Planning Conference Recap

Today the IBC staff had its January 2009 planning conference and I believe it went really great! 2009 should be an awesome year in which we see God bless us with growth (spiritual and numerical) in ways that exceed our expectations. I am just so proud of the team that God has put together. They all have great gifts, talents and abilities and are passionate about using them to see people changed with the truth of the gospel. I am absolutely amazed that God has chosen to put me into the mix.

Sunday reflections

"It was the best service I have ever attended in my life." "I cannot believe all my friends were not here today." "Wasn't that the most moving service ever."

These are just three comments that I personally heard last Sunday about our new worship service format at 10:45. I would have to echo that it really was awesome. I would also say that our 9:00 service was equally as awesome. The message was right on. If you missed it, get the CD! The music was just incredible. All of it came together for one perfect storm of a service. Pastor, Jeff and our worship team need to be commended for a job well done!!!

Our Bible Fellowship Ministry also did a great job of adapting to new changes. Jason and the Education Staff did a great job of ensuring that everyone had a place to go and that God's Word was communicated to those who attended.

I have been saying all summer that I believe this fall may be the best fall ever!!! Even though fall is not officially here, we are well on our way!!!

You do not want to miss this

Walk Thru the Bible is coming this Sunday. I know that many have never attended a Walk Thru the Bible Seminar. I can promise you, if you attend it will be one of the best things you will ever do. I am posting a video that will give a better definition of what will happen at the seminar. Our seminar leader (who is not the leader on the video) will be speaking in both services this Sunday and will give us great taste of what will happen if you choose to stay for the rest. If you have children in the 1st - 6th grade you will want them to be a part of this great event. SEE YOU SUNDAY!!!!

A new series in Bible Fellowship starts Sunday

This Sunday in our married adult ministry our classes will begin a new quarter of curriculum. To some this may not be a big deal, but to me I am anxious for it to get here. Let me explain why.

I have always enjoyed new things (buildings, clothes, sporting equiment, books, etc). It is not that I do not like old things, it is just exciting when something new comes along. Don't get me wrong, I take care of old things and have a difficult time letting things go that sometimes should just be thrown away. Case in point, the black shoes that I am wearing today are 6 years old. I love these shoes. I like the way they fit and how comfortable they are. When I wear them my feet do not hurt at the end of the day. I have a new pair of black shoes that are not as comfortable and do not feel as good as my old ones. With that being said, the shoes that I am wearing today are getting so worn out that when I wear them, my back hurts (the heal is almost worn off on one side). So I know that I just need to throw them out and get some inserts for my new shoes and make the switch.


I have enjoyed the last 13 weeks in Bible Fellowship as my class has been going through a study in the minor prophets but I am thoroughly looking at the study in Matthew that begins this Sunday. It will bring a new set of challenges weekly from the riches of God's all sufficient and all relevant Word. How good can it get.

The numbers are in

The numbers are in from last week. We had 1760 in attendance. I am thrilled with what God did through our efforts. This is the second highest total for attendance on any Sunday during the summer months in THREE YEARS. Yes you read that right. Only two other times did we go past that number in the three years. I really believe that sets the stage up for a great fall. If you read this blog it would be great to hear some of your experiences (good and bad) from this past week. Post some comments that will help encourage others for now and the future!!!!

Thoughts from Sunday

Yesterday was our In-N-Out day. I do not know yet exactly what our numbers were, but from observations, we were up. To me the most exciting thing was seeing quite a few people who visited classes for the first time. I talked to one person who asked me how people were getting tickets to get the free In-N-Out. I told her that she needed to attend a Bible Fellowship Class. I went later on to distribute tickets and found her and her husband in a class. This was her first time in one of our Bible Fellowship Classes. To me that made the day well worth the effort. I am personally considering the day a great success!!! I am just praying that it helps us build some great momentum going into this fall. God is doing some great things right here among us. I have prayed for a movement of God among us! I pray this is it!!!

IMMANUEL IS THE PLACE TO BE ON SUNDAY'S!!!

Let's get the word out fast!!!!

Be a part of what God is doing at Immanuel

This Sunday is our In-N-Out 2007 Sunday. Everyone who attends a Bible Fellowship class will receive a free In-N-Out burger. To me this Sunday is all about getting excited with what is happening at Immanuel. It really is not about coming to church to get a cheeseburger. During the summer I have seen some initial signs of revival among us. I hear about people who are inviting their friends to church. Last week we had two classes that had a total of 14 visitors attending (we had a total of 97 visitors registered in Bible Fellowship). Our preschool ministry has grown 10% over the same time last year. Our Married Adult Ministry is averaging close to 10% above where we were last summer. I truly believe that our Bible Fellowship Ministry is right on the verge of some great things. The question I am asking is - WHO WOULD NOT WANT TO BE A PART OF WHAT GOD IS DOING RIGHT HERE AT IMMANUEL!!!!!

SO GO INVITE SOME FRIENDS AND HAVE A GREAT BURGER ON US!!!!!!

What is takes to grow

The other day I was thinking about what it was going to take to get my grass to grow a little better than it had. I mean I had fertilized and watered it and it still was not growing quite like I thought it should. So I decided to look into things. From that I determined that I had over fertilized a little and that I was still not quite watering enough.

My course of action was as follows.

1. Mow and fertilize (lightly) right before I went on vacation
2. Increase the watering cycle
3. Go two weeks without mowing

The result is that my yard is finally looking like I think it could.

The application to church is this.

1. The grass will not get green on its own
2. We have to work the land
3. We have to be willing to do whatever it takes to see our friends, relatives, neighbors, co-workers and acquaintances like God sees them - saved or lost - and then desire to share with them the hope that exists for them
4. Trust God for the results.

When God Shows Off

After yesterday I feel as though I need to say something. Sunday's at Immanuel keep getting better and better. I serisously mean that. Just when I think it can not get any better, God shows up and makes me eat my words. Here is what I mean.

Yesterday started out pretty normal when Ray and I got the privilege to make coffee for our Bible Fellowship Groups (this is our weekly service ritual). Then the staff gathered for an awesome time of prayer. There are a lot of hurting people within our congregation and we get the privilege every Sunday to lift some of them up in prayer. Then people started showing up for Bible Fellowship at 7:45. I was able to go into the service before teaching my class at 9:00 and say hello to some people who I had not seen since the week before. Then I went and taught my class, which is growing and always an incerdible blessing!!! We had an awesome time discussing the book of Habakkuk (we are in the minor prophets right now). As soon as Bible Fellowship was over we went to the 10:40 service and God continued to show off. The praise time was great and pastor's message was fantastic. As if that were not enough, we had a class fellowship at both our house and our great friends, John and Teresa's house, after church. We ate our house and swam at theirs. It was a great time. The day was capped off with last night's service. The praise time was again great and Doug preached a great message.

All this makes me anxious to see how God is going to show off again next week!!!

Seeting our focus

I just got back from our staff retreat yesterday. Of course I am not too sure why we call it staff retreat because it is more like a staff planning conference. This year the goal was to reset our focus. To really clarify what Immanuel is to be about. We have a great purpose statement.

Glorifying God by introducing Jesus Christ as Lord to as many people possible, using the most effective means, leading them to be imitators of Christ, making a positive difference as a community of believers, in this generation and the next.

It was agreed that our purpose is good, but that we need to boil it down to some specific tasks the church should do in order to accomplish the ultimate goal of Glorifying God. So here are the four specific tasks.

1. Attract people to church
2. Connect them to the body
3. Grow them up in Christ
4. Empower and equip them to SERVE

Now comes our task of really developing that and communicating it to everyone.....

Proud to be a Partner

I have been on staff at Immanuel for seven years (actually it will be seven on the 23rd of this month). I realized very early (actually before I came on staff) that Immanuel was a church which was built on obedience to the Great Commission and God's Word. The reputation of Immanuel in the community and beyond was a well known fact. After coming to Immanuel I realized that this was the case because the Pastor is obedient to the Word of God.

As I am sure many of you know, our pastor spoke the final word at this years Southern Baptist Convention Annual Meeting in San Antonio (when it is in the archived file I will post the link). I watched the entire sermon and was prouder than ever to partner along side a pastor who knows what it means to be obedient to God's Word. I am sure that there were those who disagreed with him; however, if they did then they clearly are in disagreement with God's Word and with God Himself.

It is my prayer that as a church we lay aside any complacency and pursue exactly what God's Word tells us. We are to GO. I also pray that this concept again seeks into the very DNA of our church body. We have the best news in the world and we should refuse to be silent. Get excited Immanuel because God is moving us forward!!!!