SOAP for today

Today I was reading in Philippians 2 and thought I'd share some things that spoke to my heart.


2 Is there any encouragement from belonging to Christ? Any comfort from his love? Any fellowship together in the Spirit? Are your hearts tender and compassionate?
                                                                                                         Php 2:1


Our relationship with God provides some things for us as outlined by Paul in the form of questions.

1. We gain encouragement from belonging to Christ.

• Knowing what Christ has done for us leads us to be greatly encouraged in our faith.
• THat God would care for me so much is the most encouraging thought I can think.

2. We gain comfort from being loved by God.

• God's love is an active comfort in our lives, we are never far from His love if we take the time to realize and respond to Him.
• Knowing that I'm loved by someone comforts me greatly.  Knowing that I'm loved by God is beyond comprehending.  He who is perfect loves me who is imperfect.  
• Not just love in words, but in action, The Cross, love personified.

3. We are not alone because of our fellowship with His Spirit

• We are not alone because His Spirit lives in us.
• The Spirit of God walks beside us teaching, leading, convicting, helping.
• He's our supernatural helper in this life we live.  

4. Our hearts are soft to His leading.

• This walk with God produces a soft and tender heart for God and for people.
• God's nature becomes our nature so that we can act and live like He does.

Let's Turn Up the Heat

I'm so fired up for the next 5 weeks as we begin a new series of messages.  This Sunday I'll be sharing some thoughts about how God sees us and wants to bless us out of the Book of Job.  Then we will begin a series called "Dirty Church" that I can't wait to get into.  I was SOAPing one day in the gospels and God spoke some things to me through the parable of the sower.  I can't wait to share this with HOF as I believe it will be a blessing to our lives.  I know we all take a breather once school is out and the routine is relaxed a bit, but let's keep our eyes on the prize and make this summer count for Jesus.  Summer is prime growing time: grass is growing, veggies are growing, you and I need to be growing too.

While I was away

As many of you know, we were away on vacation the last 2 Sundays and it sure is great to get back home.  I am always reminded of how much I miss this place when we are gone.  It's great to get away but it's better to come home.  We did the Disney thing in Orlando and it was alright, but it made for long, tiring days.  I heard that church was slamming while I was away and I can't say enough about how I appreciate the staff God has blessed us with at HOF who take care of things whether I'm here or not.  I don't ever want our church to be built on a personality, but on Jesus Christ and the leading of His Spirit.  Our church must be bigger than any one person, while all are valuable, we are all the church.  That's the reason that I want all who will to be involved in the life of our church.  Just like a ball team, we need to be 2-3 deep at every position whether preaching, worship, children's ministry, ushers, at every position.  Well, I"m getting back in the groove and looking forward to speaking to HOF this Sunday.  I've got a fresh passion for church and something that I believe is a timely word for our church.  Then in the 1st Sunday of June we are beginning a new series called "Dirty Church".  I'm pumped. It's going to be  great summer and let's see what God will do.

Mother's Day at the House

Mother's Day at the House is going to be exciting.  Tommy Tenney will be with us for both services.  Tommy is best known for his God Chaser book  and has a passion for God's presence.  I know that you will be changed and impacted by his ministry this Sunday.  Recently while reading the bible, I read Jesus' analogy which compares Christ and His church to the union of a man and his wife.  Ever since that time, I can't read the bible without thinking of any woman mentioned as having a special message for the bride of Christ, His church.  There have been so many influential women in the bible and their lives have much to speak to us.  While SOAPing today in Prov. 5, I read about the immoral woman versus the faithful loving wife.  What a powerful picture of what God is doing in these days, raising up a church(bride) that is faithful, loving and very satifying to His heart.  It's going to happen, and you need to be a part of what God is doing in His church.  You belong in God's house.

Haiti missions tonight

Tonight at Connection Cafe we are talking about the recent HOF trip to Haiti.  Come see the pictures and hear the stories of how you are making a difference in the lives of people all over the world.  Missions is our heartbeat and one of the foundations of our church. We believe that God cares about people, all people in every country.  We are blessed to be able to reach out and serve them through ministry.  I answered an email today from the Phillipines that wants to partner with us.  Whether we are giving water to those in our own parish, backpacts to the homeless in New Orleans, or love to the displaced in Haiti, missions is our Mission.  Also, XG will host the 1st ever Pillow Pit.  Don't ask me, but it sounds like a ton of fun.  Get your teen to church and we'll enjoy a meal together and talk about what it means to be on a mission.