Today I watched God work in lives and was humbled by how He is captivating hearts and lives.
One of our new guys at church (who was just baptized a few weeks ago) came to see me this morning between gatherings with tears in his eyes. He had signed up to take my Discovering Nags Head Church class. Then he found out he has to attend another function that conflicts with the class. Tears because he had made a commitment he couldn't keep. Give me some more of that.
In each of our gatherings there were men who received Christ as their Savior. Both guys have been attending for a while, but today was the day when, as Phil Keaggy wrote, God's "love broke through". Just a couple days ago the wife of one of the guys had emailed me this:"The fact that he is interested is an answer to one of my prayers. Slowly he is getting there." Today he got there.
The response to my current series, "Radical Generosity" has been quite positive. Today's big thought was that for the believer God owns everything I possess. And He is the original generous radical. With all the opportunities confronting us to be generous right now, I'm watching for some God-sized things to break loose.
The MP 13 band was most excellent today in leading our worship. I can't think of anywhere I'd rather be on a Sunday morning. It's just way cool to be in a church and watch people come in the door excited to be there and anticipating the worship.
After lunch Steve and taught our NHCU classes from 3-7PM. Both classes went well, and we'll have some new partners in the fellowship as a result.
Tina Hodgson gets it. She's our children's ministries director and is busy on Sunday morning making sure our kids worship gatherings are running smoothly. Then she was at the church from 3-7 providing child-care so that parents could attend NHCU. She knows what "it" is. I hope "it" is contagious.
Oh yeah. The Pinkertons from Lancaster Co., PA brought me a shoo fly pie. Oh my. Have you ever had an Amish baked shoo fly pie?
Next Sunday morning is less than 7 days away. I can't wait!
Posts
11 comments:
I too hope the "it" that Tina has is caught by others. What Tina does is a lot of "work" in ministry and sacrifice. The cool thing is I see in her the passion to serve and that she truly enjoys pouring out. She is a faucet and not a sponge.
As to the pie . . . did you forget you have younger brother who has a stomach that is growling right now?
did Andy share any of his apple pie with you last week?
Rick,
It was a great message yesterday and I have been dwelling on it ever since...asking God to show me how and to work through me.
Thanks for teaching the gospel as it is...without candy coating it.
Nate,
Never saw any apple pie.
Apple,
Thanks for that comment, especially when there is so much criticism out there in cyberspace, "Christian" radio, etc. that says if your church is "purpose driven" or "seeker sensitive" (which simply means evangelistic) you must be watering down the Gospel. That criticism, IMO, comes from ignorance and/or jealousy. Healthy churches are reaching non-Christians. That's how it works.
Tina is an awesome person. NHC is blessed to have her.
I didn't share the apple pie because Rick was in California eating pies there.
Plus we shared our pie with our neighbors. Reaching people. . . .
and how was that pie from lancaster co PA?
That pie from PA is outstanding.
Yes, shoo fly pie! It's one of the things I love about living in PA.
Rick broke down and shared the sugary goodness of the swat a fly pie
Post a Comment