Read your Bible. Every preacher worth his or her salt on the face of the planet would tell you to do that. I've heard it my whole life. But why does it matter? Is it worth investing the time and energy? Is there some kind of magic in those pages? Starting Tuesday, I'm leading our church on a journey. We're going to read a devotion from every book of the Bible for 66 straight days right here on my blog. By the time school starts back, we'll have at least read a small passage from every book in God's Word. And I believe it matters greatly.
Deuteronomy 30:19 says: "I have set life and death, blessing and curse before you. Now choose life." Earlier in that passage in verse 16, the Scripture says, "If you obey the Lord your God's commandments that I'm commanding you right now by loving the Lord you God, by walking in his ways, and by keeping his commandments, his regulations, and his case laws, then you will live and thrive, and the Lord will bless you." That's what this is about. Your best life is waiting inside those pages. The plan God has for you is waiting in those pages. Truth, hope, forgiveness, and freedom are waiting in those pages. Every preacher that has told you to read your Bible has done so for this reason. We don't get bonus points for how many parishioners we have reading the Scriptures. It's because blessing comes with obedience to God's commands, and to obey God's commands, you have to know what they are and why they are. And you learn that in His Word. Whether you're a part of Church of the Way or not, I hope you'll take this journey with us. Let's get ready to dig in...and find life.
A look inside the building design process and Go Beyond Campaign
Monday, May 28, 2012
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
I love our leaders!
So, we had a Leadership Team meeting on Sunday to finalize building plans. We've got a great plan that I'm really excited about revealing during "Go Beyond." I feel like we've got something that is doable and usable.
However, in the process and thinking about our land, we began to dream a little. We love the spot we're in, but the bottom line is that we're going to be a good bit off the road. Now, you'll be able to see our facility from the road, and we'll have a good looking sign at our drive, but the site work required to pull our utilities back there and pour a driveway that long is extensive. We began to think about other possibilities. Is there a way we can get our building up closer to the road on any adjoining properties, giving us great visibility and less extensive site work? The answer is, "I don't know, but maybe." Maybe is a great thing. Maybe is hope. God works in maybe.
We're gonna look at all avenues, that's for sure. I'm so encouraged by our leaders' ability to dream and thinking clearly about making our permanent home the best it can be. Maybe we go with what we've got. Maybe there's something out there we haven't figured out yet. Who knows? But maybe...
However, in the process and thinking about our land, we began to dream a little. We love the spot we're in, but the bottom line is that we're going to be a good bit off the road. Now, you'll be able to see our facility from the road, and we'll have a good looking sign at our drive, but the site work required to pull our utilities back there and pour a driveway that long is extensive. We began to think about other possibilities. Is there a way we can get our building up closer to the road on any adjoining properties, giving us great visibility and less extensive site work? The answer is, "I don't know, but maybe." Maybe is a great thing. Maybe is hope. God works in maybe.
We're gonna look at all avenues, that's for sure. I'm so encouraged by our leaders' ability to dream and thinking clearly about making our permanent home the best it can be. Maybe we go with what we've got. Maybe there's something out there we haven't figured out yet. Who knows? But maybe...
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
Getting Started
So, we're about 5 1/2 weeks away from starting our first Building Campaign -- Go Beyond -- at Church of the Way. For the past few months, our leaders have been busting it to really nail down what we need out of our first facility. The first thing was to discover our needs. That's really important because those are different from our wants.
I've said to several people that we are much like a young couple buying their first home. Sometimes there is this idea that you're going to move into a home much like mom & dad's. That ain't happening. Mom and Dad worked for a long time to get a house like that. They lived in a shoebox when they were 24 in the 60s.
Now, we're not moving into a shoebox. We need a place we can do ministry. But this is a starter home. This is the place to that we get started being all we can be for this community. We won't get all we want in the building, but we can get all we need in the building. We need a place to gather. We need a place to worhsip. We need a place for children. We need a place for students. That's what we're working on. That was kind of the groundwork from which our Building Team began to conceptualize ideas for our first facility. Moreover, those needs reflect what the community needs from us. We want to be a place that serves the community. We want a place in which people in the community feel at home. We want a place for young people to hang out. We want a place that can be used by community groups. That's who we are at Church of the Way.
Getting to where we're going is a process. Getting our first phase designed started with that kind of thinking. What do we need to be all God has called us to be. One day, we'll start talking about wants. But this is step one, and, friends, it's an exciting step. I'm so pumped about where God is leading us, and excited to Go Beyond.
I hope you'll come along for the journey.
I've said to several people that we are much like a young couple buying their first home. Sometimes there is this idea that you're going to move into a home much like mom & dad's. That ain't happening. Mom and Dad worked for a long time to get a house like that. They lived in a shoebox when they were 24 in the 60s.
Now, we're not moving into a shoebox. We need a place we can do ministry. But this is a starter home. This is the place to that we get started being all we can be for this community. We won't get all we want in the building, but we can get all we need in the building. We need a place to gather. We need a place to worhsip. We need a place for children. We need a place for students. That's what we're working on. That was kind of the groundwork from which our Building Team began to conceptualize ideas for our first facility. Moreover, those needs reflect what the community needs from us. We want to be a place that serves the community. We want a place in which people in the community feel at home. We want a place for young people to hang out. We want a place that can be used by community groups. That's who we are at Church of the Way.
Getting to where we're going is a process. Getting our first phase designed started with that kind of thinking. What do we need to be all God has called us to be. One day, we'll start talking about wants. But this is step one, and, friends, it's an exciting step. I'm so pumped about where God is leading us, and excited to Go Beyond.
I hope you'll come along for the journey.
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