses to tarry. 

And the young guys manning the sound booth, I'm so blessed by you! We are building depth so that others are capable of stepping up to lead, but also they're doing things they're not even asked to do or expected to do, little things that others may not even notice! Our volunteers' energy and passion and joy is contagious! I wish I could bottle it and give it away! Side note...sometimes I'm discouraged that there are those who fill many churches who are paid with a title who have less passion and are less willing to step outside of their "job description". Volunteers work circles around them. It's a job. It's a paycheck. It's not a calling and a passion and that's so sad to me. I know the importance of balancing ministry and family and the need for rest, but some are rested enough. Time is short. There's much work to do. And I believe little time left. I doubt anyone has gotten to heaven and said "I wish I had slept more. I wish I had delegated more. I wish I had more time off." And that's the end of my sermon! Have a great Monday. Hope you're prayed up and ready to go. Just don't forget to speak. 

Monday Morning Perspective

Our word for yesterday's message was GO! I don't know how Eddie preached that message the way that he did but it was so effective. I agree with Chrissie who said her brain just doesn't work like that to pull all of that together like he did.  Mine doesn't either. 

Eddie took us on a back and forth journey between mainly three passages of scripture comparing three stories. 

We looked at Phillip and the Ethiopian eunuch in Acts 8. We looked at Ananias as he went to Saul in Acts 9. And we looked at the story of Peter and Cornelius in Acts 10. 

In these stories we see three men, a clergy, a deacon, and a lay person, all living life on mission and all coming alongside someone to share the good news and offer assistance. 

We also looked at the story of Legion in Mark 5. The one who was a lost cause, whom everyone had written off. But Jesus. He was healed and then sent back home to live his life on mission and share with his city and his family.  No one is beyond the reach of Jesus. And no one has an excuse not to GO and tell what Jesus has done for them. 

We ended the service much like we did night church last week. Eddie had Justin Broome come and share what his life on mission looks like as he does mission in downtown Greenville with the homeless. He shared how God reached him in the pit of life and then sent him back to reach others around the world and in his own city. Three powerful things Justin said that hit me...

1) when you live for yourself you destroy your life. 

2) we are to create an atmosphere where people can belong before they believe. 

3) Jesus doesn't save us to just take us to heaven. He saves us to bring some heaven to earth. 

We closed night church with another life on mission challenge. This time our son and student pastor Michael Hux shared. He's so right that everyone thinks it's easy for those of us in ministry but we have to be intentional too. He shared how if we pray for an opportunity God will give us one. Why wouldn't He if that's what He's wanting us to do. God opened a door wide open for him to be able to share with a lady in a local restaurant  and "turns out" she has a 17 year old daughter, a student, right up Michaels alley! God is so good like that. Nothing random with Him! Being on mission with Jesus is the farthest thing from boring. It's an exciting life with purpose. 

We were blessed to have the North Greenville  University baseball team with us for the morning worship. So thankful that there are coaches who see that as important and care about life off the field as much as on the field. They're such a fun group and super respectful. And I'd call them very sweet too but they may not like that (but they are)! 

So proud of Justin and the life he lives, on mission! 

This is a winning crew in every way!