The Christmas Guest

Tonight is the night. They will be here soon. You have invited guests over for dinner. Lots to prepare for. It’s part of being a good host, right? No guest is going to feel welcome in a dirty bathroom with no towels. Dirty dishes in the sink, dusty furniture, clutter on the couch, and clothes in the living room will not fly. Taking a look in the front yard might be in order as well. A fresh mow on the grass, some weed clearing, and getting the kid’s toys picked up off the driveway might be in order. But it doesn’t stop there. A good host usually will be ready to serve-up something a little tastier than Sunday evening eggs and toast. You might even make sure the “good plates” are out and you use silverware that matches. Five minutes before you will hear the knock on the door, you will want to lecture the kids to be on their best behavior. Why all the hassle? Because you know that everything reflects on the host.

If you haven’t had guests over recently, think again. Every Sunday morning at BridgePointe we are hosts. According to the Bible, “We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us.”(2 Corinthians 5:20) We represent Jesus every Sunday morning to those outside of our spiritual family. How we prepare for guests at BridgePointe reflects on Jesus himself. 

In anticipating our guests’ needs, we ask intentional questions:

• Is the web site fresh and easy to navigate to information pertaining to guests?
• Is parking adequate?
• Do the outdoor and indoor signs clearly point the way?
• Are guests greeted with a warm welcome?
• Are the children’s programs and parents given our best attention?
• Are the bathrooms clean and the facilities and decor inviting?
• Do we acknowledge and appreciate guests from the stage?
• Do we translate spiritual truth in relevant ways to for those unfamiliar with church?
• Is our quality in our program presentation equal to the importance of our faith?
• Are people led to an opportunity to say “yes” to God’s grace for the first time?
• Is information easily assessable?
• Is there a path towards “next steps” in drawing close to God?

But you’re the true host as well! Are these traits true of you as an ambassador? 

• I fervently pray for God to open doors and hearts to share my faith.
• I invite people to church in ways that are natural to me. 
• I am authentically “real” in my dress and personality without acting religious.  
• I come to church on time so I can introduce myself to people sitting around me.
• If I volunteer on Sunday, I give all attendees my best attention.
•        I volunteer on Sunday to effectively serve people when it’s most needed. 
• I worship passionately believing that Jesus is the best way to live and the only way to die.
• I refrain from judging others on Sunday who dress and look different than myself.
• I don’t assume that everyone I meet is a Christian.

As ambassadors of Jesus, our readiness can make an eternal difference for an unchurched guest. I’m excited to meet your guests this holiday season as we begin a new series this Sunday, designed just for them, called “A Christmas Conversation”. Make sure they are invited to our Christmas Eve Services as well. 

I hear the knock at the door. They’re here!

The Greater Vision

Last Sunday was a historical moment for BridgePointe Church. For the first time in almost 10 years, we took a step forward out of our mobile condition towards a more permanent home. What a day! On that day, we stood on the shoulders of great leadership teams, countless hours of work, hundreds of stand out volunteers, and the dedicated hearts of the BridgePointe family. You, BridgePointe, are the reason I dream about the future. 

The Arnold Mill facility we occupied last week for our worship center on the lower lot, and the facility for the Pre-School on the upper lot, is intended to be an intermediate step towards a greater vision. Our greater vision is to occupy a larger warehouse unit at the upper level parking lot, directly across from the Foundry. This business park with its’ ample parking, proximity to popular Downtown Woodstock, agreeable owner,  and cost effectiveness of starting with a primitive warehouse are attractive features. We believe we could build a future with many options for growth at this location.

Of utmost importance, the larger warehouse would allow us to have our Pre-School environment under the same roof as the worship center. The Elementary School facility would then be in close proximity at the Foundry. We have a value for family that we want to reinforce and our kids facilities would be an upgrade from anything we have experienced before. Our intention is to bring the offices at the Foundry into the warehouse and turn the existing offices into the small group areas for the kids. Having us all in just 2 facilities on Sunday morning, right next to each other, would be ideal. Although we are grateful for the intermediate worship center and Pre-School facility, having three separate facilities on Sunday morning is not the best long-term option in making things practical for families and attracting guests on Sunday, which is a primary value for us.

So, as we spend the next couple of weeks settling in we are at the same time preparing a presentation to cast an informative vision for the bigger picture. Our two signposts in going forward will be to demonstrate strong and consistent giving in our weekly offerings and to raise the needed dollars for the basic and entry level build out costs. 

But for now - we want to celebrate the moment with genuine gratitude for God’s hand over BridgePointe and the incredible resilience of this church family to move forward!  Our current Sunday series, “One Small Step for Man” is designed to stretch our faith and belief that God does great things through us to draw close people close to Him. Come this Sunday and receive a small keepsake to remember this important milestone. 

We’ve made history. Now let’s envision the future!

We were here

The truck had just come to pour the cement that would create our new backyard patio and sidewalks around the house. It took them all day. The kids had one aching question:  Can we sign our name in the cement before it dries? Its every kids dream, you know. Even with young kids there is an innate desire  to be remembered. God has put a similar hunger in all of us. We are all drawn to opportunities where we can carve our initials with an act of compassion towards another and leave something behind that states, “We were here”.

As Christians, we do this by giving ourselves away and investing in others. When we live selflessly, only then do we outlive our life. I’m convinced the first Christians in the book of Acts were moved by this hunger. Look for yourself:

44 All the believers were together and had everything in common. 45 They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. 46 Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts.  (Acts 2)

These believers ordered their lives around their divine purpose and we have an opportunity to do the same. As the Holiday season starts, you will hear of two opportunities:

Angel Tree-  Starting this week you can adopt a child’s Christmas gift request by taking an ornament from the Angel Tree at church. The children represented are from a local community that could use our help this Christmas. Follow the directions and return the gift. You could also sign up to deliver the gifts with the church as well.

All for One-  We will encourage everyone to pitch in $1 on each Sunday, from November 18 through December 23. During this time we can give a little relief each week to a church family or individual who is out of work. Look for the $1 container at church starting November 18^th, Sunday.

You could also be a part of our First Friday Block Parties.  The first Friday of each month a team cooks and/or serves dinner to a local community that needs our help and friendship. See the church web site under “Local Compassion” to learn more and sign up.

Let’s at least do for one what we wish we could do for everyone! Carve you initials with an act of compassion towards another this holiday season!

Ripe Opportunities

  

We have just entered the traditional harvest season. This is that labor-intensive time when the farmer gathers the mature crops from the fields. Fruit, not ripe, could be easily be detected by its green color, suggesting it is not ready to be picked.

Jesus had this picture in mind when he illustrated to his disciples the point of missed opportunities:

John 4:35-36

35 Don’t you have a saying, ‘It’s still four months until harvest’? I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest. 36 Even now the one who reaps draws a wage and harvests a crop for eternal life, so that the sower and the reaper may be glad together.

Eternity demands an urgency that pays attention to “the now”. There is nothing wrong with a future plan, as long as it doesn’t distract you from divine appointments today. This was my wake up call when I found myself tempted to hold off my best attention to some things until we as a church were in a more permanent home. I dream about transitioning out of our school situation all the time. I understand the impact it has on our effectiveness and pocketbook after 10 years.

But God has something for you and me, today, in the here and now. And that requires opened eyes that look at the field of opportunities on Sunday, even in a challenging and difficult mobile environment. Each guest and each individual who walks through our doors is choosing to be there, when they could be elsewhere doing other things. Every person is showing a spiritual interest and is saying, “Lead me closer to God today.” And that’s where our focus ought to be.

Let’s not the green opportunities we wish and hope for distract us from the ripe opportunities right in front of us. We are working hard to transition us out of our mobile condition. I can t wait and I will continue to remain excited. But each Sunday opportunity has its own priceless value until then.

So thanks for coming, volunteering, loving, worshipping, learning, praying, and giving like there was no tomorrow. It’s the “ripe” thing to do.

First Friday Block Parties

In pursuing our vision to be a church that “demonstrates faith,” the first Friday of every month offers an opportunity for those at BP to make our faith tangible by caring about others. One of our targets for this year was to provide food assistance in our local community once a month. Partnering with a mobile food service called Forever Fed, we now provide dinner for a local community that needs our help and friendship. More than just provide a meal, our volunteers sit and eat with the people in the community to forge new friendships and to be a relational bridge to the truth about Jesus.

Here’s how it works. We assemble a Cooking Team of 4 people that starts at 2:00 PM on that Friday and meets at Hillside Methodist Church in Woodstock. We use their kitchen to prepare the food for about 3 hours. Guided by experienced help, the prep team makes and cooks the food for a large group of people and then loads it in a large truck. The prep team is now done and leaves with an overwhelming sense of fulfillment that they were used by God to feed hungry people. It’s a blast! I’ve been a part of the prep team in the kitchen and its fun just working together as a team to make a difference in someone’s life.

We then assemble a second team of 6-8 Servers that meets at the community’s location at 5:30 PM. This team serves the food and then eats with the community in seeking to get to know them. It’s an out-of-the-box experience for many people. It’s not easy eating with strangers and trying to break open conversation. But there is a great spiritual growth experience waiting for those who will give themselves away as an act of loving compassion. There’s a heart swelling moment for those who will put others first and model to the world the type of love Jesus has shown us. 

On the church web site, you can sign up for these 2 teams each month. Once registered, you will receive an e-mail confirmation reminder, directions to the locations, and how to dress. If you are on the prep team, you have to wear closed-end shoes and a baseball cap. Please be patient. The Serving Team will expand soon to add more and more people. We do not want to overwhelm the community and disrespect their space. So we are moving slow. We are even considering doing a dinner twice a month when we establish ourselves more relationally and get to know their needs. We are also helping to provide Christmas gifts this December to the children in this community to continue the relationship building. 

When you partner with BridgePointe as a volunteer, you partner with God to change the world … one hungry person at a time. Be part of the story of how God is using ordinary people to make a difference. 

“This is how we know we are in him: Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did.”

I John 2:5-6

Just a volunteer? Are you kidding me?!?!

This week I was privileged to sit in on a Host Team Meeting for volunteers who serve as greeters, hospitality hosts, and ushers on Sunday mornings. This team is critical to creating the special welcome we want every person to feel when they experience BP. This team is under the exciting direction of Susan Godfrey, one of our newest lead team members. Hearing the vision, passion and conviction about what they do pumped me up so much that I felt like lifting weights  … and I don’t lift weights.

So I get mad when some says, “I’m just a volunteer!” I want to shake that person silly and say, “Are you kidding me?”  
Do you realize that …

·         God our Creator has shaped us to make a difference and we will not fulfill our deepest longing until we feel important, valued, and needed?

·          God chooses to roll the dice to use ordinary people like us to transform the world?

·          Eternity is for real and that reality compels us to live on purpose with a sense of excitement, passion and urgency?

This coming Sunday you will have the opportunity to catch this vision and be a part of the Volunteer Team at BP. Following the service there will be 8 stations in the lobby that will represent tangible ways you can make a difference.

·      Pre-School Kids

·      Elementary Kids

·      Students (Middle School / High school)

·      Host Services

·      Worship Band

·      Technical Arts (audio/lighting/video production/editing)

·      Life Group Leader

·     Set-up/Tear-down (in worship center and children's area) 

Each station will have a brief write up on volunteer opportunities. A team leader will be available to answer your questions. We will end the service slightly early to give you time to browse before you pick up your children.

Wow! “Just a volunteer?” This is too much! I’m going to go lift some weights ….

Seven Things

I appreciated the thoughtful attention to my letter sent to the church this week. I wanted to put some meat to the bone by communicating my actions steps in response to our recent financial status. Here are the 7 things I’m engaged in and pursuing for our church:

1. Go to God with a call for prayer.

This is how we surrender our hearts to God and get a vertical perspective on things. There are no shorts cuts to prayer. Our leadership teams are emphasizing prayer in our meetings right now and I will prayerfully engage our church in our Sunday worship services and specially designated times as well.

2. Unify the Leadership

This coming Sunday the Advisor Team, Lead Team, and Point Team (facility transition Team) will be meeting to humble ourselves before God and seek his direction for our church in unity. We believe in what we are doing.

3. Communicate and raise awareness to the church of our need and potential

I will keep you informed of the upcoming weekly needs for the next month. The minimal number we need each month is now posted in the bulletin. For us to work towards team goals, we must know the scoreboard.

4. Explore strategic options and creative timing in keeping the bill paid

I am identifying all the immediate bills coming due to maximize the flow of funds and possible margins in due dates. Presently, we are trimming costs and putting a hold on spending.

5. Inspire our church through biblical giving principles

Spiritual truth guides us in our understanding our God’s heart and His ways. Alignment with these principles need to intersect how we live and make choices in everyday life.

6. Assess current giving patterns

I am monitoring our giving trends over the next few weeks. If our regular giving potential and reservoirs are going to be reduced, we will need to make adjustments with current ministry until there is an increase in resources.

7. Stay focused

In the most tense moments Jesus urged his disciples to “watch and pray” so they would not “fall into temptation”. (Matt. 26:41) I will steer our attention towards the vision before us and solutions that will move us forward.

But since you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in the love we have kindled in you—see that you also excel in this grace of giving. (2 Cor. 8:7)