Easter Highlights and Mind Dump

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Wow, we had an awesome Easter ( Resurrection Sunday, right Kristina?)!!

It started off early with a great breakfast and family portraits from David Eslick. Dave was my Scoutmaster growing up (Once and Eagle, Always an Eagle–that’s what they say anyway). He was also the photographer for our wedding. Of course that was way back before digital photography!

I don’t care how hard we try to get the boys to bed early on Saturday nights, it always seems to be later than it needs to be. I just seems to be a really long day for them when we both have to be there early. But they did get to bed at a relatively decent time (especially Tucker) and I was able to put some finishing touches on the message and ironing, etc. before getting to bed.

I thought the service was AWESOME! Eric and the band and singers did an awesome job in leading us to the throne this morning! It really is easy to do what I do best after following a great worship experience!

I am feeling like I am getting stronger each week on my preaching. I have really been working hard on my “craft” lately. I was talking with a friend this week about what a difficult sermon it is to preach on Easter. There is always expectations (mostly our own, but sometimes others), the “flannel-graph factor” (heard it before), and such a diverse crowd . . . just makes for a difficult week or weeks of preparation. I know most of my friends and fellow pastors were up like me on Saturday really working hard on that message.

Something that struck me this Easter, I guess because of reading through Acts, is that the message is so simple–especially for the apostles. They just told the story in it’s simple form–Christ died for you. So many times, especially on Easter, we try to make it way too complex. I hope I didn’t make it too complex today.

Well, I had better get some much needed sleep. Sleep off my Easter hangover!

T-E-A-M Go Team!!

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The team for our October trip to Kenya is set!! Check out this Motley Crew as we get ready to go to Kenya in October!

Please be praying for our team, the people in Africa, and our people as we are ALL a part of the team whether you are going or not! I know that sounds crazy, but we are in the beginning stages of partnering with a Manna Worldwide feeding center in Mombasa, Kenya. This is a partnership between our entire church family and those in Mombasa, not just the 11 people going on this Kenya ’08 trip. You are our partners as well!! Our church is going to be locking arms with other believers to bring clean drinking water, food, and education to children there in Mombasa.

The Devotional Continues!!!

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Check out this post on the Regeneration Devotional Blog.

We are going to continue our reading together through Scripture, this time through the Book of Acts! Gary Daily has graciously volunteered to moderate the blog and keep it going each day. A huge thanks to Gary!

And like he said in the most recent entry . . . JOIN US no matter where you are on your journey!! We want to hear from you! Until Monday . . .

KidStuf Technical Rehearsal Cancelled

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The KidStuf rehearsal has been cancelled for tonight. We will be having our final dress rehearsal on Saturday at 9:00 a.m. Make sure you are ready to go and have your parts memorized as we only have a couple of practices.

Lifebuilder’s in Cancelled for TONIGHT!

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Just got a call from Winston at Lifebuilders. They are canceling the meeting tonight. He said if you have already started or finished your food and still want to donate it, the Missouri Hotel will gladly take your food. Just give us a call at church and we will give you directions or take it. Thanks for your willingness to help with this ministry!!

Snow, Snow, and more Snow . . . at least that is the plan!

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We will let everyone know on our website and this blog if we are going to cancel Lifebuilders and KidStuf Technical Rehearsal tonight.? It is looking very much like we will cancel both, but we will make the final decision around the noon hour.? Have a great day and we’ll keep you posted.

Day 1 Reflections

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1.pngIt has been a blast reading all of the comments from the Regeneration Devotional Blog. It is really cool to realize that we are all looking at the same passage and God is speaking to each and every one of us in our own ways. It is really great to see how God uses many different verses to speak to each of us differently. I pray that the Lord will really grow me as a follower this 21 days. I wrote in my journal that I really need the Lord’s help to be disciplined to keep us for the 21 days. I want that 21 days to create a habit of a daily walk with Christ through his Word. I know it is going to pay great dividends when I sacrifice to spend time in the Bible.

Here is what I wrote in a comment of day one. I also wrote this encouragement to all of us:

Great comments and insight on this first day of the CHALLENGE!! Let?s keep it up . . . and lurkers (you know who you are), register, log in and CONTRIBUTE!! Join the 21 Day Challenge journey!

21 Day Challenge Begins TODAY!!

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We have been talking about how to really begin to grow in your relationship with Christ in our series BE. Today, we talked about how important Bible reading and journaling is to the spiritual maturity of every believer. I challenged each of

us to read the Bible for 21 days–enough tim e to create a new habit. The Gospel of John has, you guessed it, 21 chapters; so we are going to read through the Gospel of John for this challenge. We are going to begin a series based on the Gospel of John following the BE series, so it should be really cool to see how God is going to speak to our church family before we journey together in the series.

I think there is going to be a ton of power as our whole family studies John together. There is really going to be a real sense of community–especially if you want to comment on our Regeneration Devotional Blog. We had a great response last year this time with our online devotional tied into Regeneration. We are going to continue that Regeneration Devo Blog with this 21 Day Challenge. Head on over there, grab a Bible and a journal, and make sure and comment on what God is saying to you.

Regeneration Devotional Continues

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There have been a few folks who have decided to do the Regeneration ’07 devotionals again and are making comments as well.? You might want to journey on over there to check it out.

We are also going to be kicking it off again with new posts to coincide with our series that is coming up on Spiritual Development.? (I was going to kick off the series yesterday, but was down with the stomach flu.)? Seems everyone is getting back on the mend and we will jump in next Sunday and journey together toward a deeper relationship with the Savior.

Sunday Night Potpourri

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Wow, what a week! Lots of eating and hanging out by the TV watching football! Taylor wishes that we would watch the Disney Channel as much as we watched football this week. We watch way too much of both, I imagine!

fooddrive1.jpgWe kicked off our Holiday Food Drive this morning by actually going out and didn’t “do” church this morning in a service, but we “were” the church. We sent out our folks to several neighborhoods to collect non-perishable food items for The Least of These here in Nixa. Even though the weather didn’t cooperate with us with a bunch of rain, we still had afood.jpg lot of fun–and we got a bunch of food (it covered the front to the stage!)

We decided at lunch that we are going to go out again the next couple of weeks! We are going to go drop off bags explaining what we are doing on NEXT Saturday. Then we will go pick up food items from those people on the FOLLOWING Saturday.

I think it is a great picture of what can happen if we all get together and do a little effort–huge results happen!! A small group of people giving about an hours worth of their time can benefit many, many families here in Christian County. It reminds me of this scripture from James.

What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to him, “Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. James 2:14-17 (NIV)

mulogo.jpgOn the football watching front . . . How ’bout the Missouri Tigers?!?!

  • The KU/MU “Border Battle” proved to be as good as the hype. Mizzou looked strong the entire game and KU came back in the second half to give them a big scare. Mizzou should have a really good chance to win the Big 12 on Saturday in San Antonio against OU. Who wouldn’t really want the Sooners to go down??
  • Mizzou is actually #1 in the NATION!! Who would have thunk it?? My dad went to Mizzou, so we have always followed them, but kind of like KC, the lovable losers of late. They are back and as good as ever!!
  • The Arkansas/LSU game on Friday was awesome as well. 3 overtimes and the hogs come out with a win! Pig Sooooeee! Things are not good at the Terrell household these days I’m sure. Sorry Brad!
  • The Chiefs laid a huge egg today. Correction. The coaches at the end of the game laid a huge egg. Are you telling me your kicker can’t hit a 25-30 yard field goal to TIE the game? 4th and 1 and not even close. Against the Oakland Raiders at home. Not good.