Baptism 09 from South Bay Church on Vimeo.
Sunday, May 3, 2009
Sunday, April 26, 2009
Sunday Night Reflections
Finished with the day. Tired as always on Sunday nights but hopeful of a new week. I was in so. cal all week from tuesday through saturday night. we took the team to catalyst west coast and spent a day at disney. lots of fun, but pretty exhausting at the same time. two days did not give me the usual time for sunday prep but in the end God blessed it.
Here are my thoughts after Sunday:
* Temp meeting location today. Had to meet at Wilcox HS instead of Don Callejon due to scheduling difficulties. Not sure how much it affected our turnout. Did everything we could to let people know.
* Wilcox is a much better facility but not in a better neighborhood. Which is higher priority? Don't know yet but thinking about Wilcox is a potential future meeting location for SB.
* Had 138 total, only had 15 kids, i guess the parents with young kids are the ones who decided not to come because of location change. Ended up averaging 180 people in April. Very happy about that number, but still are not consistently over 150. Praying that God would help us get through that next barrier!
* Talked about generosity today, said, when we live to give this is when we find life. taught from i timothy 6.
* Called today "compassion day" and gave people the opportunity to adopt a compassion child. we were able to find sponsors for 17 out of 20 kids sent to us from compassion int.
* I love the people who are coming to SB. Most of them did not grow up in church and have not gone to church in a very long time. Good to see them begin to know and understand the teachings of Jesus.
* I am feeling very stressed about a couple of decisions i need to make in the next week or two about the future of our church. All good stuff that has huge impacts on our church. I am in a research gathering mode, getting thoughts and feedback from our staff, leadership team and mentors. this makes me sweat and gives me headaches.
* Excited about next Sunday, we are doing our first ever baptism at South Bay. I am praying that God helps people trust him publicly with their decision to follow Him! I believe that this is going to be the best celebration at our church and believe that you will be incredibly inspired what God is going to do in our midst!
* I have a ton to get accomplished this week! Pray that God would give me wisdom and strength to be very focused and manage my time well.
That is it for now! Need to get some rest before the day hits tomorrow!
Here are my thoughts after Sunday:
* Temp meeting location today. Had to meet at Wilcox HS instead of Don Callejon due to scheduling difficulties. Not sure how much it affected our turnout. Did everything we could to let people know.
* Wilcox is a much better facility but not in a better neighborhood. Which is higher priority? Don't know yet but thinking about Wilcox is a potential future meeting location for SB.
* Had 138 total, only had 15 kids, i guess the parents with young kids are the ones who decided not to come because of location change. Ended up averaging 180 people in April. Very happy about that number, but still are not consistently over 150. Praying that God would help us get through that next barrier!
* Talked about generosity today, said, when we live to give this is when we find life. taught from i timothy 6.
* Called today "compassion day" and gave people the opportunity to adopt a compassion child. we were able to find sponsors for 17 out of 20 kids sent to us from compassion int.
* I love the people who are coming to SB. Most of them did not grow up in church and have not gone to church in a very long time. Good to see them begin to know and understand the teachings of Jesus.
* I am feeling very stressed about a couple of decisions i need to make in the next week or two about the future of our church. All good stuff that has huge impacts on our church. I am in a research gathering mode, getting thoughts and feedback from our staff, leadership team and mentors. this makes me sweat and gives me headaches.
* Excited about next Sunday, we are doing our first ever baptism at South Bay. I am praying that God helps people trust him publicly with their decision to follow Him! I believe that this is going to be the best celebration at our church and believe that you will be incredibly inspired what God is going to do in our midst!
* I have a ton to get accomplished this week! Pray that God would give me wisdom and strength to be very focused and manage my time well.
That is it for now! Need to get some rest before the day hits tomorrow!
Sunday, April 19, 2009
Sunday Night Reflections
Great day today at South Bay Church! Here are some of the highlights and reflections from this weekend.
* Comeback event on Saturday. Cookout with about 50 people. Good number of people from Easter services came to the cookout. Great way to get people connecting and building relationships. Pauline one of our volunteers planned the cookout and did a great job.
* Filipe spoke this morning. Great to have a morning off. Great to have a staff that I can trust to bring it. I got experience South Bay from a different perspective. I helped out with set-up this morning. I had no clue what I was doing, but got to watch it all take shape. We really do have the best volunteers, cheerful hard working people. Our team makes me want to give my best! Thank you guys who serve so diligently every week. You are the best!!
* Filipe's Message today was incredible, it was about relationships. Main point was: "selfishness is the disease that kills relationships, selflessness is the remedy that heals relationships." We took at the example of Jesus' sacrifice and his model for relationships!
* 143 total people at worship this morning. i was a little surprised by the dip, but i am hopeful that we will continue to make numerical progress because so many healthy things are happening in the church. Ron Sylvia said on his twitter, "palm sunday, easter sunday, bomb sunday."
* 43 adults tonight at our volunteer celebration. we have a ton of people who are new believers and not yet followers of Christ. they are some of the best workers. They are energetic and encouraging to be around because they have such a fresh perspective on Jesus!
* Service was very smooth this Sunday, only a couple of glitches throughout the day. We are making a ton of progress in having a consistent worship experience! That is good and gives a baseline for creativity.
* Archie has gone away from music stands. Easter was his day to make the switch. I am proud of him. Two great weeks using ground monitors. It takes the quality of our worship experience to another level.
* Cool to see God's Spirit working in people's hearts and to watch a church take formation. I am humbled as I realize that he is the one who builds His Church and I get to be a part of it! The Holy Spirit is doing some pretty incredible things in people's hearts and people's lives are changing.
* Next Sunday we are doing Compassion Sunday at Wilcox HS. I am pumped about this week and I believe we are going to experience a great week! Talking about compassion and financial freedom. Started working on the message this afternoon. Can't wait to give it.
* Heading to So. Cal this week for Catalyst West Coast. Going to be a great time with staff families! Praying that God really refreshes us and allows us to enjoy the time with one another.
* Amazing to think that one day we will have as many first time guests as total in attendance. God is going to do even greater things in our midst and I can't wait to be a part of it! Exciting to think that the best is yet to come.
I think that is it for tonight! Thank you God for letting me lead this church. It is a great privilege.
* Comeback event on Saturday. Cookout with about 50 people. Good number of people from Easter services came to the cookout. Great way to get people connecting and building relationships. Pauline one of our volunteers planned the cookout and did a great job.
* Filipe spoke this morning. Great to have a morning off. Great to have a staff that I can trust to bring it. I got experience South Bay from a different perspective. I helped out with set-up this morning. I had no clue what I was doing, but got to watch it all take shape. We really do have the best volunteers, cheerful hard working people. Our team makes me want to give my best! Thank you guys who serve so diligently every week. You are the best!!
* Filipe's Message today was incredible, it was about relationships. Main point was: "selfishness is the disease that kills relationships, selflessness is the remedy that heals relationships." We took at the example of Jesus' sacrifice and his model for relationships!
* 143 total people at worship this morning. i was a little surprised by the dip, but i am hopeful that we will continue to make numerical progress because so many healthy things are happening in the church. Ron Sylvia said on his twitter, "palm sunday, easter sunday, bomb sunday."
* 43 adults tonight at our volunteer celebration. we have a ton of people who are new believers and not yet followers of Christ. they are some of the best workers. They are energetic and encouraging to be around because they have such a fresh perspective on Jesus!
* Service was very smooth this Sunday, only a couple of glitches throughout the day. We are making a ton of progress in having a consistent worship experience! That is good and gives a baseline for creativity.
* Archie has gone away from music stands. Easter was his day to make the switch. I am proud of him. Two great weeks using ground monitors. It takes the quality of our worship experience to another level.
* Cool to see God's Spirit working in people's hearts and to watch a church take formation. I am humbled as I realize that he is the one who builds His Church and I get to be a part of it! The Holy Spirit is doing some pretty incredible things in people's hearts and people's lives are changing.
* Next Sunday we are doing Compassion Sunday at Wilcox HS. I am pumped about this week and I believe we are going to experience a great week! Talking about compassion and financial freedom. Started working on the message this afternoon. Can't wait to give it.
* Heading to So. Cal this week for Catalyst West Coast. Going to be a great time with staff families! Praying that God really refreshes us and allows us to enjoy the time with one another.
* Amazing to think that one day we will have as many first time guests as total in attendance. God is going to do even greater things in our midst and I can't wait to be a part of it! Exciting to think that the best is yet to come.
I think that is it for tonight! Thank you God for letting me lead this church. It is a great privilege.
Thursday, April 16, 2009
P.S. I love you!!
Last night I watched one of the most sad movies I've watched in my life~ It was the story of a woman who loses her husband and the whole movie is about a series of love letters her husband wrote prior to his passing. There was a whole series of letters he wrote coming to her over the course of one year. It was horribly sad. I think whenever I watch these types of movies there are primary emotions i end up fighting: 1. Fear of losing the ones I love the most. 2. a reminder of how important it is to make sure you cherish the people i love. Right now as I sit at my desk I have a picture of Caedmon and I staring at Big Sur with his arm around my shoulder. It is a reminder of my love for that little boy. At my office at home I have a huge picture frame with shots of Stacie in her wedding dress. It helps be reminded of the day I watched her walk down the aisle to become my bride. The truth is, our days with our loved ones are numbered and we don't know that number. I often pray that God would give me the privilege of growing old with Stacie and that one day I will sit with her in a rocking chair on the front porch in my 80's. but, none of this is guaranteed! So, I have today to love and to cherish the ones I love. May my life be filled with a passionate pursuit of the hearts of those closest to me. May I be a man who makes memories and gives his heart fully to treasure each moment throughout the course of the journey. I pray today that you would find the perspective to love people like there is no tomorrow and be reminded of God's deep love for your family, your neighbor, your co-worker, and whoever else that person might be! Today is all that we are promised!!!!!!
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