My Way Is NOT Just As Good

I have spent many hours with Jonah this week. As I look over the decision Jonah made in verse 3 of chapter one, I wonder, "Jonah what were you thinking." But of course I know what happens in verse 17. I don't get to know everything that he was thinking but I bet he was thinking what I think when I disobey God. My way is just as good.

When God asks me to do something I don't want to do. When he leads me in a way I don't want to follow. When I'm lazy, disobedient, or rebellious. It comes down to the fact that on some level I believe my way is just as good. When I evaluate whatever the situation if I choose to go my own way I have to say at some level, "this will still work out just fine." If there is anything I need to take away from Jonah chapter one it is that my way is not just as good. Tarshish is not Nineveh. Partial or delayed obedience will never be just as good.

Jonah Message Series

This Sunday we kick off a new message series. We will be preaching through the book of Jonah. It's about more than a fish...

Week 1: Jonah's Run
Week 2: Jonah's Attention
Week 3: Jonah's Prayer
Week 4: Jonah's Second Chance
Week 5: Jonah's Anger

Let It Snow....or...Ice, Sleet, Freezing Rain

It started sleeting, raining, and snowing yesterday. Now it is coming down pretty hard. I just looked out the window and it has changed to big snowflakes. I see a snowman in our future. A little earlier today Collin and I went across the street with our neighbors (Jeremy and his son Bobby) and went sledding down their driveway. We used a couple sleds we bought last year after the ice storm.

We got those sleds zipping down the driveway. One time I gave Collin a big push and he went all the way across the street and hit is head on another neighbors car. Not one of my best moments. In just a couple minutes the exact same thing happened to Bobby. The boys recovered and the sledding continued. Good times.

Sunday In Review

It was the last week of our series called Battle Zone.

• I think this has been our best series yet.
• I preached Ephesians 6:10-12.
• We had guests who came as a result of the article in the Owasso Reporter last week.
• For the first time EVER all the lead teachers for our children's environments were in the service at the same time. Thank you to all the volunteers who are getting in the rotation and making this possible.
• There was a tremendous response during the invitation.
• Several people commented after the service that it was the first time the band started the music right when the counter ended...we're getting there.
  
• Here is the video of the message.

Last Sunday Of Battle Zone

Tomorrow will be the last week of our message series - Battle Zone. We're going to talk about the importance of being alert. We will look at how important it is to pray: How often should I pray? What should a prayer sound like? Does it matter how long I pray? Does God hear me when I pray without speaking? You don't want to miss what the Bible say about prayer in Ephesians 6:18-20.

See you then...

Collin Is Back Home

We're back home!! We arrived back home around 6:00 p.m. Collin made it through surgery like a champ. He was in surgery for an hour and fifteen minutes. His appetite and energy are coming back. It was a hard day. The hospital was running over 2 hours behind. That was a challenge since Collin had not eaten since before midnight last night and he didn't go into surgery until around 2:30 p.m. Thank you to everyone who called and prayed for him.



Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward. As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of the youth. Psalm 127:3-4

Collin Has Surgery This Morning

This morning Collin will have surgery at St. Francis Hospital. They will be correcting his tongue. Currently, he is tongue-tied: the attachment that is supposed to be UNDER the tongue is actually connected to the tip of his tongue. The procedure will begin around 11:00am and should last about two hours. Pray for Collin, the doctors, nurses...and his parents.

Lifepoint In The News

Monday I did an interview with the Owasso Reporter. I was a little nervous to say the least. I think the article turned out great. If you would like to see it you can check it out here. Sunday the article will be on the homepage of their website. Since we have been in Owasso the staff at the Reporter has been incredible, helping us get the word out about Lifepoint.

Sunday In Review

This is week two of our series - Battle Zone. Here are some of my thoughts.

• We bought new instrument to use during the service. Barry played the djembe instead of the bass today. It was very cool.
• When the countdown ended we had some issues getting started. I guess we had a music problem. It got figured out and we were off.
• I preached Ephesians 6:13-17 - Put On Your Armor. I talked about how we have to stand. The stakes are to high to give up. There can be no retreat. There must be no surrender.
• I did something a little fancy with the sermon video this week. I experimented with some text overlay on the video. You can check it out here.
• We had some first time guests in the service.
• We passed out flyers on Saturday and had first-time guests on Sunday...funny how that works.

Sickness - Day 3

I take good health for granted. I need to be more thankful for the ability to move around and just feel good. I've been sick most of this week. We had to cancel Lifegroup - East because the doctor said I was contagious. By the way, let me give you a little bit of friendly advice. If a doctor says, "would it be okay or us to swab your nose to rule out the flu?"....RUN. I said yes and regretted it. I don't get sick very often. I forget that good health is a gift. There are things to do but I can't do much. I'm better today and hopefully will be 100% by tomorrow.

A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones. Proverbs 17:22

Life Groups Kick-Off This Week

We are kicking off Life Groups this week. There are two options. I will be leading the Life Group at our house on Wednesdays. Brian Crockett and Jimmy Hammond will alternate and lead the Life Group at the Hammond's house on Thursdays. Both locations will start at 7:00 p.m. Childcare will be provided. Get plugged in and bring someone with you.

Here are a few reasons to go to a Life Group:
Bible Study, Growth, Friends, Accountability

Life Group - West
Gregg House
Wednesdays @ 7:00 pm

Life Group - East
Hammond House
Thursdays @ 7:00 pm

Sunday In Review

We started a new series today - Battlezone. Here are some thoughts from the day.

• I preached from Ephesians 6:10-12.- Know Your Enemy
• Had some friends from out of town in the service.
• Set up went faster than normal.
• The music was great. We sang songs that everyone loves to sing. We have great music every week.
• Two sets of doors were locked inside the theater so we couldn't change the lights or unlock the front doors. We had to make due with the lights we had and have someone stand at the front doors - opening them for each person as they walked in. We usually do this anyway, but when you know people can't get in if you aren't there it is even more important.
• The sermon felt heavy this morning. I think it will be a great series. Here's the sermon if you missed it.
• A few of us went to Compadres for lunch after we finished breaking everything down.
• At 3:00 pm I left for Marlow Missionary Baptist Church in Marlow, Oklahoma where I preached and shared what God is doing at Lifepoint. I finally arrived back home at 11:30 p.m. That's a full day.
  

2nd Place

Marnie called the Chamber Of Commerce a couple times to find out who won the award for best float in the Christmas Parade. They told her Bethal Baptist Church got 1st place and Lifepoint Baptist Church got 2nd place. Great job everyone!!

Sunday In Review

Sunday was a big day. We not only had our morning service but it was also time for FSN (First Sunday Night). We held a Vision Dinner at the Owasso Community Center. It was AWESOME!! Here are some thoughts about Sunday.

Morning Service:

• I was out of town last week so it was great to be back.
• I talked about our follow through. How it is critical we serve Jesus with the same energy now as we did when we first launched. I used the illustration of a baseball swing. The difference between a great hit and a foul ball can be...follow through.
  
• I want us to be a church that is ALL ABOUT JESUS.
  
• The music was great.
• During the sermon one the theater employees turned on the pre-movie slides with music and everything. I had to stop during the sermon while someone ran to tell them to stop the pre-movie music and slides. It was funny...but I was a little thrown off to say the least.
• Someone told me I would have trouble preaching over "Marley And Me."
  
• I love our church.
• The after church breakdown seemed to go really fast.
• We had some church planters with us checking out how we set up on Sundays.
  

Vision Dinner

• Started at 6:00 p.m.
• We had the whole meal catered. The food was awesome.
• There were all kinds of eye glasses on the tables. All the decorations had to do with vision. It really reinforced what we were doing.
• I thought the night really helped bring everyone together and focus on our mission.
• It was great to see families who don't know each other that well getting to talk and connect.
• Jeremy Johnson gave his testimony and talked about God leading him to Lifepoint. I think it is a powerful story.
• Jimmy built a powerpoint game that asked questions about the last 9 months of Lifepoint. It helped communicate where we've been in a very creative way.
• The kids had more fun than anyone. They ran and played. They love being together.
  
• Jimmy also took at picture of my head and blew it up to poster board size. He tried to sneak it in but his daughter came up to me and said they had a picture of me. I knew something was up. It is very disturbing to see a 3 foot head shot of yourself. Especially when the eyes are not quite level and it looks like I have a lazy eye.
  
• I answered some common questions about Lifepoint.
• I talked about goals for 2009.
• After everything was over someone volunteered to get in the rotation for Lifpoint Kids.
  
• The night turned out better than I could have ever imagined.
• You can see some pictures of the night here.
  

New Year's Eve

On New Year's Eve we had a gathering at the Powell's house. Everyone had a great time. At the end of the night we played a game called guesstures. It is really a game the just makes you look silly. If you want to look at these embarrassing moments you can see them here.


Tomorrow at 6:00 pm is the Lifepoint Vision Dinner. It's free and it will take place at the Owasso Community Center. We will talk about what we hope to do for Jesus in 2009.

Read The Bible In 2009

Today is January 1st. Many people have made new year's resolutions or at least set some goals. To others the beginning of a new year is just like any other day.

No matter how you start your new year I want to encourage/challenge/rally everyone to take on something BIG in 2009. Would you commit to reading your Bible this year more faithfully than ever before? You may already have a plan or at least thought about it. I am going to use an online resource that has a one year plan. You can check it out here. You don't have to read the whole Bible in a year. Maybe you would read a chapter a day or read more than last year. I believe nothing can impact our church and our city more than all of us getting fueled up and changed by God's Word. If you don't believe me take a look at what the Bible says it does to us (Hebrews 4:12, Psalm 19:7-8).

Come on Lifepoint. Let's dig in and get ready for God to do something awesome!!

...one more thing. Everyone who is at church Sunday has perfect attendance in 2009.