SERVE

I challenged our church that we will aggressively serve people.
It needs to be a dominant part of our church's DNA.

One of the new opportunities we are embarking on as a church is getting involved in our local homeless shelter. To be honest, this is more gutsy than one might think.

Some people don't want a homeless shelter in our community. Some say it brings more problems than it solves problems. Some say it enables people to just live off of a system. Some say "not in my backyard."

I say love 'em.

We will cook, serve, and join them in a home-cooked meal at least once a month for starters to create conversations, build relationships, and pray for their lives.

Today I read this:

Malachi 3:5 (The Message)
5"Yes, I'm on my way to visit you with Judgment. I'll present compelling evidence against sorcerers, adulterers, liars, those who exploit workers, those who take advantage of widows and orphans, those who are inhospitable to the homeless—anyone and everyone who doesn't honor me." A Message from God-of-the-Angel-Armies.

I know we are doing the right thing. And we can't stop there.

We will aggressively serve people.

Check out this multi-media presentation from our local paper on the homeless shelter.

nothing says easter like a ...

A duck with exploding guts...



What did you get in your Easter basket?

The most powerful story ever

All For You
Come and hear it on Sunday

Who We Are...

We are a church in the process of reintroducing ourselves to the community.

We must be known as a gathering of people who:
- are growing closer to God.
- makeup a fresh and relevant church for today's culture.
- help grow healthy families
- aggressively serve people.
- believe in identifying with our community and becoming an intricate part of the community.
- believe the harvest is ready, and the we are the workers ready to go and serve God in a variety of ways.
- believe only God can take a dead seed and bring about life. We want everyone to spiritually experience that in their lives.


The Fields Church is the new name that our leadership has endorsed.



The Fields Church:
It represents our Central Illinois location
It represents the spiritual harvest that needs to take place.
It represents opportunity to grow closer to God
It represents a place where families can grow in spiritually healthy ways.
It represents spiritual seeds that needs to be planted.
It represents fields of opportunity.
It represents fields of spiritual growth.
It represents new life.

Come May 10, we'll be able to say, "Welcome to The Fields!"

Listen to the whole message here.

pics of the week

Four teeth pulled


My son Dakota had four teeth pulled. I feared it would be a horrible experience where he put dentists on the same list as the devil and people who steal your bike. But he did great!
His comment: "I guess I'll be #1 on the tooth chart in my class!"

Meet Jackie


Jackie is my new administrative assistant. She loves coffee. (A resume line that was to her benefit.) Although she swears she typically drinks coffee out of her Starbucks travel mug, today she came in carrying the Little Orphan Annie thermos full of coffee. Her husband is one of those auction treasure hunters.

Investing in the future

Today and Friday I gather with 70 community stakeholders for youth and children in East Central Illinois. It will be two days of inspiration and brainstorming of how were can collaborate and build coalitions to improve the future for the next generation.

These are the movers and shakers who truly have the power to impact lives. It's exciting to be a part of it. Looking for incredible ideas to make a positive difference in people's lives.

I can't wait to see how our vision for the Family Room can be shaped and impacted because of gatherings like these.

related links:
http://rayofhope.ning.com/
http://regionalalliance4youth.org/
http://www.lumpkinfoundation.org/

Need some decor

My office is a bit stale on the walls. I need something.
And then I found this online...



I'm thinking I need to find me some of these book shelves.

What cool office decor do you have?