We DO Need a Bailout!

The American dream is in foreclosure. Our leaders battle over bailing us out. But I don't think $700 billion (or $700 trillion for that matter!) will loosen the economic madness.

We've believed Madison Avenue and Cadillac (our car must not just 'turn on' . . . it must 'turn us on') and we've MasterCarded ourselves into oblivion . . . instead of listening to the wisdom of our grandparents and great grandparents and the timeless sages of long ago.

What we suffer from is good ole' American greed. And our solution: Pump more oil, subsidize more bad decisions, increase Ma Government's oversight, and grease the economy with more inflationary dollars.

We've been taught by our parents, and have taught our children, that the American dream is a 4-3-3, 2 sweet rides, bling, retirement at 55 on a golf course, and more bling. And oh yeah it's everybody's inalienable right!

'You shall have no other gods before me.' That's not one of the 10 questions. It's one of the 10 commandments. God puts His principles in place to provide for us and to protect us. When we choose to serve the American god of wealth & prosperity we put ourselves at risk.


I'm amazed folks, this is NOT rocket science (or even car science, or even horse & buggy science!).
But which generation will wake up? Madison Avenue will not lead this charge. Those who have an unearthly set of values and convictions must.

Who will finally believe that we 'can't serve both God and money' and choose to live in homes and by means that are below their income levels?

Who will say enough is enough, and where they have been blessed look for ways to give back to the community and the world in a way that will bless others?

Who will look for ways to wisely disinvest from the NASDAQ and begin investing in people and plans that will last for eternity?

Now hear me, I'm NOT saying that money is evil - or even the problem. And that's why $700 billion will not change attitudes. It will only put off the inevitable pain a few more months.

What must be 'bailed out' is our heart attitudes. The King allows His followers to bring the Kingdom to earth. It's our chance to lead the 'bailout.'

Pastors Wive's Gone Wild!

Ever wonder what goes on in the minds of pastor's wives . . . wonder no more . . .

In Need

You know it really stinks being sick! But it reminds me how much I take for granted being well 98% of the time!
I'm also reminded that Jesus said He came not for those who were well, but for the sick. It's in moments of need that His presence is most powerful.

Lord, help me to know what it means to be 'in need' of you - to long for you, for the Kingdom of God - continuously.

I took some new drugs today that have made me kind of loopy . . . we have a leadership meeting tonight that I really don't want to miss just because I love being with our leaders . . . hopefully my loopiness won't freak anybody out!

Cool Creeker Videos

All the videos that we shared over the 3 weeks of talking about vision in September are now online thanks to Jason Evans!

These are awesome tools for you to use if someone wants a closer look at Oso Creek . . . They can go to the website and watch Creekers talk about how God has transformed/and is transforming their lives!

You can go to the Connect, Navigate and Discover web pages and click video at the bottom here: Connect, Navigate, Discover

Or go straight to the videos here: Connect, Navigate, Discover

Got Group?

As you've heard me say many times, we believe that God designed us in a way that spiritual life transformation happens in groups.

These relationships are the vessel that we journey in.

Our Life Groups seek to be that vessel.

As I've talked about over the last few weeks, I want to challenge you if you are not in a group to check one out.
I want to challenge to take the 7-week test (after all 7 is the perfect biblical number :)

This week as I begin a new series on Elephants in the Church, I want to challenge you to find a group during this series and see how God uses that group in your life during those 7 weeks.

On Sunday after Celebration you'll be given a chance to join a group. I encourage you to 'go for it!' Get a group. Find some new life.

Surfside - THIS Saturday!

Attached is an email sent by my good friend Dan Morris who is a pastor at Christ Point Church.

He went with me on Monday and is leading a group back to Surfside on Saturday.

Read the note below for the details and then please let me know asap if you're interested in going [click here to email me]. . . I know it's a sacrifice, but God will use that sacrifice in awesome ways!

We've got another opportunity to connect with God and the world this weekend by returning to Surfside Beach.

The city has asked us to work with the homes of their elderly citizens. Most (but not all) homes in Surfside are on stilts and were somewhat saved from the title surge. But the stairs leading to these homes were destroyed. We need to rebuild those stairs so people can return home. We also will replace siding, repair roofs, and unboard windows. There also may be some debris to remove. Basically, there is work for everyone and anyone who wants to go and can withstand the heat.

Here are some details to know:

1. We'll leave CPC parking lot at 6:00 AM Saturday.
2. We'll return around 10:00ish Saturday night.
3. The Red Cross will provide us lunch.
4. You'll be responsible for buying your dinner on the way home.
5. Bring work gloves, mosquito repellent, a hat, sunscreen, and a change of clothes for the return trip (that last one is not necessary, but your fellow passengers might appreciate it!)
6. Bring tools such as hammers and saws if you have them. A chain saw or two would be helpful.
7. Call the church office (992-4567) or email me (dan@christpointchurch.com) to let me know you're coming so we can arrange transportation. [Email me or post a comment back to me on this post Creekers if you want to go . . . I'll get our numbers to Dan]
   

This is a one-day trip. To come means you take one day from your already over-crowded schedule. But that one day may make a huge difference in the lives of a few people.

Finder or Loser

I can't tell you how pumped I was last Sunday to talk about Discover. It's because I know that only as we discover God's mission for our lives, does life really become worth living. And living to the fullest.

I quoted Mark Batterson from Wild Goose Chase on Sunday: "I'm not convinced that the date of your death is the date carved on your tombstone. Most people die long before that. We start dying when we have nothing worth living for. And we don't really start living until we find something worth dying for. Ironically, discovering something worth dying for is what makes life worth living."

And then this morning I was pounded by what Jesus said in Matthew 10:39: "Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it."

Jesus is saying that if we settle on living this life on our terms, in our strength, in our wisdom -- If we become enamored with 'finding ourself' --- our life will be lost. It will be wasted.

BUT . . . Jesus says that if we are willing to surrender to Him. If we are willing to 'count our lives as rubbish' without Christ. If we are willing to forsake our ways and our wisdom and give our lives - moment by moment - for the Kingdom of God . . . Then we will find LIFE. Then we will find mission that will not only fill us up to overflowing, but will echo into all eternity.

The choice is yours: You can keep it, and lose it. Or, lose it, and keep it.

Discovery, Discovery, Discovery

If you're new to Oso Creek (or maybe just kinda new) and haven't been to Discovery Dessert, then this Sunday (28th) is it!

Discovery Dessert is where you hang out with me, meet all the staff, and ask any questions you have about Oso Creek. It's also where you find out about membership at Oso Creek!

To get signed up for Discovery Dessert, click here and complete Discovery Online . . . after you submit it you'll get all the necessary info for Discovery Dessert . . . Hope to see you there!

Serving Surfside

Today was a looooong one . . . but I'm excited about the contacts we made yesterday in Surfside and the people we were able to serve. Below are some some pics of some of what we saw . . . as you can see there is much need . . .

Now here's the plan to continue to serve folks in Surfside:

We have connected with a church in the area Brazos Pointe Fellowship (in Lake Jackson) that is going to be sending people to Surfside and seeking to love them for the long term. Our hope is to help facilitate what God is doing through them there.

We have also joined with several other churches here (Christ Point, Second Baptist, & Yorktown for sure) to make regular trips there to show Christ's love by helping those who were buried by the surge. We will be cleaning up debris, mudding houses, ripping out walls & whatever else we can physically ---- while continually praying for the people of Surfside!

We will make the next trip THIS SATURDAY . . . it will be a day trip (leave early in the morning and come back Saturday night). Would you be willing to give one day to going and serving the people of Surfside and seeking live out the Kingdom of God in front of them?

Please let us know by calling the office (993-4463) or commenting on this post asap!

Surfside

25 of us ended up working today in Surfside! We made some great contacts today and there is definitely great need and much opportunity for us to serve there.

More tomorrow (w/some pics) after some sleep . . .

Up The Coast

Please pray for us as we're off early this morning up the coast.
Our mission today is two-fold --- to survey how and where we can serve those hurting and in need for the long term. And also to do some cleanup work today around Surfside.

I'm excited that pastors from at least 6 churches are going with us! It's going to be awesome to see what we can do together! I'll keep you updated.

Way to Go - AGAIN - Creekers!

Way to pull off an awesome Safari! People were shown the grace of Jesus . . .

Our community was served - PeeWees Animal Shelter, CC Food Bank, Mobile Blood Bank (they were pumped that they got 18 units of blood!), Mission Mercy and the City of CC Recycling were all there and blessed . . . .

And the many relief supplies were collected for hurricane victims!

So many folks to thank -- over a hundred Creekers volunteering! And thanks to Audie and Jenny for your leadership!

Enjoy the pics . . .

The Elephants are Coming!

Next Sunday - Sept 28th - we'll begin a New Series --- Elephants in the Church . . . and we'll be talking about what we don't talk about in Church!

Week 1 will be The Elephant on the Fence . . . the life of hypocrisy . . .

This will be a great series to bring your friends to who think that church isn't about real life --- I'll be talking about politics, sex, the environment, death, money and segregation in weeks to come!

ONE More Day!

Tomorrow is our Oso Creek Safari and there is still time to invite your friends and neighbors!

Remember that the 'entry fee' is food for the food bank and that we are also collecting relief supplies -- and my latest contacts tell me that the greatest needs are gift cards (Lowes, WalMart, Home Depot) and chainsaws!

There will be all kinds of activities for kids including free sno cones and hot dogs and a safari ride.

And most importantly :) . . . if you're gonna be in the cornhole tournament remember that you need a non-creeker team member!

Happiness . . . The Residue of Holiness

Below is the text of an email I received from Patrick Morley who founded Man in the Mirror - an organization that seeks to help men find meaning and purpose in life.
It's a much longer post than most all my blogs, but well worth the read . . . that is if you really want to be happy . . .

Not long ago I heard a speaker give an impressive message in which he attributed our moral free fall to the pursuit of happiness instead of holiness. It was a great message.

You have no doubt heard someone say, “God doesn’t want us to be happy; He wants us to be holy.” I understand the point.

But why do they have to be mutually exclusive? Since the Bible regularly talks
about happiness, how can it be evil? To explain “holiness” by trashing “happiness” is just plain lazy. Some people are quick to spoil one concept to make another look better.

I think a better solution is to describe the correct relationship between happiness and holiness.

All Men Want Happiness

Pascal said, “All men seek happiness. This is the chief motive of every action of every man—even of those who hang themselves.” Wanting to be happy is part of what it means to be human.

What do you ask your spouse at the end of the day? “Did you have a good day?” Or, “How was your day?” Our common goal is to answer, “I had a great day.” Translation: I’m happy.

To be happy is normal, natural, and healthy. The issue is not whether or not a man wants to be happy—we all do. The issue is how we go about pursuing it.

The BeHappyTudes

The worldly way to pursue happiness emphasizes attributes of strength and power. They might look like this….

Blessed are the rich, for they don’t need to depend on others. Blessed are the powerful, for they get to make the rules. Blessed are the famous, for people will respect them because they’re well-known. Blessed are the strong, for they get to control others. Blessed are those with a beautiful home, for theirs is the praise of men. Blessed are those who have well-behaved teenagers, for they are the envy of their friends. Blessed are those who marry well, for they will have someone to care for their needs. Blessed are the beautiful people, for they get invited to the best parties. Blessed are those considered experts and exalted for their talents and accomplishments by being put on a pedestal. They should rejoice and be glad, for that kind of glory is the greatest reward.

The Problem

The reason people continue to pursue the BeHappyTudes is because they do lead to happiness—at least a type of happiness, and at least for a while. The problem, however, is that it’s a happiness of the fleeting kind. It is happiness that starts big, but shrinks over time. Everyone knows a man who got everything he wanted, only to end up miserable.

And if worldly happiness is a man’s idol, he will cling to the shrinking remnants of his happiness and, in the process, become a bitter, angry person. At the end of the road, happiness without holiness is hellish.

The Great Reversal

When we lived as worldly men, we all believed the same lies—the BeHappyTudes. Jesus understood this, which is why He made a counterproposal. His words in the Sermon on the Mount describe how we can find a different kind of happiness—a happiness of the lasting kind. In fact, the word “blessed” means extreme happiness, great fortune, and transcendent joy. This kind of happiness starts small, but grows over time—think mustard seed or yeast. So 40 years later, when happiness of the fleeting kind has shrunk to almost nothing, kingdom happiness will be in full bloom.

• Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
• Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
• Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
• Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
• Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
• Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.
• Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
• Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you. (Matthew 5:3–12)

This is the great reversal of all human values. It is nothing less than the description of a holy life. Happiness, it turns out, is the residue of a holy life. The sure path to a happy life is to lead a holy life of obedience under the power of the Holy Spirit.

My wife, Patsy, struck up a friendship with a 90-year-old woman who lives down the street from us. Patsy has been dropping in on her from time to time. She’s a cheerful person. She spent her working years as a bartender and waitress.

One day the woman wasn’t feeling too good so Patsy asked, “Would you like me to rub your feet?” So now Patsy rubs the woman’s feet on occasion when she drops by.

Patsy caught wind that the owners of the bar where the woman had worked (until not that many years ago!) were planning to throw her a 90th birthday party. Patsy said, “Oh, you must be so excited.”

“I am, but I don’t think I’m going to go.”

“Why not?” asked my wife.

“My hair is just such a mess. I don’t feel very good about myself.”

Patsy arranged for her own hairdresser to make a house call and do all the girly things you can do to a woman’s hair. Our 90-year-old neighbor loved the results, and it lifted her spirits enough that she decided to attend her birthday party. Patsy and I went, too. It was touching to see all the people who she loved and who obviously loved her, too.

Patsy was simply being obedient to the promptings of the Holy Spirit. It was, for her, how she could live out the Beatitudes—how she could express her faith in a holy life. And the result? Extreme happiness—happiness of the lasting kind.

So the world says the way to happiness is, “Be rich,” but Jesus says, “Be poor in spirit.” The world says, “Be powerful,” but Jesus says, “Mourn.” The world says, “Be famous,” but Jesus says, “Be meek.” The world says, “Be strong,” but Jesus says, “Hunger and thirst for righteousness.” The world says, “Have a beautiful home,” but Jesus says, “Be merciful.” The world says, “Have well-behaved children,” but Jesus says, “Be pure in heart.” The world says, “Marry well,” but Jesus says, “Be a peacemaker.” The world says, “Be beautiful,” but Jesus says, “Let yourself be persecuted for righteousness.” The world says, “Blessed are you when you are accomplished and people praise you,” but Jesus says, “Blessed are you when people wrongly accuse you.”

When a man says, “I want money, fame, or power,” is that what he really wants? I don’t think so. I think what he really wants is the feeling he thinks he will get from those things.

True happiness, however, is not the result of money, fame, or power. Instead, it is a gift from God for those who adopt The Great Reversal of human values.

Teach men that the BeHappyTudes can make them happy, but only with happiness of the shrinking kind. To lead a holy life—the kind of life described by Jesus in the Beatitudes—brings happiness of the lasting kind.

Teach men that happiness is the residue of a holy life.

Relief Update

Monday we will be going to Surfside Beach and helping to do some clean up for city workers who have been working around the clock and had no opportunity to care for their own homes/families.

Surfside is a hard hit city right on the coast.

The director of the Gulf Coast Baptist Association has connected us with the City of Surfside and tells us that there is an incredible amount of work to do.

Most of us going on Monday will be coming back late Monday night . . . but there is housing for anyone who would want to go and stay for a few - or several - more days.

Please let me know by Sunday morning if you have any interest in going with us on Monday! You can respond to this post or call the church office (993-4463).

The vision is that Oso Creek along with the other churches that have joined us . . . Yorktown Baptist, Christ Point . . . will be making continual trips up to the coast over the next few months to help in relief efforts.

How Far We've Come!

Check out this cool site called WayBack Machine where you can find old archives of your website . . . .

I used it to find Oso Creek's first website! Click here to check it out. . . . Ouch, what a great pic!

Safari & Relief

This Saturday from 10am to 1pm is our Safari Outreach Event! It's designed for me and you to invite our neighbors and friends so they can experience the people of Oso Creek and the grace of God!

And now the Outreach part is going to reach further and further as we are asking you to bring relief supplies for folks up the coast. . . .

Here are the biggest needs we are hearing about right now (and I'll keep you up to date as these change):

- Water - How about bringing all the bottled water you were storing for a hurricane!

- Gift Cards (WalMart, Home Depot, Lowes . . . buy in $10-$20 increments so that we can have lots of flexibility in distributing them)

- Chainsaws - Maybe you have an old one you don't ever use, or want to buy a new one to donate . . . This is the most desperate need! They need to clear tress and brush from the roadways and yards . . .

We are asking you to bring these items on Saturday to the Festival -- or Sunday if it doesn't work on Saturday . . . .

In addition to that - we are making a survey/work trip to the Angleton area on MONDAY . . . . We will leave early Monday morning and come back late Monday night . . . Anyone who is interested in going and helping to spend the day working cutting trees and clearing brush is invited! The help is desperately needed.
Please comment on this post or call the church office if you are interested!

The Truth Project

I'm excited about one of our newest Groups that begins tomorrow (Wed) night for College Students!

Joe and Connie Sengler will be leading as the group goes through an awesome series called The Truth Project!

If you're a college student who wants to come, or know a college student that you want to get more info, you can email Joe & Connie by clicking here.

Thanks!

Thanks Lord for the cool weather!!!!
It almost makes me feel like this!

Making a Difference

Whether it's on our block, in our office, at our school, somewhere in Corpus, or anywhere in the world --- God has called us to be on mission with our lives. There is just a continual pounding of the possibilities in my heart and mind.

You CAN make a difference! You can change part of the world through the Spirit of God working through you and your willingness to listen . . . and act.

Check out this cool video call Benched on Scott Hodge's blog and see how some folks used a simple idea and a small sacrifice to impact their corner of the Kingdom.

Jenny on Admin Staff!

I want to introduce you to our newest Oso Creek staff! Jenny McDermott is now part of the Administrative Staff team and will be in the office with Linda to serve you!
We praise God for Jenny!

Another change in our office is that beginning this week the Oso Creek office will be closed on Thursdays. The office is going to follow the weekly routine of our pastors who all have Thursday as their day off. In place of Thursdays the Administrative Staff (either Jenny or Linda) will be working and available on Sunday mornings.

ONE Week!

One week from today is the September Safari!

We're hosting this event as an opportunity for you to invite your friends and neighbors to meet Oso Creek in a fun and informal way!

Not only are we going to have the fun events, free stuff, and local serving agencies listed --- but we are also going to be modifying the Safari in order to serve Hurricane Ike victims . . . We are meeting today and will give you more info soon!

And YES, there will be a cornhole tournament . . . but here's the deal . . . there are two people on a team and there CANNOT be two Creekers (members OR attenders) on any one team! So, you'll have to bring a non-Creeker to be your partner!

Get the word out Creekers . . . Saturday 10am to 1pm at Oso Creek!

How Can We Help?

Yes, we were spared from Ike, but there are still needs and opportunities all around us.

How can you help your neighbors take down their boards or help move things back outside, or watch their children as they get caught up, etc?
What kind of conversations might ensue about the storm and the mercy and hope of God?

Paul said: "Devote yourselves to prayer with an alert mind and a thankful heart. . . Live wisely among those who are not believers, and make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be gracious and attractive so that you will have the right response for everyone." (Colossians 4:2, 5-6)

Celebration Changes for This Sunday

This Sunday (14th) we will have one Celebration Service @ 11am! We will be praising God for His protection and praying together for those in need. We will also be talking about how you can help those in need up the coast.

Please pass on this info to other Creekers!

No Man's Land

Please keep praying with us that God would minimize the power of Ike and protect those in it's path.
And pray that we would be ready and willing to respond to needs in any way that God asks us!

As you know Corpus is in 'no-man's land' right now - it seems that we're out of the main hit zone and still there is that slight chance that it could turn towards us.

With all of the factors mind - including trying to determine what volunteers are still here and who has already left - our plan is to make a decision about Sunday morning Celebration late today or early tomorrow, and I will let you know as soon as we do.

Way to Go! Need Help?

I'm amazed at how Creekers are already responding to the needs! Thanks to all of you who have called in and said that you would help with the building, or help with other's needs in any way you can!

So, if you have needs - or if you have time to help folks and haven't called in yet - please call the office at 993-4463 as we have folks who want to help! The sooner you call the better as many people will begin to leave during the day tomorrow.

Also, I'm in awe of how the Body of Christ is being deployed, we've already had two churches in San Antonio call and say that they have people who are ready and willing to take folks into their homes who are looking to evacuate!
So, if you need somewhere to go, again please call the church office - 993-4463 - as we are coordinating those efforts as well!


God said that we are the Light of the world . . . and the darker it gets the brighter the light shines!

Storm Watching Sites

I mentioned a couple of weeks ago that I'm a 'storm watcher' . . . Some of you may have some better sites, if so please share them . . . Here's a few of the ones that I look at, they all have some unique info and are informative . . . The top one (wunderground) is my old staple and the last one is one that Greg Richmond just turned me on to and it's pretty cool . . .

wunderground

noaa

stormpulse

Ike Prep

One of our first desires is to help take care of Creekers who may need help in preparing for Ike.

If you need any kind of help (boarding up, getting supplies, getting somewhere else, etc) - or you know someone who needs help - please call the church office (993.4463) or you can email me from the blog.

And if you have time the next couple of days to provide help and are not already doing so, please call the office as well! We need you!

Also, I plan on blogging frequently letting everyone know our Oso Creek plans, what conditions are here for those who leave, as well as what needs are that you may be able to help with.
This will be the primary form of Oso Creek info so please stay tuned in, and please let anyone else know who may be new or not connected, where this blog is.

Being a Blessing!

It's amazing how life can change in just a few short hours! Tonight I was at Walgreens and Lowe's (not getting plywood, praise God!) and felt like I was in the twilight zone as people were everywhere and there was this surreal sense of anxiety/anticipation in the air that hurricane Ike is causing.

But we know that the Creator is control! "The earth is the Lord's, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it; for He founded it upon the seas and established it upon the waters."

And as His followers we want to be a blessing to the world around us . . . and in the next few days - wherever Ike goes - we'll have the opportunity to do just that! Especially in the midst of crisis, we can show what it means to live by faith -- and not fear.

So be praying . . . and watching . . . and expecting for God to give you - and us - opportunities to serve and love those who don't have peace and hope.

Pen in Hand

Last Sunday in Celebration I talked about being on this journey with God, and how we must actively Navigate the spiritual reference points for our life!
If not, we're in danger of a spiritual life that just goes in circles . . . or never gets out of the dock.

Some of the points of reference are unique for each of us, and some are the same for every follower of Christ -- one of the primary ones being the Bible. It is the Spirit of God using the Word of God that changes our life. It is our primary source of spiritual food. It is life.

I want to remind you about Creek Living Water . . . a blog with daily scripture and a guide for soaking in it. If you don't have a plan for reading the Bible, then I would encourage you to start there. [Click here for Creek Living Water]

And I want to encourage you in another way as you read God's Word. Do it with a pen in your hand.
Ask God to speak to you as you read and as He does write it down! Write it down in the margins of your Bible, or in a journal. Don't worry about if it's perfect, or even if it makes full sense right now. But write it down so that later you can go back and continue to listen to what God is saying.

I'll say it this way: If your pen is in your hand , then God can keep writing your story!

"I will walk in freedom,
for I have devoted myself to your commandments.
I will speak to kings about your laws,
and I will not be ashamed.
How I delight in your commands!
How I love them!" (Psalm 119:45-47)

Here We Go Again . . .

Nearly 2 weeks ago we prayed and asked God to protect those in the path of Gustav and for Him to minimize it's power. And He did!

Let's pray. Let's pray for God's protection again from Ike and for Ike's power to be eliminated . . . and most of all for God to be glorified in the midst of the storm.

If nothing else, storms of this magnitude should remind us that we are not in control -- and that our only hope is to look to the One who is!

"He decided how hard the winds should blow
and how much rain should fall.
He made the laws for the rain
and laid out a path for the lightning.
Then he saw wisdom and evaluated it.
He set it in place and examined it thoroughly.
And this is what he says to all humanity:
‘The fear of the Lord is true wisdom;
to forsake evil is real understanding.’” (Job 28:25-28)

Awesome Videos!

I praise God for the Creeker stories that we have heard over the past couple of weeks! We wanted to get them out there where we could pass them along to folks who were curious about what God was doing at Oso Creek . . . So here is the first installment! Click here and you can check out on youtube the Connect video from last Sunday!

TWO (2) Weeks!

Two weeks from today is the Oso Creek September Safari!
And you have a chance to make a difference in lives and in our community!

Here is what you can do to have an eternal impact:

1) Pray that 'His Kingdom will come His will be done' through this event and the weeks to follow

2) Ask God to show you who to invite and then invite them to come to the September Safari

3) On Sunday (or by emailing Audie - click here) sign up to serve at the Safari

4) Come on the 20th prepared to love and serve the people God brings . . . Looking for how He is building bridges into their lives!

Others First

On Sunday I talked about a growing problem/praise that we have . . . too many kids for our building! What a great issue!

Creekers are working now planning the best way to build new space . . . but until we get there, would you consider helping to make room for the next family that needs to connect with God?

We connect with kids and families in awesome ways and there are new families every week who walk in to Oso Creek from places of loneliness and isolation searching for hope. And we have it! And we have plenty of room . . . at 9 o'clock.

If you're a regular 11 O'clocker (the premium time for new folks) would you and your family be willing to come at 9am??

A small price to pay for someone else to discover meaning in life and find their families adventure!

FIRST

In one of my last blogs on Tuesday (click here to see it) I talked about challenging people to give God their lives so that world will be changed "instead of trying to 'sell God' based on the benefits He offers."

I've been thinking about that post and a missing ingredient. I wonder how much of the time many of us feel like WE'RE missing out on experiencing 'God's Adventure'?

I know sometimes I feel like I missed the boat. And it's hard to invite someone on a trip when you're just gonna stand on shore and push them out to sea. But the Truth is, as a follower of Jesus we haven't missed it, we've only taken our eyes off God and been distracted by all the noise around us.

I'm reading Soul Revolution by John Burke (which I Highly recommend) and he says:

"I hear people complain all the time about not feeling close to God, not sure they can trust Him, not sure God cares. But they never committed to staying connected to God in their daily life, and when they do take time to communicate, the communication is all one-sided. Rather than doing life with God, it's all religious, formal, ritualistic meeting for them. I'm convinced God desires an unrehearsed, gut-level, rigorously honest conversation throughout the moments of the day."

As I was reading Matthew 6 this morning, what Jesus says to end the chapter that talks about many of the distractions in following God, hit me in a fresh way. This is the heart of finding the adventure:

"But seek FIRST His Kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well."

One Year!

September 4, 2007 was my first blog!

It's amazing how it stacks up so quickly . . . In the first year I've blogged 427 times! (A couple of more than the 3-5 times a week I thought I would do!)

ForwardMotion has had page 30,969 page hits (and that does not include folks who read the pages in their email and don't go to the blog) --- that alone reminds me of the influence that we wield over time . . . and our responsibility to use it for the Kingdom.

I write this for you. . . As a tool to lead Oso Creek while being authentic about my own life.
So help me out: Is there anything you would like to hear about that I haven't blogged? . . . OR . . . What would you like to see more of in the next year?

Connecting with Challenge

On Sunday I talked about our vision to Connect people all around us to the Kingdom of God and to the life of adventure!
I challenged each of us to Raise the Risk Factor in our lives to do what is necessary to live out that vision.

This morning I was challenged as I read in Matthew 4 Jesus' invitation to Peter and Andrew to follow Him on the Kingdom adventure. (Check in out in vs. 18-20)

It wasn't a sweet promise that their life would be all better. Or just an eternal invitation that they would live forever in heaven.

No, He said, 'Follow Me and I will make you fishers of men!' He challenged them to join Him in changing the world!

I wonder sometimes if the way we talk to folks about God makes them think that He is just a desperate contender for their loyalty?

God is no 'contender.' We should have to be standing in line for the privilege of serving Him.
Maybe instead of trying to 'sell God' based on the benefits He offers, we need to be challenging people to quit sitting in the stands and to give their life to what counts for all eternity . . .

Tuesday Morning Prayer

What are you asking God for this morning?

Father, please forgive me for how I have neglected your presence and and avoided your direction. Thank you for your forgiveness and a new day! Please fill me with the power of the Holy Spirit and help me to remain in the presence of Jesus moment by moment. Please direct my steps this day God into your purposes. Give me all boldness and passion to live for you!

Matt Beveridge Update - 9-1-08

Good news, Matt is out of the hospital and back home as of the end of last week!

He is now going through 'immunotherapy' . . . which is a treatment that stimulates the immune system to help fight the cancer. He's been going through these treatments for a week now and the doctors hope to build back up his system so that they can do a bone marrow transplant.

And TODAY - Sept 1 - is his birthday -- 20 years old! I want to encourage you to flood his website with Happy Birthday messages - you get there by clicking here and then go to the Guestbook at the bottom and sign away!

"Pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones!" (Prov 16:24)