The Gathering

I'm in the Jacksonville airport this morning waiting to fly home after The Gathering, a conference for Wesleyan pastors and spouses. Jamie and I were debriefing last night after our last session and we asked, "What was the best part for you?" Normal question. At the time, I wasn't sure.

We laughed a lot, had great meals, caught up with people we know from Wisconsin and Indiana, met new friends, spent time with her parents, worshiped with Paul Baloche, and sat under the teaching of people like Gary McIntosh, Michael Smalley, Wayne Schmidt, Keith Loy, Brenda Sadler McNeal, and Mark Batterson. 

Last night, Mark Batterson said, "There are ways of doing church that no one has thought of before." He spoke about how as children, we use more of our right brain imagination, and as we grow older, we use more of our left brain logic and memory. Result: We start operating out of re-doing the past instead of imagining new ways of doing church for the future. He says it is crucial that we take the time to imagine a future where we accomplish the same goals (seeing lost people saved and the kingdom come) in new ways. 

I'm challenged by that. And I'm also encouraged. I believe we are using our imagination well at NBWC as we think orange. We're accomplishing the same goals (seeing children and teens saved, seeing families thrive under Jesus' lordship, seeing the community transformed as we partner with parents) in new ways. 

God's best is yet to come! 

You did it!

You did it!
You gave like I hoped and prayed you would.
You received a challenge and stepped up to it.

The hope has been that we, as one local congregation, could make a big difference for others.
The invitation has been given over the past several weeks and concluded today.

• to Worship (God)  Fully 
• to Spend Less ($)
• to Give More (self & time)
• to Love All (with grace & peace)

Today's love offering for Destiny Rescue, Dave & Beth Watters, and Transforming Wesleyan Church of Detroit was awesome!  (I am pumped to share $5,500 amongst these deserving ministries.)

Thanks for being generous with your love and your money.  Thanks for evaluating what you and your family needs vs. wants.

You did it.  Thanks.

May God be praised.

www.adventconspiracy.org

252 Basics

If First Look provides children with their first impression about God, 252 Basics provides them with the truth about God that they need as they grow up. 252 Basics is so named because of Luke 2:52, which says, "And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men." 252 Basics is for children in 1st through 6th grades. Over the course of three years, students hear 150 Bible stories that communicate 36 virtues, all designed with 3 basic truths in mind.

1. I need to make the wise choice.
2. I can trust God no matter what.
3. I should treat others the way I want to be treated.

Here is a video that provides an introduction to this curriculum, which also will be launched in February.

If you'd like to be a part of helping our children grow up like Jesus did, we'd love to have you a few times a month. If you think this is children's church like it's always been, you'll get a pleasant surprise. Our goal is to make Sunday morning the best hour of a child's week. Here are a few roles you could fill (similar to those of First Look):

1. Small group leaders who build relationships with kids through activities, games and memory verses.
2. Hosts who introduce the storyteller and lesson for the day.
3. A worship coordinator who leads our 4th through 6th grade students in singing as the worship team.
4. Storytellers who communicate the bottom line for the week in creative ways. Don't worry, the script is already written. You just have to use it!
5. Tech people who run the audio/video from the back.
6. True behind the scenes people who get all the crafts and activities ready for small group leaders.

Our goal is to make volunteering as easy as possible for you. If you're a host, that's your only responsibility. If you teach, you won't have to worry about the worship music or getting activities ready. I'm excited for what this means for thinking orange and partnering with parents as well as the further spiritual growth of our children. Be sure to look back here later this week for an update on youth ministry and the way it fits with preschool and children's ministry at NBWC.

First Look

When it comes to a relationship with Christ, many of us can't remember a time when we weren't a Christian. Sure, we all go through a time of making what was our parents' relationship our own, but our earliest experiences with Jesus and the church form us for a lifetime. That's why we're excited to begin using First Look during children's church on Sunday morning. It's for kids ages 18 months (or so) through kindergarten.

First Look teaches three basic truths:
1. God made me.
2. God loves me.
3. Jesus wants to be my friend forever.

While we won't start this until February 2011, take a look at this video now to get a basic overview.

If you want to be a part of giving a child their first look at their heavenly Father, we'd love to have you join us a couple times a month during the worship service. You're invited to be a part of making Sunday morning the best hour of a preschooler's week in one of the following ways:

1. Small group leaders who build relationships with kids through crafts and memory verses.
2. Hosts who introduce kids to the lesson for the day.
3. Puppeteers who "sing" with the worship and assist the storyteller in telling the story.
4. A worship coordinator who leads our younger elementary students in learning songs, because they will be the worship team for our preschoolers.
5. Storytellers who communicate the truth of Scripture in a meaningful way, with the puppets, for 10-12 minutes each morning.
6. True behind the scenes people who make copies, cut things out, and get all the activities ready for small group leaders each month.

You can talk to Pastor Josh for more details. I'll also be making phone calls this week to talk to you about joining us! Look back later in the week for information about 252 Basics, the companion curriculum for elementary students!

Local Jesus

I'm not sure how your community celebrates Jesus.  Maybe your community doesn't do anything.  I hope it does something.   Here's a snapshot at how my town celebrates!

This caught my eye for a few reasons:

• Joseph is man enough to wear pink.  Way to go man!
• Jesus is depicted as being born next to a...pallet.  
• The Christmas scene is still accepted in my town.  Go North Branch. 

And why wouldn't a Nativity Scene include a pallet?  Jesus was likely born in a pretty simple and basic location anyway; although most assume there was little more coverage than a single pallet.  Probably a cave or barn of some sort.

To consider that God made himself know to us through his son Jesus is amazing.  Theologically this is called the Incarnation.  As a result of the incarnation, a love gift, humanity has been impacted on multiple dimensions.

  

What is so striking is that Jesus was come to earth to meet us on our turf.  Isaiah 66:1 says the heavens are God's throne and the earth is God's footstool.  So although God has always been connected to his creation in Jesus he showed how deeply connected he desires to be.  

Pallet, barn, cave.  Doesn't matter.  The reality is Jesus has come.  He has come full of grace and truth (John 1:14).  He has come for me and he has come for you.  

Season of Giving

This Sunday we launch into a season of giving. 

• The Angel Tree will be set up on the foyer with names of children whose parents are in prison.  This is an opportunity to provide gifts for these children.  
• Sunday @ 6pm is the Community Thanksgiving service @ Country Christian Church.  Such a cool service.  Please come prepared to give to the non-perishible goods offering and/or the financial offering that will be received. (p.s., teens will meet @ 5:40 and cruise over in the van for this service.  A stop for Ice Cream after the service is included.)
• I am excited to begin a new sermon series, Advent Conspiracy.  This Sunday we'll investigate what it means to [Worship Fully] using Exodus 10:24-28 as our text.  Remember, December 19 we will receive a special offering for three great ministries:  Transforming Wesleyan Church of Detroit, Destiny Rescue and, Dave & Beth Watters-missionaries to Haiti.
• December 13 we will host another Grocery Giveaway as part of our season of giving.  5 pm.

Thanks for praying for our church and our impact on our community.  Pray that the name and love of Jesus Christ will be evident in all we do.  He descended from heaven to earth so that we might know God's love and find our forgiveness in Him.


Peter.

Really?

Is this the true message of the Christmas Season?


Sunday we start a new sermon series inspired from the folks at AdventConspiracy.org  This week, Worship Fully.  Themes for the weeks to come:  Spend Less, Give More, Love All.

Peter.