This may be terrible timing. Writing a blog post about church attendance on the Friday of Memorial Day weekend . . . on the eve of Summer break. Oh brother! What am I thinking?
Well, I am not thinking about how many people I can guilt out of going on their trip this Sunday. If you've got plans, have a blast!
I have had this recurring thought as I have witnessed a trend in our church over the last year: Is church attendance valuable? Furthermore, what value would you place on what I will call regular church attendance (Regular = You're at church on Sundays if you're in town = Priority)?
Regular Church Attendance? Really, Jeremy? Who does that anymore?
I have to admit it is a practice that is dwindling. And, I don't think that is a good thing. (Push back welcome).
I was thinking the other day about the bonds you build with God and with friends when you go away for a retreat, a summer camp, or a mission trip. Those are usually experiences designed to help catalyze those relationships that are most valuable, namely God and others. Part of what makes those catalytic events is the sheer frequency of time that you are spending.
Now, humor me for a moment. If frequency is a factor in those environments, what is any different about church services on Sunday? I am arguing that frequency matters. I am saying that if we will stop the "2 out of 4 ain't bad" kind of thinking that has become the social norm when it comes to church attendance, that we may just have fewer marriages on the rocks. We may have more kids taking a stand for Christ in their schools. We may have more people experiencing recovery from addiction. We may have more people digging into God's word and applying it to their lives throughout the week with this slight little tweak--start attending church every Sunday as long as you are in town.
I do think frequency is important. It would be weird to go to summer camp every other day. It would be odd to miss 2 out 4 retreat sessions.
And, I believe it goes against the grain to say that people should be at church every time they can...I believe it would be a game changer for many families, though, if they'll do it.
Friday, May 24, 2013
Friday, May 3, 2013
CLT News for This week
I love our church! So many exciting things going on...must share!
A whole lot of fun and exciting stuff going on around your church family these days. Check it out!
A NEW HOME for CLT! (Coming September!)In case you did not hear, we shared very exciting news this past week. After a year of searching, seeking, praying, giving, we will be moving into a new church home this fall. Click HERE for all the exciting details!
VIII: An 8 Week Study of Romans 8 (Current Messages Series!)
We hope you'll join us this Sunday at 10am as we continue to dig into one of the most pivotal chapters in all of Scripture, Romans Chapter 8. If you missed any of the messages thus far, be sure to listen HERE.
Parent-Child Dedication (May 12th on Mother's Day!)
At CLT, we celebrate Parent-Child Dedication two times per year for parents to gather with family and friends to make a commitment to raise their children in a Christ-centered home. If you'd like your family to participate in our next dedication service on May 12th, please register by clicking HERE and completing the online form. Deadline is early next week!
New Women's Community Group (Starting May 1st!)
We are excited to have just launched a new women's community group on Wednesday mornings. This group will start by doing a Precept Study on the Covenant. It's not too late to join. For more details or to get on their email list, click HERE.
CLT Mission Trip to Haiti (November 1st through 8th) If you're interested in traveling with us to Haiti this fall, save this date. We'll have many more details to come soon on registration, cost, and what we'll be doing. Going to be so meaningful!
See you Sunday, ChurchLT!
A whole lot of fun and exciting stuff going on around your church family these days. Check it out!
A NEW HOME for CLT! (Coming September!)In case you did not hear, we shared very exciting news this past week. After a year of searching, seeking, praying, giving, we will be moving into a new church home this fall. Click HERE for all the exciting details!
VIII: An 8 Week Study of Romans 8 (Current Messages Series!)
We hope you'll join us this Sunday at 10am as we continue to dig into one of the most pivotal chapters in all of Scripture, Romans Chapter 8. If you missed any of the messages thus far, be sure to listen HERE.
Parent-Child Dedication (May 12th on Mother's Day!)
At CLT, we celebrate Parent-Child Dedication two times per year for parents to gather with family and friends to make a commitment to raise their children in a Christ-centered home. If you'd like your family to participate in our next dedication service on May 12th, please register by clicking HERE and completing the online form. Deadline is early next week!
New Women's Community Group (Starting May 1st!)
We are excited to have just launched a new women's community group on Wednesday mornings. This group will start by doing a Precept Study on the Covenant. It's not too late to join. For more details or to get on their email list, click HERE.
CLT Mission Trip to Haiti (November 1st through 8th) If you're interested in traveling with us to Haiti this fall, save this date. We'll have many more details to come soon on registration, cost, and what we'll be doing. Going to be so meaningful!
See you Sunday, ChurchLT!
Monday, April 29, 2013
What If We Never Have a Building?
My journey in church planting began 5 years ago. It started with a super bowl party that Hill Country Bible Church generously funded. It moved to my living room casting vision to some unsuspecting folks. Part of that vision gathering was a question I would ask many times over the next couple of years...
"What if we never had a facility?" I mean, think about all of the overhead expenses you could save on that could go into funding ministry. Think of the impact you could make locally and globally in missions giving if you weren't paying a mortgage or leasing more permanent space.
After setting up and tearing down over 200 times in those 5 years, fatigue starts to set in. But who cares, right? We can keep this up for years longer if need be if the mission is thriving.
Enter: Mission
Mission is what you live and die by. If you're strategy is not accomplishing your mission, pack it up and head home. OR, change the strategy.
About 3 years ago (2 years into church planting), I started this journey of looking for a more permanent space. Why, after making such visionary statements like "what if we never had a building" would I start looking for a more permanent situation? Because I had learned that we could in fact use a building that we call "home" as a powerful tool for advancing MISSION.
So, after years of searching, saving, and striving to fulfill our mission (without a facility) a door has finally opened for us to relocate into a more permanent home.
You can check out all the details here. (Opens a PDF document)
We are thankful to God for providing this!
Here's a artistic rendering from the very talented Kelle Contine Interior Design
.JPG)
Architecture provided by Rodney Palmer with Cornerstone Architect Group
"What if we never had a facility?" I mean, think about all of the overhead expenses you could save on that could go into funding ministry. Think of the impact you could make locally and globally in missions giving if you weren't paying a mortgage or leasing more permanent space.
After setting up and tearing down over 200 times in those 5 years, fatigue starts to set in. But who cares, right? We can keep this up for years longer if need be if the mission is thriving.
Enter: Mission
Mission is what you live and die by. If you're strategy is not accomplishing your mission, pack it up and head home. OR, change the strategy.
About 3 years ago (2 years into church planting), I started this journey of looking for a more permanent space. Why, after making such visionary statements like "what if we never had a building" would I start looking for a more permanent situation? Because I had learned that we could in fact use a building that we call "home" as a powerful tool for advancing MISSION.
So, after years of searching, saving, and striving to fulfill our mission (without a facility) a door has finally opened for us to relocate into a more permanent home.
You can check out all the details here. (Opens a PDF document)
We are thankful to God for providing this!
Here's a artistic rendering from the very talented Kelle Contine Interior Design
.JPG)
Architecture provided by Rodney Palmer with Cornerstone Architect Group
Wednesday, April 3, 2013
Stories That We Tell
This morning I had coffee with a guy that I have been discipling for 2 years. We were talking about how important it is in life to stay positive. We had just read from God's word the previous week, "Finally,
brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is
right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if
anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things." Philippians 4:8
As we began talking about that it dawned on me that it is the struggles of life that typically define the stories of life. And the stories we tell tend to shape the cultures we dwell in.
I thought back to "Spirituals" or songs that were sung by enslaved African people in the United States. Most of those songs tell a story. Songs of suffering...yet songs of hope in the suffering. That defined and defines so many of our cultures today.
The people of God in the Old Testament had similar stories of oppression and deliverance that were recounted over and over again. Those stories shaped the culture.
As a parent, what stories are you telling to shape the culture of your family?
As a leader of your church, your family, or your organization, what stories are you telling? Pay careful attention. Because the stories you tell will often times set a culture. What kind of culture do you want? Think about the stories that you tell...
As we began talking about that it dawned on me that it is the struggles of life that typically define the stories of life. And the stories we tell tend to shape the cultures we dwell in.
I thought back to "Spirituals" or songs that were sung by enslaved African people in the United States. Most of those songs tell a story. Songs of suffering...yet songs of hope in the suffering. That defined and defines so many of our cultures today.
The people of God in the Old Testament had similar stories of oppression and deliverance that were recounted over and over again. Those stories shaped the culture.
As a parent, what stories are you telling to shape the culture of your family?
As a leader of your church, your family, or your organization, what stories are you telling? Pay careful attention. Because the stories you tell will often times set a culture. What kind of culture do you want? Think about the stories that you tell...
Monday, September 17, 2012
Sacrificial Life
I was reading listening to my daily Bible routine this morning. It's interesting how things you've read a gillion times before can strike you very differently when you listen to them.
The passage is Luke 12:13-48. Jesus starts telling this story of a guy who has a lot of stuff (and money). Sound familiar? And, he keeps getting more stuff. Then, the guy decides enough is enough, right? Nope. He actually builds a bigger barn. Then, he wants to kick back and enjoy life. Instead his life ends. Sad story.
Here's the punch line: "So is the one who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God.”
Sacrifice.
Sacrifice your life or you will sacrifice your life.
Then, Jesus gives some super helpful encouragement. Don't worry. Seek God. And, your life will never be the same.
Finally, he puts the explanation point on this passage: "Sell your possessions, and give to the needy. Provide yourselves with moneybags that do not grow old, with a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also."
Sacrifice.
Giving up your stuff is a sacrifice and it's worth it.
The passage is Luke 12:13-48. Jesus starts telling this story of a guy who has a lot of stuff (and money). Sound familiar? And, he keeps getting more stuff. Then, the guy decides enough is enough, right? Nope. He actually builds a bigger barn. Then, he wants to kick back and enjoy life. Instead his life ends. Sad story.
Here's the punch line: "So is the one who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God.”
Sacrifice.
Sacrifice your life or you will sacrifice your life.
Then, Jesus gives some super helpful encouragement. Don't worry. Seek God. And, your life will never be the same.
Finally, he puts the explanation point on this passage: "Sell your possessions, and give to the needy. Provide yourselves with moneybags that do not grow old, with a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also."
Sacrifice.
Giving up your stuff is a sacrifice and it's worth it.
Wednesday, September 5, 2012
Meet Jacob...Student Ministry Director!!
Meet Jacob...and find out what's happening in STUDENT MINISTRY!
We introduced him to the church publicly in this past Sunday's message...If you weren't there, you can listen HERE. (Jacob's introduction begins at 10:10)
He is CLT's newest team member serving as our Student Ministry Director for 6-12 grade students!
Jacob
is currently a junior at the great University of Texas in Austin. He
grew up in a military family, traveling all over the world including a 4
year stay in Germany, before he wound up in San Antonio Texas for high
school.
While in San Antonio he became involved in an organization called Younglife, which began to spur his passion for Jesus, and sharing Him with everyone he could. This passion only intensified when he arrived in Austin 3 years ago and began pursuing students in Lake Travis. He loves nothing more than getting to hang out with kids, be crazy, have fun, and show them the pure joy of the adventure that can only be experienced by walking with our awesome Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
And, here's something to mark your calendar for...
Who: All Middle and High School students of The Church at Lake Travis AND their families
What: Crazy awesome time to come and eat, hang out, swim, eat, play ping pong, see who capable of the best belly flop, eat, and most of all enjoy fellowship with our church family.
When: Sunday evening, September 16, 5:59-7:31pm
Where: The Russells have been kind enough to open up their home to us.
Why: Because community is such an important part of our mission as a Church body "For where two or more are gathered in my name, there am I with them." -Matthew 18:20
We introduced him to the church publicly in this past Sunday's message...If you weren't there, you can listen HERE. (Jacob's introduction begins at 10:10)
He is CLT's newest team member serving as our Student Ministry Director for 6-12 grade students!
While in San Antonio he became involved in an organization called Younglife, which began to spur his passion for Jesus, and sharing Him with everyone he could. This passion only intensified when he arrived in Austin 3 years ago and began pursuing students in Lake Travis. He loves nothing more than getting to hang out with kids, be crazy, have fun, and show them the pure joy of the adventure that can only be experienced by walking with our awesome Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
And, here's something to mark your calendar for...
STUDENT MINISTRY LAUNCH PARTY
What: Crazy awesome time to come and eat, hang out, swim, eat, play ping pong, see who capable of the best belly flop, eat, and most of all enjoy fellowship with our church family.
When: Sunday evening, September 16, 5:59-7:31pm
Where: The Russells have been kind enough to open up their home to us.
Why: Because community is such an important part of our mission as a Church body "For where two or more are gathered in my name, there am I with them." -Matthew 18:20
Saturday, August 18, 2012
When will she come home?, part 2
We've just returned home from our third bonding visit with Schella this year. First was in February. I blogged about this question here.
And, now it is time to revisit the question since more people ask the longer this process goes on. "When will she come home?"
The short of it is: We don't know.
The faith-filled response is: November.
The LONG of it is:
There are 4 phases of adoption from Haiti (I'm summarizing).
1. Pre-IBESR- We get our home study done and find out if we are approved to adopt internationally among other things. That is called our dossier (fancy french word for paperwork). Next, we are matched with a child. We were matched with Schella back in October 2011. Next, that child has to get their dossier together. As of this past week, August 15, 2012, Schella's dossier needed one document to be typed up so that it could then be submitted to the next phase. Our dossier and her dossier is supposed to be submitted on Monday, August 20. That will lead us to the next phase.
2. IBESR- Once in IBESR, we are unclear on how long the process will take. Some have been there for many months (10) and some we have seen go through in a few months (3). We do know that since we have biological children that we will need a presidential waiver to allow us to adopt Schella. We would love to see this process be completed in 2 months...Big prayer for our Big God.
3. Parquet Court-It's our understanding that once the dossiers are out of IBESR, the next steps progress rather quickly. We will travel to Haiti to meet with the court to confirm our intentions to adopt. This is a one-time event in our understanding.
4. Immigration and Passport-All paperwork is sent to Ministry of Interior. This process has taken others up to 5 months. Again, we're asking for a miracle.
5. Get on a plane and bring her home! I'm sure there are some other meetings and such that we'll have to take care of in this phase
It's really long. It's really painful. Our hearts grieve. Our dependence on God grows. And, we pray that odds and timelines are defied and she can come home by November 2012 so that God gets all the glory!
And, now it is time to revisit the question since more people ask the longer this process goes on. "When will she come home?"
The short of it is: We don't know.
The faith-filled response is: November.
The LONG of it is:
There are 4 phases of adoption from Haiti (I'm summarizing).
1. Pre-IBESR- We get our home study done and find out if we are approved to adopt internationally among other things. That is called our dossier (fancy french word for paperwork). Next, we are matched with a child. We were matched with Schella back in October 2011. Next, that child has to get their dossier together. As of this past week, August 15, 2012, Schella's dossier needed one document to be typed up so that it could then be submitted to the next phase. Our dossier and her dossier is supposed to be submitted on Monday, August 20. That will lead us to the next phase.
2. IBESR- Once in IBESR, we are unclear on how long the process will take. Some have been there for many months (10) and some we have seen go through in a few months (3). We do know that since we have biological children that we will need a presidential waiver to allow us to adopt Schella. We would love to see this process be completed in 2 months...Big prayer for our Big God.
3. Parquet Court-It's our understanding that once the dossiers are out of IBESR, the next steps progress rather quickly. We will travel to Haiti to meet with the court to confirm our intentions to adopt. This is a one-time event in our understanding.
4. Immigration and Passport-All paperwork is sent to Ministry of Interior. This process has taken others up to 5 months. Again, we're asking for a miracle.
5. Get on a plane and bring her home! I'm sure there are some other meetings and such that we'll have to take care of in this phase
It's really long. It's really painful. Our hearts grieve. Our dependence on God grows. And, we pray that odds and timelines are defied and she can come home by November 2012 so that God gets all the glory!
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