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Not going to be invisible - Pt 2

Last week I posted about a commitment that Meadow was not going to be invisible.  You can read it here.

There's another side to this that, to be honest, has been haunting me and I am feeling some major conviction on.  God has basically been kicking my rear end thru my quiet times reading through 2 Chronicles and a very eye-opening experience last week as we called everyone in the Meadow data base just to say we are praying for them.

Here's the deal ... in my passion and focus on not being invisible to the unchurched and to our community, we have become - or are dangerously close to being - invisible to those who call Meadow their church home.  I am not saying people at Meadow are in danger of remembering we exist and what we are here for.  But, are we invisible in our care of the churched at Meadow?

Something tells me this something pastors struggle with - especially pastors with a personality like mine leading churches that are so intent on reaching those disconnected from Christ and the church.  We have the tendency to get so focused on the unchurched that we give the churched (those in our own churches) the perception we don't care for them.

Now...nothing could be further from the truth and I think every pastor would agree.  I totally love Meadow Spring and the people here - BUT is that love invisible?  Do those that identify with Meadow know "WE" care?  Are we loving them in word AND deed or just word?

Many would say, "Yes, I know you care."  But then I go back to some of the responses we received when we actually called people to tell them we are praying for them and are there any specific needs we can pray for.  Basically, we heard things like, "I didn't know the churched cared."  One person even said, "We were about to give up on Meadow until you called.  Thanks."  These were not critical comments at all.  They were not spoken in a negative or finger-pointing way.

I am not talking about those needy Christians who think the church is all about them.  But, even Christians who have a heart for the unchurched need to be cared for, prayed for, and encouraged.  In fact, they may need it more because they are in the trenches and on the front lines of changing lives and inviting their friends into a relationship with Christ.

I don't have a solution other than I need to do a better job at showing my care for people at Meadow too.  There is a delicate balance here too.  I spend a lot of time with those who are disconnected - that is my heart.  But I can't do that so much that I am not caring and encouraging those who are already convinced and living a refeshing relationship with Christ.  But, I also don't want to shift into or even give the impression that we are making a shift away from my and our focus toward connecting the disconnected to Jesus.

We will not be invisible...to the community and unchurched but we also will not be invisible to the churched at Meadow.

Brain Draining Day

It's been a really good day - but my brain is drained.  Started writing this morning about 6:30 AM and shut down around 5:30 when Sandy got home.  Felt good to just sit and crank out what was in my brain.

I am so thankful for a job where I get to do something I love - I can't believe I actually get paid for doing this.

Sandy got home and after going furniture shopping (I got a brand new used recliner for the man cave - paid a whole $5.99 for it!), we grilled some burgers, stoked up the fire outside on the back patio, and just chilled out together.  She still sends tingles up and down my spine when I look at her and think about just hanging out with her.  She is the love of my life and I could sit and chill with her forever.

9-11

Thanks Roger.

Reflections on 9-11

Kids

Want to read first hand what happened in MeadowKIDS yesterday?

Totally Rockin

Win! Win! Win!

Everywhere you looked at Meadow today - you saw a major win!  All three venues had a great crowd!  A quick look at response cards shows that several people made new commitments in their relationship with Christ!  Lots of new faces - many of them friends and/or family that were invited!  New people here via the direct mail!  The new MeadowKIDS program was absolutely a blast!  And the tailgate party was nothin' but awesome!  The pictures tell a lot - but they don't even come close to showing this great day!

13.5 and counting

13.5 hours to kick-off.

The question right now is ... "Will I sleep tonight?"

Ready for some Football? Bring it on!

Message is done and ready.  Videos, music, and programming are set.  Glowing foam footballs are here.  Stage set done.  Barricades delivered.  Burgers and hot dogs and chips and water stored and ready.  Inflatable kids jump has been picked up.  Direct mail has arrived.  Over 400 free cups of coffee have been given out.  60 hand-written notes done and mailed.  Over 240 phone calls made to current Meadow families.  Reception of Fox 9 is crystal clear in The Commons for the game.  Friends have been invited and are coming.  Prayer nights have concluded.  MeadowKIDS are rockin' and ready.

It's game time.  The frustrating thing is I have to wait about 36 hours!!

Rewrite

Just finished a rewrite of my message for this Sunday.  I have never felt the amount of pressure and significance as I have with this coming Sunday.  Sunday is going to be AWESOME!!

Theater Advertising

Roger Blackmore pastors Grace Church better known as "Church at the Movies".  Roger is so right on in many ways.

Check out this 30 second advertisement they have done which will be shown before every movie for six months in the theater complex where they meet - which is a 9 theater complex.

Theater Advertising

Now...I would like your input.  Email me and let me know if you think something like this would work at Marcus Theatres where we meet as one more way to NOT be invisible.

Not going to be invisible

At the bottom of my emails I have a Seth Godin quote.

"Quit or be exceptional.  Average is for losers.  Average feels safe, but it's not.  It's invisible."

Yesterday, as I spent the day in prayer, reading scripture, seeking God - I made a renewed commitment that Meadow Spring will not be invisible.  Because when we are invisible, our message & mission are invisible.  Our mission is to "bring people into a refreshing relationship with Jesus Christ."  The message is that Jesus Christ will take you from death to life and will make your life better and refreshing.

In making this commitment, I realize I am inviting criticism and accusations of being arrogant and conceited.  It seems the louder I shout out about Meadow, the more I (and Meadow) are accused of thinking we are the only right church.  We are not.

This week, we are very, very visible and the criticisms are coming in - sadly.  Yesterday, there was an anonymous message on the church voice mail filled with vulgar and hateful language about the church.

But here's the deal.  Jesus told us to make sure we are not invisible.  His very words in Matthew 5:14-16 tell us to let our light shine...let our good works be known...because THEN people will turn to God.  Think about it, how can those who need the light see the light if they can't see the light?

At Meadow ... this means doing creative marketing, doing everything possible to get our name and message out there, and doing events that are news worthy.  It means I, as Lead Pastor, need to be out in the community - getting involved, rubbing shoulders, hanging out with people who do not have a refreshing relationship with Jesus.  It means that "Meadow Springers" have to do the same.  It means packaging our teaching series in eye-catching, interest-grabbing, brain-engaging ways such as "The Red Zone" with a football theme, or "Fireproof" with a firefighter theme, or even using popular cultural issues/elements/tv shows/music to raise curiosity and help bridge the gap and let our light shine.  (In December, we are doing an entire series based off of four U2 songs.)  It even means being provocative at times.

Again, this guarantees criticism.  And unfortunately, a lot will come from other Christians and churches.  Bright lights attract lots of different people.  Have you looked at how many bugs fly around your porchlight at night?  (Please hold the emails about me calling Christians bugs.  Just chill out.  I am not saying Christians are bugs.)

Please hear me...people do not pay attention to that which they can't see.  People do not pay attention to a dim light.  People do not pay attention to average.  People do not want to be a part of average.

We have a mission.  A mission to bring people into a refreshing relationship with Jesus Christ.  We will not be invisible.

On my mind

I am spending this week focused on prayer and fasting - in preparation and anticipation of these next four months.

One of the things I am letting soak in my mind is this "Life Manifesto" written by Mark Batterson, pastor of National Community Church in Washington D.C.  This came after he wrote a book and taught a series with the same name In a Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day.

"Quit living as if the purpose of life is to arrive safely at death.  Set God-sized goals.  Pursue God-ordained passions.  Go after a dream that is destined to fail without divine intervention.  Keep asking questions.  Keep making mistakes.  Keep seeking God.  Stop pointing out problems and become part of the solution.  Stop repeating the past and start creating the future.  Stop playing it safe and start taking risks.  Expand your horizons.  Accumulate experiences.  Enjoy the journey.  Find every excuse you can to celebrate everything you can.  Live like today is the first and the last day of your life.  Don't let what's wrong with you keep you from worshipping what's right with God.  Burn sinful bridges.  Blaze a new trail.  Criticize by creating.  Worry less about what people think and more about what God thinks.  Don't try to be who you're not.  Be yourself.  Laugh at yourself.  Quit holding out.  Quit holding back.  Quit running away."

Free Coffee

We have NEVER done this before and to my understanding, no one has ever done this before in this community.  We are giving away free coffee at local coffee shops in Shakopee.  The schedule and places are below.

Why are we doing this?

1. Because it's a blast to give stuff away
2. It creates buzz about Meadow - maybe to the point of getting someone to come check us out.
3. Creating buzz about Meadow means creating buzz about Jesus and THAT is what we want
4. It builds the relationship between Meadow and businesses.
5. It brings in business to the coffee shops.

When someone orders their coffee, when they go to pay, it will be free (or $2.00 off any coffee drink).  When they are given their coffee, they will also be given a small card that says, "Your Coffee is Compliments of Meadow Spring Community Church".  Pretty cool huh?

So...take your friends out for coffee.  BUT...because we want to grab the attention of "non-Meadow" people, make sure you purchase something else or give a big tip and say "thanks"!

• Tuesday @ Coffee Bean, 3rd & Lewis, 6:00 AM - Noon
• Wednesday @ Caribou by Dairy Queen, 6:00 AM - 8:00 AM
• Thursday @ Dunn Bros by Ruby Tuesday, 6:00 AM - 9:00 AM
• Friday @ Pour Mary's in downtown Shakopee, 6:00 AM - Noon

Sunday Night Mind Dump

I am sitting here in the man cave thinking through the day and what's coming...a little of everything

• It felt so good to be back teaching today.
• Okay ... so I went a little long, but I had some stuff I just had to get out!
• The band rocked today (but then, when DON'T they rock?)
• Had a neighbor family come - totally awesome!
• We will be switching things up a bit starting next week.  Be here at 9:30 sharp or you will miss an important part of what's happenning.
• Bring someone with you to Meadow next Sunday!
• New series starts next Sunday - "The Red Zone".  Check out the video here and send the link to your friends.  Do whatever you need to get them here!
• Direct mail piece goes out this week.  Most people at Meadow come via a personal invite from a friend, but we also don't want anyone in this community to be able to deny that we exist.  Direct mail helps accomplish this.  We have the greatest message - let's get it out!
• Tomorrow I am going to announce on this blog something we are doing this week and have never done before!
• Make sure you invite and bring someone with you to Meadow next Sunday.
• My dog is officially deaf.  Anyone know sign language for "come here" and how to make it work at 3 AM in the dark?
• I am expecting God to bring a TON of new people into His kingdom starting next Sunday.
• We handed out cans of Popeye spinach to everyone today - you had to be there.
• We are implementing a new security system in our kids ministry in a couple of weeks.  It will be a tough one - but it is absolutely necesssary.
• I would love to figure out how to do two back-to-back services in the theater.  I think there are a bunch of people we could reach with another time slot.
• Check out this pic of the stage set up at Revolution Church in Canton, GA.  This is Gary Lamb's church and they meet in a theater.  What do we need to do to do this?  Here's another pic of their stage in the theater.  Yes, they set this up and tear it down every week.
• There is a lot at stake with these next few months and I mean A LOT - and to be honest - I am feeling the stress.
• Did I mention you need to bring someone with you next Sunday?

Twas the night before Sunday

Twas the night before Sunday and all through the house, not a creature was stirring...except ME!!!  I am so pumped about tomorrow and what I totally believe God has put in my brain and on my heart to talk about.  I am going crazy in anticipation!  I haven't preached since August 5th!!  This is going to be one of the longest nights of my life just waiting until tomorrow morning!!