Mid-Week Video Email 11.17.11 from Church at the Grove on Vimeo.

If our church were to disappear, would Church at the Grove’s influence be missed?

Our role as a church is to be a bridge.  As we serve and love those in our community we form a bridge through our actions over which the good news of Jesus can travel!  I heard it said recently, “Influence is when you (church) become part of the fabric of the community.” My desire as a pastor is that Church at the Grove become a part of the fabric of the community. My former pastor Mike Linch spoke about this at a recent meeting of pastors and church leaders and it was a good reminder of the need for us to focus as a church on serving and loving our community.

Our community needs our church.  Our church needs our community.  True, lasting influence is gained over the long haul and leads to credibility with the community.

How do we “win” over the community….?

• We have to learn to love the things they love and get involved in the things that are important to them.

• My heart as a pastor is for God to raise up some leaders that will become the “flag waivers” (leaders) for our community ministry needs.

• We want to serve our community with “no strings attached” just like Jesus love on people He came into contact with.

• Popular author and blogger Seth Godin states, “If you are not remarkable, you are invisible.”

Church at the Grove, let’s dig in over the long haul, and through the power of the Holy Spirit, let’s serve our community in a remarkable way!

Check out my friend Brian Dodd’s thoughts on serving the community as a church:  http://briandoddonleadership.com/2011/10/25/13-tips-on-how-churches-can-best-serve-their-communities/

We know that most people come to Christ on the arm of a trusted friend.

How are you doing at investing in people and inviting them to join you at Church at the Grove?

Remember, you gotta come yourself if you are going to bring somebody with you or have them meet you at the school!

Who are you investing in?

Here is the concept behind our Core Value “Missional Responsibility”:

We desire to fulfill the mission God has given the Church.  In both Old and New Testaments we encounter a God who is on a redemptive mission in the world.  In fact, we are astounded at the lengths to which God will go in pursuit of his mission to redeem the crowning achievement of his creation – people.  In North America, the term “mission” has been associated with either sending called people to other parts of the world or giving financially toward reaching others around the world.  With the United States now being among the largest mission fields in the world, and the fact that there are now multiple generations born and raised in a post-Christian culture, we must address the need for churches to think “missionally” in a local context.

What if each individual believer and household could see their home as a “base” for missional operations to reach the entire neighborhood for Jesus?

This is a core desire for Church at the Grove.

There was one little boy that particularly caught my attention (and everyone) each time he rounded third base!

Each child is greeted with the crazy applause of parents, grandparents and other attendees as if it was the seventh game of the world series as they round third base on their way to home plate.  One little boy would round third base every time with a huge smile on his face and he would maintain eye contact with the fans in the stands the whole way across home plate.  Often, he would actually miss home-plate because he was so focused on the fan support. He was absolutely enthralled with the encouragement from the fans as he made his way down the third-base line to cross home plate.

This is a great picture of how important “community-life” is to the individual Christian as they “run the base paths” of life in the world.  We are not meant to live our Christian lives alone.  It is the encouragement of others that offer Christ’s strength and support as we travel through life.

Remember that you can run farther when others are watching!  That is why you should not neglect being involved with other believers in small groups or teams that serve together.

Here are a few things going on at The Grove this week:

Volunteer Appreciation Night August 28 6:30pm-8:30pm at Lenora Water Park
Make sure you get your reservation in for this fun night for you and your family!

5 year anniversary!
On September 11 we will celebrate an incredible 5 years as Church at the Grove! (Insert applause & cheers) These 5 years have been significant in seeing many people turn to follow Jesus & seeing lives transformed as we have impacted our local community and even touched lives around the world.  September 11 will be a big day and we want everyone who calls Church at the Grove home to be there and to bring your family and friends to join you!

Two Services on September 11
We have continued to see our CATGrove family grow and as a result, we need to create more space for new people.  On September 11 we will launch with 2 Sunday morning gatherings at 9:30 & 11am.  This is to create another opportunity for you to invite your family and friends that you have been praying for and investing in!

Community Groups begin September 11
Our new Community Group semester will begin Sunday September 11! I am convinced that one of the important elements to our growth this past year (God gets the credit, of course) was our Community Groups this past year.  We had more groups and more people connected to groups than ever before!  Please choose a group over this next month and get connected to other people in the church!

Church at the Grove Social Circle
This coming January we will launch a 2^nd location gathering in Social Circle.  God has called us since before we ever launched our 1^st gathering to be aggressive in ADVANCING the gospel through planting new churches and new locations of CATGrove!  I am asking everyone to please pray about being a part of this launch team that will help get this new gathering started.  It will be one of the most exciting things you have ever been a part of.  Consider making this your campus, consider giving one year or six months to help get Social Circle started.  We can’t do without people like you.

I am a little disturbed by the outrage over her mother’s acquittal and here are a couple of questions I have in response to the internet outrage over Casey’s acquittal:

I have read repeatedly that there are so many wonderful families that would have been willing to raise that little girl and if the mom didn’t want her she should have given her to her parents or put her up for adoption.

That is great but if everyone is upset why aren’t they signing up to adopt one of the many of the world’s orphans that need a loving home on this planet? I am just asking!

Also: Where is the outrage over the plight of the unborn children that are killed legally everyday in this country and around the world?  Just asking!

Here is what concerns me:  We have become a nation that has severely disconnected what we say we believe and are passionate about from our practical daily actions.  We don’t live daily with practical concern over orphans and unborn children that are killed daily but we get drawn into the sensationalism construed by the news media over one little girl that was tragically killed.

I am not saying that Caylee doesn’t deserve the attention.  What I am saying is that there is a practical disconnect from our passions and beliefs aroused by this Media driven outrage and our practical actions for the plight of so many that need attention every day that go without homes and are killed legally!

Question:  What about our outrage and disgust over people that die eternally separated from God that simply need someone to tell them about an eternal Savior that died to give them life.  If we are so concerned about this little girl (rightly so) then why aren’t we motivated to share our faith in Jesus with those around us?  Let’s connect our practical daily actions to our passions and beliefs! 

In CATGrove news:

Let’s continue to fast and pray that God will draw us into His mission of redemption!  Join us in fasting a couple of meals one day each week.  If you cannot fast from food, then give up media, internet, television, facebook or someone that is of value to you.  Let’s stay focused on our purpose as a church!  Let’s see what God will do with our new launch in Social Circle and let’s see God work in a tremendous way as we send a team to Romania!

Let’s move forward!

Keep Praying, keep investing, Keep inviting!

In light of this day, let’s look at an excerpt from Washington’s Farewell address that connects these valuable freedoms to the True GIVER of Freedom!

September 26, 1796

Of all the dispositions and habits which lead to political prosperity, religion and morality are indispensable supports. In vain would that man claim the tribute of patriotism, who should labor to subvert these great pillars of human happiness, these firmest props of the duties of men and citizens. The mere politician, equally with the pious man, ought to respect and to cherish them. A volume could not trace all their connections with private and public felicity. Let it simply be asked: Where is the security for property, for reputation, for life, if the sense of religious obligation desert the oaths which are the instruments of investigation in courts of justice ? And let us with caution indulge the supposition that morality can be maintained without religion. Whatever may be conceded to the influence of refined education on minds of peculiar structure, reason and experience both forbid us to expect that national morality can prevail in exclusion of religious principle.

May we never forget from where our true freedom comes!

God Bless America!

Here it is summer time and we are having tons of guests every Sunday!  What I am even more excited about is the fact that our guests are coming back a second and third time! That is HUGE and it confirms that God is doing some incredible things in the life of The Grove.

I was absolutely thrilled about how our GROUPLINK went on Sunday night!  In three different homes we had over 120 people connect together to fellowship, eat and share in the vision that God has given Church at the Grove. That is huge for a hot Sunday night in June.  Huge thanks to Craig and Amy Story for coming up with the idea and organizing GROUPLINK.  Huge thanks go out to Chad and Anita Spinks, Russ and Joanna Spires and Craig and Amy again for hosting groups in their homes.  Remember, our church is only as strong as the relationships cultivated in authentic community! We can’t grow as disciples simply sitting in rows starring at the backs of people’s heads.  Authentic community comes from sitting in circles face to face!  Keep growing GROVE and don’t miss out on the relationships God wants you to have.

In light of that, please don’t take the summer off from Church at the Grove!

You are going to travel and take vacations.  You are going to visit with family.  You are going to spend time at the pool.  But don’t take a vacation from your faith community.

You potentially can wake up on a Sunday morning and realize the summer is gone and you haven’t connected with your church for weeks or months.  God doesn’t want that for you.  It is not spiritually healthy for you and it will not advance the gospel and the mission God has given our church.  Please make it a priority to be a part of our gatherings this summer when you are not out of town!  I miss seeing you and I know others miss you.

Don’t forget about our CATGrove fast that goes through July! Fast your two early meals on Mondays for CATGrove’s continued missional focus and our Social Circle Launch next January!  God is working and we want to continue to see HIM accomplish His will and purpose through us.  Some things only come by prayer and fasting. That is what Jesus said!

• Be praying for our Romania team as they complete preparations to go at the end of July.

• Be praying for the Sports Camp taking place in Holt, Alabama outside of Tuscaloosa this week.

• Be praying for our children’s and youth ministry leadership as we seek to fill that position.

• Be praying for UNITED, our summer youth ministry on Wednesday nights at the local High Schools.

• Try to come by Chick Fil A on Wednesday’s Spirit night to help raise money for our Romania Team.

Keep praying, Keep investing, Keep inviting!

Scripture Memory:
Ephesians 2:10 (ESV)
¹⁰ For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. 

Action Step:
This week read Ephesians 2, 3 and 4, and also Romans 12 and 1 Corinthians 12!

Random Thoughts:

• Time Change coming this Sunday!  Set your clocks forward one hour this Saturday evening! 
• What an incredible Sunday gathering this past Sunday!  I am so excited about “Bring It!” our new series on Spiritual gifts!  I love Ephesians 2:1-10.  God’s love, grace and mercy is mind-blowing! 
• God already has good works prepared for me to do!  We all must discover, develop, and deploy our spiritual gifts so we can walk in those good works!  WOW!
• God uses pastors, teachers and leaders to equip the people in the church for ministry.  It is not the pastors and teachers who should DO ALL the ministry.  You and I are in this together!  We ALL are ministers!  That is why learning your spiritual gift and jumping in to serve is so important.
• We have the world’s greatest volunteers already!  I am so thankful for the men and women, and the boys and girls that serve so faithfully to help us worship and glorify God and to reach out to people in our community with the love of Jesus!
• Volunteer of the quarter!  Larry Pottsis an amazing servant of Jesus!  I am so thankful for this man who helps set-up and breakdown EVERY week!  He won’t read this because he doesn’t utilize the internet, so please tell him I bragged on him!
• I loved having theSkype interview with the Hardins this past Sunday!  It was one of my favorite things we have done at CATG!  Please pray for them.  I look forward to having them with us in May when they are back home for a brief time.
• Easter Eggstravaganza!  We are partnering with CORNDAWGS here in Walnut Grove for a huge Easter Egg Hunt on Saturday April 3.  The Egg Hunt is 10-2pm with different age catagories AND you need to go online to CORNDAWGs.com to register for the hunt in order to avoid the walk up fee on that Saturday.  Sign ups are already taking place fast. 
• We need volunteers for the Easter Egg Hunt!  Thank you to everyone helping fill the eggs and thank you for helping us on that Saturday!
• Speaking of Easter!  It is Sunday April 4!  Please be praying about who you can invest in and invite to join that special Sunday!  We will have 2 services that Sunday at 9:30am and 11am!  What a perfect day to show your friends and family what a great church we have and more importantly what a great Savior we have!
• Our next baptism is Sunday April 11, the week after Easter!  Let us know if you are planning to be baptized.
• Next Steps/C-3gathering Friday night March 19!  Great chance to learn about CATGrove!
• Great prayer time last night at ACCESS prayer time!

Keep Praying, Keep Investing, Keep Inviting!

Scripture Memory:
1 Corinthians 13:7 (ESV)
⁷ Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 

Action Step:
Choose this week to put this verse in action by “believing the best” and refusing to “go negative”. 

Random Thoughts and Reflections:

• What a great conclusion to the end of a great series yesterday!  I am praying for marriages and relationships to be strengthened and encouraged and to finish strong!  Here is the review of the 4 weeks.  You can listen to all the “Staying in Love” messages online at churchatthegrove.com.
• Week 1 – The foundation for Staying in Love is Making Love a Verb. John 13..34-35.
  Week 2 – Put the interest of others ahead of your own interests.  Jesus is our ultimate example. Philippians 2:3-8
  Week 3 – Staying in love requires you to monitor what is going on inside of you.  Guard your heart. Prov. 4:23
  Week 4 – All relationships have a gap between expectations and behavior.  1 Cor. 13:7 encourages us to fill the gap: bearing all things, believing all things, hoping all things, enduring all things.  Resist the spiral downward into negativity that can undermine your relationships. 
• We had our highest attendance since we moved into Walnut Grove High School yesterday!  Keep investing and Keep inviting!
• I am equally excited about our new series starting next Sunday titled “Bring It! Exercising Your Gifts”.  Don’t miss this new series that leads us up to Easter Sunday!
• I am praying for our own Tom Kirby, who is running for Congress!  I was able to attend his campaign announcement Friday evening.  We need godly people making a difference for this country!  TomKirby2010
• I am coaching 11-12 year old baseball and I love my West Walton Tigers!  Two weeks to opening day!
• Lots of babies being born into our church!  Yes!  Love it!
• I am very excited about some changes we will be making in our Community Groups for the fall!  I was able to cast some vision to one of our spring groups last night that will be a “prototype” for some of the changes we will implement!  It was a blast and I can’t wait to see what will happen.
• Excited about partnering with the Walton Career Academy this Saturday night to raise money for investing in “at risk” students in Walton County. 
• We begin “Thankful Thursdays” at Walnut Grove High School this Thursday!  This will be the first time for this ministry at the new High School.  I am excited!
• BIGGGGG Easter Egg Hunt Egg-Stravaganza!  We are partnering with CornDawgs on Saturday April 3 for a HUGE Easter Egg Hunt for our community.  What a great way to connect with people.  We will need your help!

Keep Praying, Keep Investing, Keep Inviting!