Fellowship Church now has a page on Facebook! It doesn’t replace our main public web site, it will compliment it. Just like you can do with your other Facebook friends, you can write on our “wall” join in the discussion board, view and sign-up for upcoming events, see trailer video clips and more!

In case you were wondering I now have 95 friends. So close to 100 but so far. I hope yo all will become “fans” of Fellowship and put it out there for your friends to see. Thanks to Greg Davis for getting this all set up.

Tonight was our first VIP Event at the school and it was amazing. I had the privilege to greet many of them at the door. What a personal thrill for me to get to say thank you. We were able to see you walk on the red carpet and be honored.

Here are a couple of the highlights from the evening:

1. Our staff did a great job of having everything pimped out.
2. Loved the elevate mugs filled with candy.
3. The mix and mingle in the cafeteria was a great chance for those of you who are busy serving on Sunday, to connect with others
4. The band was just crazy sick awesome. Hope they bring it that way tomorrow.
5. It was awesome to recognize our 4 remaining founding elders! That was the longest standing ovation I have ever heard at Fellowship.
6. Our sister church, Elk Creek Church, handling our child care for the evening so that all our volunteers could be honored. Thanks to my good friend and colleague Pastor Mike Silliman
7. The news I shared about the school sent a real God vibe through the room.
8. Is there any body better at crafting a video than Ben Jones? Great job bro.

Thanks to all who came. You are the backbone of Fellowship Church.

I read once that we should expect preferential treatment because of who our Father is. God pulls strings for his kids all the time. Many times I am not even aware of how God’s favor is directing and blessing my life. I believe that God’s favor is on our church right now in a huge way. Here are the ways I see his favor:

1. The Life Change. We baptized more people in the last 12 months than at any other time in our history. Baptisms, maybe more than anything represent changed lives. People are going public with their faith and it makes God smile.
2. Our Attendance. 70 people started this journey with us 7 years ago. Just 3 years ago, 200 of us moved out of our “home” into the Middle School (that in itself was a miracle). In April, we averaged 650 in our Sunday services. 80% of churches in America are flat or declining but God has decided to grow Fellowship. When you factor in the fact that we are in the Northeast this is huge.
3. Our Relationship With The School. Our connection with the school district is unprecedented. God is allowing us to be a vital part of our community. My pastor friends are amazed at what God has given us with the school. We met this week with their representatives and I have some exciting news that I am saving for the our VIP event tomorrow night.

Why are we seeing God’s favor? A couple of things jump out.

1. Fellowship’s Heart For The Unchurched. We are learning to be preoccupied with what God is preoccupied with. People. People far from Him. People in crisis and in pain. Spiritual people who have yet to find their connection to God through Jesus, and have yet to discover their purpose serving and growing in His bride, the church.
2. Fellowship Is Not Playing It Safe. The larger you get the more there is to protect. 2007 was a brutal year for Michelle and I with the toll that pastoring and ministry takes. It was tough on our staff and elders. The human part of us says to take a break…catch our breath…maybe we can just coast for a while. NO WAY! We are continuing to run the race…we will be taking our biggest faith risks this year. This is not the church to come to if you want to just get comfortable.

So today, I am thankful to be a small part of God’s plan. I’m thankful to serve God and you. I’m humbled that I get an inside look at his favor in our midst. Great things are happening at Fellowship and greater things are coming!

I had the privilege to visit Gail Oxley today at the V.A. Nursing Care facility in Wilmington, DE.  Gail suffers from ALS.  We had a great time talking together (mostly I listened).  He seems to be doing very well.  He is ready to go, but living and appreciating everyday to the fullest.  His doctors tell him it is a matter of weeks not months as far as his prognosis.

What really amazed me today, aside from Gail’s spirit and perspective, was the level of care that he is receiving.  From the moment I walked in to when I left, everyone I came in contact with inspired me.  What a tough job they have.  These people must have a calling to do what they do, the way they do it.  As I drove away today I whispered a prayer to thank God for caregivers.  They help people who can’t always help themselves.  Most of them do it with very little thanks or recognition.  James talks about pure religion being the kind that helps those who aren’t able to respond in kind.

I’m glad God puts people in my path to inspire and encourage me.

Because of the earthquake that hit this week, several of you have asked or sent notes inquiring about my sister Kristin and her husband Jerry who live in China.  They are fine.  They didn’t feel anything where they live.  Thanks for remembering them and for your concern.  Kris is a regular blog reader and I am sure she will appreciate you thinking of them.

This past week I got the bright idea to redo our kitchen floor.  We have some guests coming over next week and I had been thinking about doing it anyway so why not dive in?  So we tear up the old floor and find out that this is going to be way more extensive an undertaking than I imagined.  If I had known what I know now, there is no way I begin the project.  The timing has been terrible because things have never been busier for me as our team cranks it up for Elevate (teaser..more to come on elevate later).  But, the kitchen is in shambles…guests are coming…we have to push through and get it done.

I wonder if God doesn’t allow the kitchen floor of our life to be torn up sometimes so that he can see the renovation process begin.  He has incredible plans for us.  He promises to do a complete work in us in Philippians 1:6.  We hate the process of renovation.  It’s messy.  It’s inconvenient.  It makes us weary.  But the finished project is something to behold.  I wonder if God doesn’t step back, cross his arms, and then look at us on the other side of the “projects” he takes us through and say…Nice.  I like it.  It looks good.  Good job.

Only my family and my two good friends that helped me with our floor will know what a pain in the butt it was to complete.  Likewise, only God, you, and those closest to you will know the cost this spiritual journey exacts on you.

Just is a dangerous word. It is a word that can minimize and marginalize. In a conversation last week at the Orange Conference with Kristi McInnes, our Children’s Director, she related to me how she hates to hear that word “just” in the context of kids. When Kristi and Dan are vision casting or trying to pull out all the stops, they will occasionally hear “they’re just kids” from a well-meaning volunteer. YIKES! They are not nor will they ever be “just” kids.

They are our kids! They are our future. They are kids that Jesus died for. They are kids that the enemy is chasing hard. They aren’t just the future of the church…they ARE the church.

They deserve our best. They deserve our resources. Our kids ministry should be second to none (including our own ministries). Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.”

Today, I want to thank you to Kristi, Dan, and Ryan, and the many of you who dedicate your time, treasure, and talent to build bridges to kids that Jesus loves!

This is my Facebook badge. You can click on it and it will take you to Facebook where you can “friend” me!  Our new I.T. Director, Greg Davis, encouraged (understated) me to open a facebook account a couple of weeks ago.  He also gave me a book called “Facebook For Pastors.”  It is amazing to see the way people communicate on facebook.  As best I can tell it is clean and safe.  My daughters, Alli and Emily, both have accounts as do most of our staff.  One of the highlights for me has been connecting with our students and college age adults.  You should check out facebook if you get a chance.  Greg will be developing a Fellowship page on facebook soon.  If you are on facebook already, I would like to be your friend.

Parents…I encourage you to sign up.  Stay engaged in the world in which our kids live.  Stay connected to their friends.

I’m loving this series on RTDs. I feel like God is plowing up some tough stuff in people’s lives…and it is starting with me.

The worship was awesome today. Jennifer gets the “most courageous award” for singing today so close to her due date. I’m anxious to meet little baby Hudson Ream!

I get fired up when I see new people serving!

Check out the new design for Fellowship’s web site. Ben Jones does such a great job as our media pastor. I love the pictures…it gives someone a great first look before they give check us out.

Anybody wondering what the Elevate countdown is all about?

I’m up to 56 friends on Facebook. I have Facebook envy because Alli has 191 friends…I am shameless in my effort to catch her…How shallow am I anyway?

I can’t wait to experience our first “all-church” VIP event on May 17th. You guys are the BEST!

Tomorrow is my brother Buddy’s birthday. If you have a chance go on his blog and wish him happy birthday.

I visited with Gail and Joanne Oxley today after church. Gail has A.L.S. but continues to be positive about his condition. I interviewed Gail and Joanne for our “Live Different” series back in January. Here is a link my post with the interview. Pray for Gail. He is not doing well physically.

I want to introduce you to a great worship artist named Steve Fee. Steve led worship at the this past week in Atlanta at the Orange Conference. I picked up his CD and it is awesome. It has a great mix of songs…some that will make you want to drop to your knees and others will make you want to jump up and down and dance (I can’t dance - but still can jump up and down some).  Steve is currently my second favorite worship leader (Jeff Ream comes in first!) and I want to encourage you to jump on itunes and get his “we shine” album. Listening to worship music while you drive, at home, when you workout, or even at work, is a great way to feed your soul. I’ve heard Steve in person at three conferences now and he has such a great time praising God and leading people in worship. My favorite song he does keeps changing the more I listen. Your kids will love it as well…he gets after it. We enjoy worshiping together in the car as a family…Let me know what you think.