Things sag where they didn’t before, clothes don’t fit the same and all of that, BUT the biggest difference is related to exercise and fitness activity. I have never been able to jump extremely high or run exceptionally fast or for extreme long distances, but the older I get, the STINKIN’ less I can do anything without killing me!

I have tried to reverse the process with adding P90x to my regular routine, but it is harder and harder the older I get.

It all comes down to gravity weighing the ole’ body down! I feel the weight more than ever on my body and the body feels good for nothing!!!!!

Isn’t that the way it is with us spiritually? The more weight we carry spiritually, emotionally, and relationally, the less we feel capable of being loved by God and we feel less capable of being used by God.

GOD WANTS US FREE FROM JUNK THAT CONTINUES TO WEIGH US DOWN!

Read Hebrews 12:1-2 here.

I talk to people that have turned to follow Christ and they inevitably say, “Yeah, I trusted Christ to forgive me for my sins, BUT……….THAT IS A BIG BUT! They always refer to something that keeps them from living free!

Either he forgave us or He didn’t. The same work that Christ did on the cross to forgive us from our sins is the same work He did to remove the baggage and free us from the baggage that weighs us down. GRAVITY WREAKS HAVOC ON THE SOUL!

God does not want….nor did He intend for you to carry baggage for the rest of your life! We are not built to carry sin, shame, guilt…..whatever it is, into eternity. I say get rid of it now.

I want to jump higher….run faster….dance more freely! God wants that for me too!

The Body can be good for something!

Jesus came to free us from the baggage…….

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/

I feel a little like that this week!  It is very similar to the emotions I experience just over 5 years ago when we had our first preview services for Church at the Grove.

• This Sunday night we will have our first preview gathering in Social Circle at the Middle School Activities building at 6pm.  We would love for you to be there!

Although we have been through something similar to this when we launched CATGrove and we may be a little more prepared than we were over 5 years ago. Nevertheless, we really don’t know what to expect, who will be there and exactly how things will go! Isn’t that great!

It is in times like this that we get to experience God at work in the most intense and fresh manner.  We take a step of faith and He works in and through our faith!

I am hoping to have a great turnout from our Walnut Grove “Grovers” this Sunday night. We need some of you to come early and greet.  We would love to have some of you join us in the afternoon and set up and we will need some of you to stay a little late and help us breakdown.

On Saturday November 5 at 6pm we will have a Social Circle Launch Team Meeting for those feeling God’s leadership to be a part of this new endeavor.  The location is to be determined.

Please keep praying, keep investing and keep inviting!

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.

• We have added a second worship gathering on Sunday morning!

• We had a huge 5 year celebration on September 11!

• We are planting a second CATG campus in Social Circle & serving at the Friendship Festival this Saturday!

• We have the best team of leaders and staff I have ever been a part of!  I am so thankful for them!

• We are experience the highest attendance ever in the life of CATG!

• God is providing for us in a way that we can continue to do ministry and meet needs in our Community and around the World.

In light of what God is doing, and in light of what is ahead for us, we must become more and more dependent upon His Spirit to fill us and lead us!

As we conclude this “GHOST” series on the Holy Spirit let’s take a look at a prayer written by Chuck Swindoll that he recommends for us to begin our day with for the purpose of being “FILLED” with the Holy Spirit!

This is a great way to start each day!

“I am in the process, Lord of fulfilling Your will.  I want to glorify Your name.  I belong to you. I pledge my allegiance to You today.  Enable me in my walk to have the discernment to walk in obedience and not in disobedience, to sense wrong when I encounter it and to stay away from it.  Keep me strong when temptations come.  Guard my tongue from saying the wrong thing or saying too much or speaking too quickly.  Lord, help me in my walk.  Fill me with your Spirit.  Take my eyes, take my tongue, take my emotions, take my will, and use me, Lord, because I want to be under Your control on a continuing basis.”  This is the Christian Walk!   (Charles Swindoll)

I am praying for you to walk in the fullness and filling of the Holy Spirit!

Keep praying, Keep investing and Keep inviting!

I was blown away by the faithfulness of our church to invite their friends to one of our gatherings.  We had so many guests this past Sunday that I had writer’s cramp after writing guests notes early in the week!

Our total attendance was 451 combined for the 9:30 and the 11am gatherings!  Way to go CATGrove in reaching out to your friends, neighbors and family members!  This is the largest non-Easter gathering in the history of our church!

Our first week of community groups have been great so far.  We still have a couple of Community Groups scheduled to meet this week, but it has been a great kickoff to our groups.  It is not too late for you to join a Community Group! Plan to sign up and join the Community Group of your choice.  Remember: Circles are better than Rows!

Help us Out:

Please help us balance our gatherings on Sunday morning!  We were packed at our 9:30am gathering and our 11:00am gathering was a little thin.

We actually need to move about 40-50 people from the early gathering to the 11am gathering!  Please consider coming to our later gathering this Sunday!

Concert for Missions and CD release:

This Saturday is our CATGrove Worship Team will be hosting a concert at Walnut Grove High School this Saturday September 17 at 7pm in the auditorium.  Help us get the word out!

I was talking with a friend today sharing some of the story of Church at the Grove and I was so excited talking about what God has done in five years of life-transforming ministry.  I get excited when I reflect on the past, rest in the present and envision the future of Church at the Grove!  My friend commented about how many churches struggle maintaining their focus on reaching people outside the church over the long haul.  It is a difficult task to maintain an outward focus but it is the very heart of God to make His name known to all people.

I came across the Spurgeon quote in the first line above and my heart ached at the thought that CATGrove would ever be negligent of the out outside world.

My prayer is that we would continue to flourish in the years to come by focusing on The Great Commission.  Let’s resolve to maintain our focus on the outside world and God’s love to for those that are yet to be reached.

Luke 15:7 (ESV)
7 Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.

Let’s stay focused!

This Week in The Grove:

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 still dreaming about a church that effectively reaches people far from God!  I am dreaming about reaching those that have never been in church and those that left church years ago for one reason or another!
• I am still dreaming about being a church for those already following Jesus but have grown weary of being a part of churches that have given up on reaching people outside the church and simply keeping those on the inside happy!
• I am still dreaming about reaching thousands and thousands of people and always struggling to keep up with baptizing those who have turned to follow Jesus!
• I am still dreaming about being a church that has to have multiple services on Sunday to accommodate all the people God is reaching through us!
• I am still dreaming about beginning new campuses in nearby communities that need a church passionate about reaching people far from God!
• I am still dreaming about being a church-planting church that is consistently launching new churches locally, nationally and across the globe!
• I am still dreaming about being a pastor of a church that consistently invests into young leaders that plant churches and have impact in communities locally and globally.
• I am still dreaming about being the godly leader and example to a faith community that models leadership, marriage, parenting and godly living God’s way!
• I am still dreaming about being at a location for the long haul for the maximum influence and missional impact!
• I am still dreaming about living for the glory of God and the good of people!

What are you dreaming about?

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.