God is up to Something Big

With the launch of this new series "The Marriage Experts" God has been on the move in the hearts and lives of a lot of people. Bottom line, whether you are, going to be, hanging on or growing old in your marriage the principles and challenges are real and relevant and apply across the board because its about relationships!
I have found already in this series that i am learning as much about me as i am about my spouse. There is no doubt that when you can open up about the truth of you it allows the relational margin to accept the truth about others that you are in relationship with.
Don't forget to Keep inviting your family and friends, this is a 6 week series and has lots of good stuff coming. It's never too late to reach out to someone you know needs to be at "The Lou" this week!

Whoop! Kev

Collision

Sunday in our run through we paused and considered that a long time ago Jesus woke up and realized that he only had one week to live.
My friend John Turner in his book 52 Greatest Stories of the Bible took the time time wrestle with the last week of Jesus human existence.

Check out today's excerpt, in the midst of this is a collision that we all need to think about this Holy Week.

The whole week was full to overflowing, pregnant with meaning and import. It would get even heavier as it moved toward the grand finale: the brooding tune of Thursday evening’s meal, the somber sound of devastating loss that was that Friday afternoon, the silent and uncertain pause that was Saturday, the eternally resonating major chord of victory that was Sunday morning.

But before He got there, it appears that Jesus took a day off. Nothing is recorded about His whereabouts or activities on Wednesday. Perhaps He was making plans with a cryptic man who appeared to Peter and John carrying a water jug. Perhaps He was watching Judas wrestle with the demons that would prompt him to do his dastardly deed. Perhaps He spent the day praying and gathering His thoughts.

Regardless, it’s instructive that Jesus chose to do nothing with one of His last days that the biblical writers deemed noteworthy. Because here we see another patten in Jesus’ life: He observed a rhythm of work and rest. He plunged Himself headlong into ministry, working from sun up to sundown, healing, teaching, feeding and touching. And then He withdrew from the crowds, carving out time for rest and solitude. Then once more into the breach He charged, only to retreat again when He felt it was time for a little R&R.

You can’t really call the life He led “balanced.” It’s not like He had a Day-Timer or a Blackberry and scheduled every hour of His days: Let’s see, I spent an hour alone today, so that means I can spend an hour with people. He just seems to have felt it, like a rhythm.

There are some personality types who are particularly prone to working all the time. If there’s work to be done — one person who hasn’t heard the good news about Jesus, or someone in the hospital who hasn’t been visited — these people are on the go. They say things like, “I can rest when I’m with the Lord” or “I’d rather burn out than rust out.” Either way, you’re out, so I’m not sure why either is an acceptable option.

For those of us who are more likely to work, work, work, it’s important to see that Jesus, at this point, had only a few dozen hours left on this earth. And He chose to rest. He chose to do nothing of interest. He took a day off.

One of the reasons why taking a day off is so important is that it forces you to remember that everything isn’t dependent upon you. Like Jesus, you have a Father in heaven who is constantly at work. The assurance of this is what makes rest possible.

Jesus could have been uptight and fussy, gathering His disciples for late-night cram sessions all week long. But He knew that the Helper would come and do His work in His time. Jesus would do what He could and leave the rest up to His Father and the Holy Spirit.

Now if that’s the way Jesus lived, do you suppose you could try to get some rest this weekend?

The Me I Want To Be

We live in a world of constant improvement, it seems as if everything is version 2.0 or 3.1. We are always looking and asking for the newest and the improved when it comes to software or even laundry soap.
There is something deep down that loves... New, Improved or Improving...yes, even when it comes to us. So often we look to wardrobe or diets to answer that question for us on a personal level but rarely do we ever seek to improve our inner selves. This weekend at NewPointe we are kicking off a series called, The Me I Want To Be. It's going to be an incredible journey as we look into our deeper world and what God has to say about us, how he sees us... how we can see ourselves and what we have In Christ that will forever impact the trajectory of our lives!
In conjunction with this series is a 41 day fast that will take you to Easter.
Fasting is something we give up in order to press into God during the 41 days, for some it might be a meal a day and replace it with a time of prayer and for others it could be giving up some things else like TV or Internet. Either way it's all about saying no to something so you can say yes to God. Along with this fast is a daily web devotional that will guide you along this journey and you can find it at www.newpointe.org
This will be an incredible time as we all travel together towards becoming all that God has created us to be and all that we desire to become!

Whoop! Kev

Awareness

Did you know that awareness is a key leadership skill?
It is a Next Level skill that a leader must be able to master. Leadership has a relational component...think about it, the whole deal about leadership is leading someone...a person and it requires us to see deeper that just the task at hand and to be aware of what's going on with those we lead.
This is hard to do because we can get so wrapped up in the task that we lose the connection with the real reason we are doing all this and that is to help everyone on the team to navigate the step they are now currently taking.
Many who are new to serving wrestle with so much....New at the task...pressure to do it right....entering into a place where everyone else already knows each other and feels a little out of the loop. Trust me this is a difficult time for a new volunteer and we as leaders need to be aware of that and walk alongside every new volunteer even if it slows down the task.
We need to introduce, explain why, connect with and celebrate with every person who takes that scary risk of taking that step to join our teams!
We have an incredible team don't miss out on your chance to grow as a leader and it starts with growing your awareness.

Whoop! Kev

Snow Day!

Well it's February in Ohio and Big Snow came and paid a visit.....as a result we will be canceling our service this weekend. Take the opportunity to hang with the family drink some hot cocoa and play in the snow. We will see you all next week!

Kevin

New Year and the Chair

At NewPointe we are committed to create a church that unchurched people would love to attend. We exist to lead people into a growing relationship with Jesus Christ. Last year we had an empty chair in our essential class prior to the campus launch, simply to represent those who have yet to come to NewPointe. Now we come each week to an environment designed for people who are on their spiritual journey no matter where they are on that journey and still within a 10 mile radius of our campus lives thousands of people who have yet to be invited to a place that cares deeply for them. In 2010 we have an incredible opportunity to introduce people to a chair in a place that thinks about them and wants them to know they have a heavenly father that loves them deeply!
And for those who already have a seat here is a challenge for you....ready? Hey this year take a step away from that chair and join us on this mission to join God in what he is doing at NewPointe and impact a community in a way that will last for eternity!

Check this out...

I am a chair from buckheadchurch on Vimeo.

Making a Difference

Recently I watched the HBO Original Series, Band of Brothers. I was inspired by the bravery and sacrifice of the young men and women that knowingly or unknowingly impacted the course of history by simply doing their job. As I watched episode after episode, the interviews with the soldiers often pointed to two objectives…….do my job and stay alive.

Now through that whole time frame of WWII, the men had journeyed from being dropped into enemy territory in France to waiting for the war to end in Switzerland. I watched these guys continually adjust to conditions and challenges. There is no doubt that God was in the midst of all the chaos and that the courage the men of Easy Company and those of any person that is in combat or training to go into combat has to come from something beyond that which is human.

I was moved!

Then I thought of you.

I know it’s not combat, but there is something about sacrifice and impacting the course of eternity for a generation that’s incredibly compelling. Doing your job and working to keep your spiritual life together in the midst of life’s personal and public battles. Adjusting to conditions and challenges from within and from the outside world, knowing that God is in the midst of the chaos and having the courage to wait on him rather than reacting in your own way. Trusting him in ways beyond what you think that you can handle, taking it all one day at a time.

Bottom line….I believe that God is committed to the proposition that if he’s going to get the job done, he’s going to get the job done through you!

All in all I want you all to know how thankful and proud I am of you. I know that God is up to something Big in your life and I pray that you will continue find Him faithful as we serve together to claim victory over an enemy that seeks to kill and destroy!

You are Heroes!

Love you guys! Kev