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Sunday was a good day at LifePointe. It’s wasn’t a fantastic day. It wasn’t a terrible day. It was an average Sunday. I strongly dislike average. I can’t put a finger on any one thing. The attendance was way, way down for some reason, but we still had 100 in attendance. The Sunday before was so awesome maybe I was measuring one against the other. Hard to say but there was an element missing.

Sunday night was a different story. We held our second KidsClubb and it was so good. KidzClubb is a wild, music filled, drama added, rip roaring good time, church service geared toward kids and their parents. But we had people of all ages attend. No one left without a smile on their face and a biblical principle planted in their hearts. I still think KidzClubb is going to be a huge part of our connection and impact in this community. The next KidzClubb will be the first Sunday of November. We’re going to start doing a little local promotion and try and build some interest. KidzClubb is a great example of how church can be fun and biblical, all at the same time.

I’m already looking forward to next Sunday. We’re continuing our Seriously series, which I’m really enjoying. If you’re in the Amory area, come see us Sunday morning, 10:30 am.

Here’s the podcasts for Sunday’s service:

What a great day at LifePointe! The place was just filled with God’s presence. Wonderful, wonderful service.

Our worship leader, Trey, was filled today and it all overflowed into the rest of us. The band was off the hook! I don’t think I’ve heard them play any better. Trey was sick but he promised to sing his voice out. He did. But it was what he said, not sang, that God used in a powerful way. He just spoke truth. It’s not possible to explain what went on, but God really, really filled the place. I can tell you right now, I wouldn’t trade Trey for 50 Chris Tomlins and I wouldn’t trade our band for 50 Hillsongs!

I continued our Seriously series with “Peace and Quiet.” Our opening “experiments” really set the tone, I think. I thought the message went over well, even though I pushed pretty quickly to get through it. Now, if we’ll just take that word seriously, be still, and incorporate it into our lives.

Our conclusion and wrap up song ushered in another wave of God’s movement. So, so powerful. Trey was on the floor praying before we finished, people were up front crying and praying, and I don’t think anyone there, Christian or not, would deny that SOMETHING was happening.

This is probably the shortest Sunday detail I’ve written but I just can’t really sum up today in words. I can say that it’s one of the most intense worship services I’ve ever been a part of personally. One day in the future I think we will look back and say that today’s service started something big. That today God started something.

The service today lasted somewhere around two hours. That’s totally against our intention and plans of 60 to 75 minutes. But God doesn’t wear a watch.

I haven’t seen the final count but I think it was around 120.

I’m taking off tomorrow. Looking forward to a little silence and solitude, or, to stay on topic, peace and quiet. I’ve got a busy next couple of months coming up. Some of our leadership team is heading to Atlanta and Catalyst in a couple of weeks. And the first week of November I’m heading to Africa for a couple of weeks.

My wife has run into a buzzsaw with thyroid problems. Lift up Teresa in your prayers when you think about her.

I forgot I had not given the Sunday rundown!

Sunday was a very good day. Half our band was out on vacation, so Rob Savilla led the worship. Rob led worship for us before we ever officially launched and it’s always good to have Rob back. Rob brought a few friends and Jarrett filled in on lead guitar. Good stuff. Looking forward to Trey, Tim, and Bob coming back this Sunday.

I continued our latest series “Seriously.” This is an exploration of spiritual disciplines. For this week’s message, the topic was Simplicity and the title was “The Simple Life.” We so need simplicity in our lives. I think the message was spot on. But it’s one of those messages that you feel like most people will blow off because it’s covering a subject that seems unattainable in our harried, busy, crazy lives. I hope it stuck a little bit.

I used my Blackberry as an illustration for simplicity. One day last week I got 69 phone calls and messages. In one day! But, I didn’t think about the mixture of our audience. The older people were astonished that someone could get 69 phone calls and messages in one day. The younger people were looking at me like “So?” They can do that in an hour!

The worship center was packed. We tried a new thing that we’ll do more often in the future. All our kids normally in KidzPointe (Grades 1-6) stayed with their parents for the entire service. The kids did excellent and I really liked having everybody together.

We followed the service with our second Lunch@LifePointe. In other words, WE ATE! I like seeing everybody eating together and talking together and sitting together. I like “together.”

Final computer check in count: 126. We’re missing somewhere around 15-20 each week in our check-in for various reasons, but the attendance is steady. Not bad for a nine month old church in a small town with probably one hundred churches.

No podcast this week. The recording technician (me) messed up on plugging cables in somewhere. One of these days we’ll get a REAL digital recorder.

About five minutes before the Sunday morning service, Trey and I were kind of anxiously discussing the lack of attendance. Five minutes later we baptize a young lady, look up, and the place is packed – all in the span of five minutes! Last count I heard was 126 people. That’s, like, 120 entering the worship center in less than five minutes!

Very, very good service. I started a new series called “Seriously” and the title of Sunday’s message was “Exercise Naked.” Get out your Bible, turn it to 1 Timothy 4:7, and do a word study. You’ll get a glimpse of the significance of that title.

Always makes any service a great service when you baptize someone. Kimberly is a young teenager who came to Christ through The Pointe, our student ministry. Kim is a fantastic young woman and God’s got great things in store for her. I only wish Frank, our Student Ministry Leader, could have been there. Several other students have come to Christ through The Pointe, one of our most successful and impacting ongoing ministries. That’s a testament to Frank and our student leaders’ commitment to the ministry. Check out Frank here and here. The Pointe’s Facebook Group page is here.

Sunday afternoon, we made the 15-20 mile trip to Gattman Baptist Church, a rock’s throw from the Alabama line. The pastor there invited our band and myself over there to open up their revival services. What we do is not normal fare there but we had a great time. We were also well supported by our own LifePointe guys and gals. And then my family and the band and their families hit Mr. Gene’s Restaurant, in Sulligent, Alabama. I don’t know if it was because I was so hungry or what, but they had some awesome food there. I love doing revivals, meeting new people and, around here, seeing old friends and acquaintances. This is the first time in all my years of ministry that I got to do a revival service with music from my own church. I’d take my band anywhere with me. Maybe one day we’ll get our own TV show, our own tour bus, and take it globally!

Monday, the devil dropped the hammer. Glad Monday is over and praying for better things the remainder of the week. If you’ve got a few extra seconds during your prayer time, give my family and I a boost up. Thanks.

The Labor Day holiday really pounded us Sunday. I haven’t seen or heard the final count yet, but we were down probably 25%. On top of that, there was just this sense of everybody being really tired, including myself. The service went well though. The message was not what I had worked on all week, but I believe it’s the message God led me to, so that’s what I did. Feel good about that part.

The band did a good job, but overall, for me at least, it was one of the low point Sundays of our brief existence. Hopefully everybody gets back home and we resume some type of normalcy, at least until the next holiday.

Sunday afternoon we had originally planned to have a special 5th Sunday evening service with Grace Fellowship. But both of us were asked to participate in a fundraising event. Natalie Hood, a young 6-7 year old from our area has been battling some form of cancer for a long time. She’s taken four bone marrow transplants. The last was a few weeks ago. The doctors don’t hold out much hope if this last transplant fails. Of course, the family’s expenses are enormous. So Sunday afternoon we joined other local churches in the fundraiser. There was a wide variety of music. When we Trey, Brooke, and Dalton got there, there was an African-American gospel team singing and they were fantastic. I think they were called The Clarks. The music ran from there to bluegrass gospel to single singers singing to CD, with most of it heavily Southern Gospel or traditional Hymn music. Our band played our style of music and I think it was well-received. I really had a good time. I worked the concessions a while and got reacquainted with some people I haven’t seen in years. They all looked older, much older than me! Anyway, it was fun and we stayed almost to the end. One of Teresa’s friends sang in a Bluegrass band and, I have to admit, they were really good. I really had a good time, although I was beat when we got home.

Monday was Labor Day and so I tried my best to stay away from labor! But I did work on my riding lawnmower for a while. It still doesn’t run. I’m still waiting on my truck to be repaired. Looks like its the computer module.

Other things are going on around here and we start back our Wednesday night service. And on Thursday night, we’re starting a gathering or small group for our older adults. Michael’s heading that up and I’m sure he will do a good job.

For you prayer warriors, I’m needing some help from you and LifePointe Church. Thanks!

We’ve got another baptism coming up this weekend, I think, and that always pumps me us, the band up, and everybody else attending. I’m looking for, praying, and anticipating a great Sunday.

We’ve made it through Tropical Storm Gustav without a drop of rain and very little wind. A big change from our time in south Mississippi and Katrina. Our friends down in southwest Mississippi took a pretty hard hit. From what they’re telling us, lots ot trees down, flooding rains, and no power. Oh, the memories that brings back. Pray for those guys, as well.

Looking forward to a much better Sunday. Hope you come and join us.

When tropical storms or snow is predicted in northeast Mississippi, the busiest place in town is always Wal Mart. I don’t know how Wal Mart’s business went this morning but we did surprisingly well. The rain was pouring, the wind was blowing, but 106 brave souls came to our modern 21st century facility. It’s not bad for Mississippi, it even has a roof! No one got wet today, inside at least. (I know, that joke’s on its last leg.)

I had the great honor this morning to do something I never get enough of, baptizing a new follower of Jesus Christ. This morning the one being baptized was a young teenage man and one that I feel God’s got something special for. His mom and dad were there and it was a great event. And we have three more to baptize waiting in the wings.

The service was another good one. Of course the band was spot on. Great songs with great messages. The band did a song today that they do quite often and it’s one I so connect to. It’s called “I Will Not Forget You,” by Ben and Robin Pasley. The first part of the chorus goes like this:

“A grateful heart I give, a thankful prayer I pray,
a wild dance I dance before you”

I can’t really describe the imagery that line provokes in my heart but I loose it every time.

The message today was very challenging for me to preach and I hope very challenging for the guys and gals present. We’re nearing the end of our “Church: Get Connected” series and the topic today was “Get Connected: Just Do Something.” It was drawn from Acts 6:1-7, and a few additional verses from 1 Corinthians 12. LifePointe has rock solid people serving, but we’ve reached a tipping point. We’re maxed out people wise. There’s now more ministry than there are people to minister. All our Sunday morning ministry is being done by a handful of people and the challenge today was for more people to step up and “just do something.” I didn’t guilt trip anybody but explained that God gifts us all uniquely to serve Him and the church. There are holes that only certain people can fill and we need those holes filled. I wasn’t really comfortable from the get-go but I leave the effects to God. I do know of a least 4-5 new people volunteered to serve in various areas.

We had our first KidzClubb tonight and it rocked. The event is so cool. It’s music, drama, comedy, and life lessons all rolled into one. KidzClubb lasts about 45 minutes and they fly by quickly. We have an exceptional team leading KidzClubb and it appeared they’d been doing it for years. There was only one goof up during the entire event, and I’m the goofee. I was running MediaShout, and really good, I might add, until the last 30 seconds of the whole thing. Here’s the setup. We were going to have a prayer to close and as soon as the prayer was done, I was to cue up a Grits song “Ooh-Ahh”. I had my finger on the mouse button, tense and ready to click, anticipating “Amen”. I had my other hand on the mixer to take up the volume if necessary. So I had my wingspan stretched out tight. Tim was praying, everybody was mouse-quiet, which was not a good moment for my mouse finger to suddenly twitch. Right in the middle of the prayer, blaring out of the speakers, comes Grits and the words “My life be like ooh-aah.” Kind of broke the prayer mood. I panicked. I clicked the wrong button, which quickly refired the music and just as Tim regains his composure and continues his prayer, you got it – “my life be like ooh-aah.” Finally got it sorted out, possibly as a result of the prayer Tim continued with, mentioning technology in his prayer, and we finished smoothly . . . I think.

After KidzClubb we got many more actors and other support people to volunteer for next month’s event. This KidzClubb thing has huge potential as a community event for children and their families. Heck, everybody loved it. I can see this becoming a thing that will bring out the Sunday evening crowd. It really is that good. A big thanks for the KidzClubb material goes out to 252Basics and The reThink Group where we get our material for our children’s Sunday Morning Worship and their Family Production, which we edit a little bit and rebrand it “KidzClubb.”

All in all, another fantastic Sunday at LifePointe Church. If you’re “just doing something” at LifePointe, I want to personally thank you. And if you’re still sitting on the fence, jump on in, there’s a pair of big hands to catch you and hold you up!

First of all, it was a very busy day! We had our worship service, followed that with Lunch at LifePointe, followed that with LifePointe Boot Camp, and followed that with KidzClubb practice. I was dog tired when I got home and all day today. But it’s a good tired!

The service went really well. As has become normal, at 10:25 there were a handful of people on the worship center. By the end of the first song, it was pretty well packed. We finished with 134 in attendance, including 110 adults. We had some very special guests with us for the worship and our lunch. The Hispanic mission that meets in our building joined us, about 10-15 people. It was so good to worship and share a meal with these guys. We also had Ed Deuschle, the Mississippi Baptist Church Planting Director with us, so we fed Ed, too! The lunch was buffet style, and loaded.

Our Boot Camp was very well attended. I ran out of outlines and people had to share. I thought I was safe with the number of outlines, but lots of interest and lots of people completing our membership requirements. The church is growing!

The KidzClubb is going to be something else. It’s a bit of music, a bit of drama, a bit of comedy, and a whole lot of fun. The practice was great. If you’re in Amory next Sunday evening, 6pm, bring your kids and check out KidzClubb.

Our sermon series this month is Church: Get Connected. Sunday’s sermon was pretty challenging but this week we’re really stepping up the challenge. Looking forward to it already!

OK, I’ve got to admit I’ve been feeling a little like a second-teamer over the past few weeks. Our band is definitely on their game and our times of worship have been extraordinary. Today was electric, spirit-filled, awesome, and very moving. From the opening blowing of the shofar by Trey to the final song, the entire service was one of worship: worshiping our God, our Rock, our Sustainer, our Lord, our Savior. When we sang Hillsong United’s “From the Inside Out” I really thought I was going to lose it. I can’t fully describe it. You either had to be there are you’ve GOT TO listen to the podcast, which will be on the church website tomorrow (LISTEN HERE). God was in the house and He ruled it.

Major calls of God in people’s lives this morning and major grace and support prayed for others. I felt so inadequate to respond to the issues I was confronted with. I’ve been praying and will pray now, “God you know what’s needed and, with a shattered heart, I pray for Your intervention, you mercy, you’re grace to wash over those who desperately need you to do miracles in their lives. Father, please don’t leave them hanging but show Your true self to them in the name of Jesus.”

We continued the Sermon series we began last week (Sorry for no update last week. No time to blog last week). The series is “Church: Get Connected.” Last week the topic was our initial connection with the church, a relationship with Christ. Today the topic was “Church: Get Connected – Get Devoted.” We looked at the devotion of the Jerusalem church in Acts 2:42-47 and found to primary themes: togetherness or fellowship, and sharing. It was a challenging, sometimes personal, sermon and I look forward to seeing the results of the Word planted today.

Last week our attendance was 118 and this week it was 129. Great attendance as we move into the typically more attended services of the fall and winter. Out of the 129 today, 98 were adults. That’s one part of our statistical curve that’s definitely trending upward.

LifePointe has quite a few events coming up in the next few months. We’re having “Lunch at LifePointe” next Sunday after the service, showing our Baptist underpinning. After “Lunch at LifePointe” our LifePointe Boot Camp will follow. Our Boot Camp is just our idea of a name for the Membership Class.

The following Sunday evening we’re having our first KidzClubb. KidzClubb is a family worship, learning experience, and fun event we’re planning on doing once a month. As far as I know no other church locally is doing anything like it and we’re praying that it will become another source of reaching out to our community. Tish, our KidzPointe leader, is assembling a team that I believe is going to totally blow this thing up.

The last Sunday of August is a Fifth Sunday and we’re having a Combined Fifth Sunday Service with Grace Fellowship, from Hatley. They’re coming to our place. Our band will play and the pastor at Grace, Danny Carl Burks, will be speaking. We’ll follow that with what else: FOOD!

The band and I have been invited to Gattman Baptist Church, a church in our county, to bring our style of worship and speaking to their Sunday Night Revival. We’re really looking forward to that.

Wednesday night Bible Study will get back in session in September, but with a twist. We’re going to use this semester of our Wednesday Night Bible Study to begin the foundation of our small group ministry.

One of the surprises of our launch and subsequent services has been the attendance of people over the age of 60. I expected some older adults to attend (my parents!) but I really wasn’t prepared by the number we have. It’s a fantastic blessing. Obviously God has them at LifePointe for a reason and we need to minister better to that group. So we’ve got a little surprise in the works for them and it’s gonna be great. Stay tuned for that announcement.

Our Students joined other local churches for a Back to School Retreat this weekend and weren’t back for our service. We missed them. The students and the ministry LifePointe has for them is, as of right now, the source of our greatest inroads into the community. I anticipate that to continue and we envision one day every student attending The Pointe every Tuesday night.

Bottom line on all the above: God is building one heck of a church in LifePointe. If we were an engine, we popping on about 6 of 8 cylinders. We’re working on the others. It still amazes me to think at this time, just one year ago, LifePointe only existed only in the minds of Teresa, me, and a few other crazy folks who actually believed God wanted this to happen. I want to personally thank the crazy folks.

A late look at Sunday’s service.

Sunday was a really good day. Our attendance continues to trend upward. We added 5 more tons of air conditioner capacity last week and it was finally comfortable in the worship center, a huge plus because I’d say the worship center is at about 60% capacity. The band just continues to get better and better, and people are learning freedom in their worship as they follow the band’s lead. I’m proud of our worship at LifePointe. I’m really amazed at the quality of our worship. Only eight months ago, we had yet to finalize a band or have a worship leader. I never thought then that we would be at the point we are now.

I finished up the Hostage series with Breaking Free from Uncertainty. The subject was being certain of your position and relationship with Jesus. This month the series is Connect, getting connected with the church. I’m looking forward to this series.

We announced several events and happenings coming to LifePointe in August. We’re having our LifePointe Boot Camp on August 17. Our Boot Camp is our membership class, or Class 101 for you familiar with PDC. That same day, after the service, we’re having Lunch at LifePointe. For you people in the South, this is a Dinner on the Grounds, with a LifePointe twist.

We use the material from 252Basics for our KidzPointe worship and we’re going to have a Family Production Sunday evening, August 24. The Family Production is a time of worship and fun for the entire family. All kids, grades 1-6, along with their parents, will participate together in the Family Production. It’s going to be a fun event that we hope to make a monthly thing.

August has a 5th Sunday and on that evening we’ll have Grace Fellowship Church join us for a night of worship and food. It’s always fun to hook up with Grace, our sister church.

We’re working on a lot of stuff in the coming month, and months to come. I’m excited about the progress LifePointe has made to this point, but there’s so much more to come. I can’t wait to see what God’s got in mind for us next!

I know this is getting repetitive, but Sunday’s service was awesome! Another wonderful morning of worship, praise, and community. For me basically being out of the loop for two weeks, Sunday has taken on new meaning. I get to see all those people I miss during the week. That ends today (Monday). I’m taking myself off bedrest. I can sit in my office chair just as easily as sitting on my bed at home.

The band probably played the best they’ve ever played. Bob was back on lead guitar and Trey was filled up! During those quite times of worship, you could really hear the church singing and praising God. There were several “chill bump” moments. I sat on the front row again and I’m finding out that’s THE place to be during the worship.

Our sermon series “Hostage” continued Sunday, the next to last sermon in the series. The topic was “Breaking Free from a Boring Christian Life.” I’ve loved this series. One more to go and then we’re moving into another area. I haven’t completely settled on the title but the subject is getting connected. Looking forward to it, as well.

We had a really good crowd. The summer is usually a time of lower attendance in most churches, but overall, our attendance has been trending up this summer. Our checkin number was 114.

The Pointe, our student ministry, and our student ministry in general, is just blowing up! Tim and Van are leading up our student ministry, and the ministry is growing by leaps and bounds. There were a lot of students at Sunday’s service. Tuesday nights are growing. There’s big plans and events scheduled. Right now, seven months into this church plant, our Student Ministry is leading the way in reaching out and solidly connecting with our community.

At the top of my prayer list right now is that God will raise up more people to participate in our children’s ministries, in particular KidzPointe, our ministry to grades 1-6. Tisha is leading KidzPointe and doing an absolutely fantastic job. Yesterday she had 28 kids. She has some big plans for the future but it’s going to take more people to make it happen. Our nursery needs more volunteers. LittlePointe, our preschool ministry needs more people. What we really need right now is more people to step up and take part in these ministries. So glad these ministries are growing but the folks leading them are about maxed out.

After the service, Trey, Bob, and I were sharing with each other some of the things God has been doing in our lives recently. The stories are moving. Our conclusion is: You ain’t seen nothing yet. God is about to blow the roof off this thing. All I can say is grab on and hold tight!