Weekly Rundown (3.15.09)

• So today was a "WOW! GOD" day at Rock Bridge!  We had our highest non-Easter attendance ever!! Thank you for being a church that INVITES and BRINGS people to hear about Jesus!!


• Let me encourage everyone who had a guest come to church today to follow-up with them this week, encourage them to come back and pray that they will!! 


• The coolest part of today was walking into my office after the 2nd service and seeing an Elder praying (we have people who pray for our service during our service in my office) with tears streaming down his face about how he sees people becoming more like Jesus!!  WOW! That is so much more important than attendance ... people becoming disciples!! Jesus wants disciples because disciples bring glory to God!! (see Matthew 28:19; John 15:8)


• Lots of people used our new online "e-invitation" tool!


• We plan on rolling out online giving through bank draft real soon ... I know I'm going to use it!


• I made two resolutions today: 1) I want to use "notes" less & less when I preach.  I used them too much first service and it felt like I was laboring in the flesh instead of walking in the Spirit. Second service was better AND -2) To not read or mention the Forum in the Dalton paper for awhile!


• More from #2 above -- the Forum does NOT bother me ... it makes me laugh and helps me know what a segment of our community is thinking about.  However, our battlefield is not in the newspaper and not through the Forum.  I think I've unintentionally made it too big of a deal to folks.  So I'm fasting from the Forum :)


• I am more committed and more passionate about preaching Jesus than ever before!


• Spent 24 hours up in Chicago this week in a roundtable discussion with 18 pastors, church consultants, and authors.  This event was sponsored by the Cornerstone Knowledge Network.  I was stretched, frustrated, challenged, and inspired.  We need the church in America more than ever to be who she was created to be by Jesus -- His beautiful, unblemished bride!!


• I am very much a practical, "get r' done" person so "discussing" stuff for a day on a more theoretical level was hard but valuable; however, eventually, I want to implement and execute.


• Chicago is cold & windy!


• Beth and I have a gift card to P.F. Changs!!!  Won't last long!