iHOPE

Making God Smile- Again!

Do you remember the Make God Smile Campaign?  If so, you were here in 2007- when we did it last! It was a memorable project and people are still talking about it today. One of the most asked questions has been, "When can we do that again?"

The answer is:  "This Sunday"

We had some generous donations made so that we could experience the same energy, generosity and creativity that was part of the original campaign and this seems like the perfect week to do it. We are in the midst of the New Testament 90-Day Challenge and this week's reading have to do with the gifts we receive and how we work together (or not) as a community.

For those that don't know about the Make God Smile campaign, here is a brief summary:

Do Christians, "Eat their own"?

I referred to an article about Ted Haggard in Sunday's sermon about Zacchaeus. It was one thing for Zacchaeus to do the hard work of change. The real crisis though, seems to be whether the crowd could change. Jesus got Zacchaeus to come down from the tree. Would the crowd let him stay down, or would they push him back up after Jesus left?

The article is called "Going to Hell With Ted Haggard", and it is well worth reading the whole thing. The part that grabbed me (and by the reaction, many others) was the critique leveled at Christians by the atheist friend, "You Christians eat your own. Always have. Always will."

Christianity is about the possibility of change. Repentance, Salvation, Sanctification, Justification and Transformation, are all words that signify deep changes in a person's life. Jesus came to call people to change. Wouldn't it be ironic if one of the chief obstacles to change were the very people who are supposed to bring that message?

Praying with Head & Heart

Lord, teach us to pray

Those were words spoken by the first disciples of Jesus. They sensed there was something in his prayers that was lacking in theirs.

I find that disciples in the 21st century feel the same way. Even people with deep and vibrant prayer lives often confess that they feel like they are still beginners.

I am leading a Prayer Workshop this Saturday (January 19, 9am-noon), not because I am an expert on prayer, but because I am just a fellow learner who has a few things to share. There are some things I have learned along the way that others find helpful and I am happy to share them.

The workshop is being offered as part of our New Testament 90-Day Challenge. One of the vital practices of the New Testament Church (and therefore one of our five commitments) revolves around prayer. I will be giving some tools to help you more effectively "pray through" the New Testament. At the end of the workshop, you'll be better able to incorporate your daily readings into your daily life.

Will you be an expert at prayer after the workshop?  Probably not (if you are, you get to teach the next workshop yourself!). You will likely still feel like a beginner- but with a couple more tools to help you pray with your head and your heart.

We'll meet in the Castle Rock Room. The cost is free, but RSVP's are encouraged to make sure we set up with the right amount of materials. You can find out more and register here.

Wow! 12 Days, 12 Acts of Christmas

On Christmas Eve, I challenged the congregation to do more than just light a candle and sing "Silent Night". I challenged them to take the light into the darkness by doing 12 Acts of Christmas- one for each of the 12 Days of Christmas.  These could be "big" acts or small ones. They could be simple or complex. The point was to intentionally be thinking about poking holes in the darkness by looking for ways to do something kind and good. I also invited people to let me know what they did either by email or Facebook.

We got some great responses!

Is Your LIFE Group Ready for thhe NT Challenge?

The New Testament 90-Day Challenge (NT90)is off and running!

There are five commitments that are part of the NT90. Each of these are ways to immerse ourselves in the New Testament so we can become part of the New Testament Story:

 

• Read the New Testament in 90 Days
• Make Worship a priority
• Pray daily
• Connect with others in a LIFE Group, or some similar group that is committed to one another's growth.
• Serve others in a way that stretches you.

The first week is going great!  People have their copy of the Daily Reading Schedule. Tomorrow is the first worship of the year and is part of the NT90. Many folks are still working on the "12 Days, 12 Acts" Challenge  from Christmas Eve. There is a Prayer Workshop scheduled for January 19 to help people make prayer a more natural part of their life.

What about "Connecting"?

New Pastor's Class: What's the Story?

Leading the Pastor's Class is one of the highlights of my week, so I am excited to get started on this new class, "What's the Story?"

We will be following the readings from New Testament 90-Day Challenge to understand the Story of the New Testament and how we can extend and become part of that story. The goal of the Pastor’s Class is to enhance the readings of the NT Challenge so that we will better understand- and apply, what we are reading.  All levels of (Beginners- Experts) of Bible knowledge are welcome! Let’s learn together!

Here are some things to know:

The New Testament 90-Day Challenge: It's On!

We've been talking about it for a few weeks. The bulletin and Weekly Update have been telling us it is coming.

Well, it's here!  The New Testament 90-Day Challenge (NT90) has begun.

We have created a whole new page with lots of information about what the NT90 is and how to get involved. Check it out. Let's make 2013 the year we immersed ourselves in the story of the  New Testament from New Year's to Easter.  More than that, let's make 2013 the year we extended and became part of that Story!