Tuesday, February 28, 2012

Wow! A Pastor's Dirty Little Secret

This article really saddens me. I can relate to some of it, but thankfully not a lot.
This article makes me even happier that I Pastor a great church like Foothills Community Church!!

Monday, February 27, 2012

Sunday review

It was a long Sunday for me, but I had a blast! I pretty much spent the day at church. (I actually got a chance to run home for an hour or so, but had to turn around and come back)

* We continued our Social Networks series. We have been talking about relationships. But rather than talking about the common relationship topics, we have been discussing the messy side of relationships.

* Yesterday's topic was loving our neighbors and loving our enemies. Tough stuff!

* Lots of people told me that God did some serious convicting in their hearts about some people they have not really forgiven for hurting them.

* The public schools had a 4 day weekend, so I think a lot of people were traveling.

* We will be wrapping up our series this Sunday.

* Speaking of this Sunday, you don't want to miss it. We have a surprise for you!!

* We had a great Get In The Game class yesterday. A bunch of new people got connected!

* We also had our 2nd Follow-Up campus group. It was a wonderful time. I would encourage you to come this Sunday at 6:00pm in the Venue auditorium.

* I am already pumped about the next series that we'll start on March 11th called, The Genius of Generosity.

* Also on March 11th, we will be having our next baptisms. It's not too late to sign-up.

* I love Foothills Community Church!

Thursday, February 23, 2012

get connected

They say that there are only 2 things that are certain; death and taxes, but I have found something that is nearly as certain when it comes to the church.

Here it is: If people do not get connected, they will not stay more than a year.

I have seen this play out over and over. Someone starts attending regularly, and then the next thing you know, they're gone.

Sunday morning worship service attendance is not enough!

In other words, if the only connection a person has is attending a church service on Sunday morning, they won't make it for long..... no matter how much they enjoy the services.

The key is connection. The way to get connected at Foothills Community Church is through serving and Find and Follow group participation.

Let me explain these 2 connection points:

Serving: At Foothills we have dozens of ministry teams. There are opportunities to get connected through serving in such areas as KidZone (Children's ministry), Thrive (Student ministry), stage construction, administrative support, hospitality, praise team, choir, musicians, video, graphics, lighting, greeters, group leaders, care and support, and many more. In addition we have many opportunities to serve in our community and around the world with our Project Reach initiative.

Find and Follow Groups: These are groups of people that meet together throughout the week to study the Bible, and connect through relationships. Some of these groups meet in different members homes, some meet on our campus and some groups meet for different sports and hobbies.

Ideally you will serve and attend a Find and Follow group. The more relationships you build the "stickier" a church becomes.

The bottom line is, you need to get connected if you're going to stick. We want you to stick, we really do.

Monday, February 20, 2012

Sunday review

Hey Foothills family. God is up to something big right now! Sunday was an amazing day.

* Cold, rainy day, but it didn't seem to affect the attendance or the excitement that the people had.

* The worship team did two original songs yesterday. The last song of the worship set was one that David Odom wrote. I promise you, that song could be a hit song on the radio!

* I love our new website.

* The umbrella team was incredible yesterday. Thanks to all of you that made people's worship experience a dry one!

* KidZone numbers were way up. Our kid's ministry is second to none! These kids are finding and following Jesus.

* I wish I could get people to sit near the front rather than the back. Why is it, at a football game we would rather have seats on the 50 yard line near the field, but at church the back seats are the premium seats??

* Lots of people are discovering the ease of giving online. Have you signed-up yet? You can do it in just a couple of minutes here.

* We had our first Follow-Up yesterday evening. It was very cool. Had a lot of people come, but there is room for more. Plan on coming THIS Sunday at 6:00pm

* The Social Networks series has been amazing. This Sunday is going to be the most challenging yet!

* Jeremy Lin and Linsanity has become a nationwide sensation. He is not only a phenomenal basketball player, but he's a Christ-follower. Here's a clip of him sharing a little about his faith.

Friday, February 17, 2012

Follow-Up

I have mentioned this several times, but I wanted to remind everyone again about anew campus group that I will be leading that starts THIS Sunday evening from 6:00pm until 7:00pm called Follow-Up.

Here's a few things you should know:

* We are serious about producing true followers of Jesus, so this is another opportunity for you.

* You won't need to do any preparation prior to our meetings. We will take the topic from Sunday morning and go a little deeper with it.

* We will begin at 6:00pm SHARP, so get there a couple minutes early!

* Bring a Bible and a noteook/ paper, and a pen.

* This would be a great group to attend if you've never been in a group or if you're in-between groups, or are just wanting to grow in your walk with Jesus.

* We will have a couple of acoustic worship songs led by one of our worship leaders, a time of Bible study, and prayer (and possibly a few other things).

* There will be child care from birth to 5th grade.

* It's going to be fun!

* This group will run from Feb. 19th until March 25th.

* We will be meeting in the Venue (student) auditorium, which is in Foothills north building.

OK, there you have it. Pretty much everything you need to know about Follow-Up. Hope to see you there!


P.S.
You don't want to miss Sunday morning at Foothills Community Church. I am back, and I'll be continuing the Social Networks series. Bring some friends with you.

P.S.S.
It's supposed to rain on Sunday. You're bed will be calling your name to stay in it. Don't listen to it! Bring your umbrella and come to worship! (If you forget your umbrella, you're in luck, our umbrella team will be there to assist you!!)

Monday, February 13, 2012

Sunday review

This will be a little bit different type review because I wasn't at Foothills Community Church yesterday, but here's what's going on:

* I heard the services were awesome yesterday. I am so thankful for Brian Rhodes for bringing the message. I heard that he did a fantastic job!!

* Also heard that the first service attendance was a little lower yesterday. No doubt, the coldest temperatures of the year had something to do with that.

* Speaking of cold temperatures, I guess I timed my trip to Florida about right. Although it was cold down here too. Only got up to 60 degrees yesterday.

* I'm really looking forward to the message I will be sharing this Sunday at Foothills. I am really enjoying the Social Networks series!

* Our congregation has been singing some of the original worship songs that our team has written. I love that!

* Don't forget 2 very important things: I will be starting a Campus Group called "Follow-Up" this Sunday at 6:00pm in the Venue auditorium. If you are not in another Sunday evening group, I would love to have you join me. Secondly, on Feb. 26th, I will be leading the next Get In The Game class. If you want to know more about Foothills and are looking to take your next step, this class is for you. The class will be held from 12:30-2:15pm. Free lunch and childcare will be provided.

* On March 11th we will be having our next baptisms! If you are a Christ-follower and have not been baptized put that date on your calendar! (The date for baptisms in Toccoa will be March 18th)

* I am so excited about what we get to be a part of at Foothills. God is moving in a powerful way! See ya Sunday, and don't forget to bring someone with you.

Wednesday, February 08, 2012

The Best Investment of Your Time

Many times people ask me questions about having a quiet time with the Lord. I honestly believe that it is impossible to have a thriving, intimate relationship with Jesus without a regular, and consistent quiet time.

Let me first define what I mean by "quiet time". It is a time that you set aside for Bible reading, prayer and reflection.

I believe that the only way to be consistent, is to have a set time to have it. Maybe the first thing in the morning, or while you're having your breakfast (or lunch), or maybe some time in the evening. The time doesn't really matter (although I personally find it beneficial to have mine in the morning before I face the day), as long as it's consistent.

Once, the church I was attending brought in an author and conference speaker on the topic of prayer and quiet time. This guy was amazing. He told us how he would wake up every day at 4:00am and then have 3 hours of quiet time. I was so inspired, I vowed to start doing the same thing. So the next morning I set my alarm for 4:00am. I got my Bible and sat at the breakfast table and began to read. The next thing I remember was being woken up by my wife 3 hours later with my head laying in a puddle of drool in my open Bible! I had fallen asleep within the first 5 minutes. I felt like a failure, but the truth is, what worked for that guy, didn't work for me. the key is to figure out what works for you.


Another question people ask is, "how do I know what to pray about or what to read?" Those are great questions. I like to keep things pretty simple, so I basically start with prayer, and then some Bible reading and then reflection. (Remember, this is about increasing the quality of your relationship with Christ, not checking off a bunch of things on your spiritual to-do list)

On the Prayer part I usually pray the A.C.T.S method. A= Adoration. I begin my prayer with giving glory and adoration to the Lord. C= Confession. I confess my sins specifically by name. T= Thanksgiving. I thank Him for all He has done in my life. S= Supplication. I lift up my requests to Him.

As far as Bible reading, I generally like to read a couple chapters a day of a book of the Bible, and stay in that book until I'm finished. One thing that I do occasionally, that is really good is what is called the SOAP method of Bible reading (The acronym of SOAP is S= Scripture. O= Observation. A= Application. P= Prayer). Here's how it works. Let's say the today I am reading Hebrews chapters 2 and 3. As I am reading I am paying attention for the Lord to show me a verse that kind of stands out to me. After reading the chapters, I then come back to that verse, take out some paper and journal. It would look something like this:

S. (Scripture) Hebrews 3:13 You must warn each other everyday, while it is still today, so that none of you will be deceived by sin and hardened against God.

O. (Observation) Sin is deceptive. It lures, then it destroys. It promises, but never delivers. It is short-term satisfaction with long-term consequences. One of the consequences is that it causes our hearts to be hardened towards God. When this happens, our desire for God, His word and the things of God dissipate.

A. (Application) The closer to God I remain, and the further I stay from sin, the better my life will be! I must guard against sin's deception.

P. (Prayer) Lord remind me that sin leads to death, no matter how enticing and harmless it may seem. I desire closeness in our relationship, so help me to be strong.


That's it! Anyone can do that. If you don't have a regular quiet time, why not start today?

Monday, February 06, 2012

Sunday review

We had a great day at Foothills Community Church yesterday. I absolutely LOVE what God is doing right now!

* I was a bit worried that we were going to get washed-out because the weatherman had forecasted a 60% chance of rain, but it was a beautiful day.

* Kelly Ross was prepared for the rain with an entire team of volunteers who serve on the umbrella team. I love how our volunteers are always ready to go the second mile for our guests.

* David Odom and the worship team nailed it yesterday. It was extremely cool, that we got a chance to sing a song written by some of the FCC staff members during worship.

* I spoke on dealing with conflict in relationships.

* Conflict is 2 people trying to occupy the same space at the same time

* The word "unity" is a bit misunderstood. Unity is not the absence of conflict, it's the willingness to work through the conflict in a Christ-like way for God-honoring results.

* The goal is not to win the argument, it's to win the person.

* Always work toward resolution.

* Our student ministry, Thrive is seeing some great things happening. This past Wednesday, another 4 students committed their lives to Christ!

* Also on Wednesday, our Student Pastor, Brian Rhodes announced that he would be stepping down from our Student ministry to focus more of his efforts in our SERVE ministry. This was a difficult decision for Brian to make. He loves students, but felt that his gifts could be best used in his new position. Brian has served Thrive with excellence for the last few years, and I am pumped that he will still be serving on Foothills team! That's right, he is NOT going anywhere!!

* Brian also announced to the students that our new student ministry pastor will be Justin Terry. Justin will begin in early March. In the meantime, he will be busy winding things down in his current position in Virginia. It has been great getting to know Justin, who was introduced to us by his friend, David Odom. When he gets here, I'll bring him up on stage and introduce him.

* Brian will work with Justin during a transition period to show him the ropes. And then Brian will move to the SERVE area, and his focus will be helping people find a place to serve at Foothills. He will have some other responsibilities, as well. When you see Brian, let him know how much you appreciate him.

* Can you believe that Easter is in 2 months? We are working hard to put together the most creative, compelling services we have ever had!!

* In case you haven't seen it yet, our new website is up and running. We have a few things that will be tweaked, but it looks awesome. Thanks to Shane Smith for all of his work.

* Kidzone is really going strong . lots of kids. Also. I'm not really sure what's going on, but we have about a dozen pregnant ladies in our church right now.

* We could use some extra people to serve in our nursery. (See above)!!

Thursday, February 02, 2012

It's in the air

If you have been to Foothills Community Church lately, no doubt you have felt the presence of God in a very powerful way. It's one of those things that you can't see with your eyes, but you can just sense. There is a hunger for more of God. There is a passion for worship, and as a result, there are lives changing every week. Lots of lives.

2012 has started with a bang on both of our campuses. The Lord is up to something very big. I anticipate that this year will be our best ever! It reminds me of this verse: Isaiah 43:19 NLT For I am about to do a brand-new thing. See, I have already begun! Do you not see it? I will make a pathway through the wilderness for my people to come home. I will create rivers for them in the desert!

Here is what every one of us need to be doing: Pray for God to continue this great movement, and also pray that we would not be distracted (which is a common tactic of Satan when things are going well). We must continue to yield our lives to Jesus every moment of every day so that we can live our lives on mission. We must keep inviting people to church, and warmly welcoming them when they show up.

I can honestly say that I cannot remember a time when I sensed we were on the brink of something so great as right now!!!

I will be sharing a message this Sunday that has the potential to change your life when it comes to dealing with conflict in your relationships. If you know of anyone that is in the middle of some conflict issues, get them there.

Also, don't forget the Superbowl party at FCC this Sunday. Tailgating starts at 5:30pm.

On February 19th we will launch The Follow-Up, which is a campus group that I will be leading. It will be held in the Venue auditorium in Foothills North building from 6:00pm until 7:00pm

On February 26th we will have our next Get In The Game class. This is our membership class at FCC. It will be held from 12:30 until 2:15pm. We will provide lunch and child care. Sign-up soon. Over 100 people were at the last class in January, so sign-up soon!