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Sunday Morning Reflections

• Not sure why I do these.  But here I go:
• I am writing this Monday morning.  I am slap exhausted.
• Went to a tent revival Saturday night and got almost no sleep that night
• Went to review my message Sunday morning and the Holy Ghost gave me a completely different message
• I was exhausted but excited that that God had a message for the people of The Mission
• Got to Orchard View Elementary and there was no air conditioning
• Wow
• We are in south Florida.  A/C is not an option
• They got it working but it took a while before you could notice
• Lots of visitors
• Good worship
• Preached my guts out
• Big altar call
• I am grieved over the people who are called to be a part of what God is doing at The Mission but choose to stay away because of pride, sins of the flesh, or a critical spirit
• People need to start telling the devil to shut up then get on their face and seek God’s plan for their lives
• I am blessed that so many folks that are with us are hungry for Jesus
• Even folks that are struggling through some things are still in the fight.  That is awesome
• Its easy to praise when things are going well.  Give me the folks that show up in the midst of the struggle.
• photos and podcast are up
• went to a tent revival after service about 2 hours away.
• There are still people who do church without video and fancy lighting.  The Holy Ghost did not seem to feel uncomfortable because He sure showed up!
• Got in late, late, late last night.  Still exhausted from ministering at the altar with David Copeland

Post Cards About the Move

I know I have been slack in posting but life has been coming at me fast.

Here are the postcards we are going to send to everyone on our mailing list about our move to Sunday mornings.

I wanted to get them in today but they are not going to be done until Saturday at the earliest.

If anyone knows of any quick print shops in south Florida let me know.

Baptism Tonight at The Mission Delray

Just wanted to remind folks that we are going to baptize people tonight at The Mission Delray.

If you are going to be baptized (or think you might be baptized) bring a change of clothes and a towel.

Also tonight we are going to be ending our Download series and I will be praying for everyone in the room. Come hungry and expecting.

Service starts at 7:30.  You can find directions to The Mission here.

The Church Marketing Strategy of The Mission

We have a fairly straight forward church marketing strategy at The Mission.  People who have their lives radically changed by Jesus have a burning passion to fulfill the Great Commission so they invite people to church.

That’s it.  You can co-op the strategy and clam it as your own.

Let me give you an example.

This past week I had a word of knowledge about migrains.  You can hear it at about the 58 minute mark on the podcast.  A young lady I had never seen before came forward in response to the word.  We prayed and Jesus ministered to her in a powerful way.

After service I asked her how she found out about us.  She told me how one of my spiritual sons named Kevin has invited her almost every day.  In facts she was talking to her husband when she realized she had almost 100 invitation cards that Kevn had given her.  She asked her husband if they could come to The Mission to appease him.

They came and sat in the very last row.  God saw her and called her out.  They said that they are now a part of what we are doing.

Just wanted to share with all the other church planters how we do what we do.  Let me know if you have any other strategies you are doing that you think might work for us.

Saturday Morning Musings

• Jesus is alive!
• Photo of the night –>
• Worship was free from the beginning.  Last week there was something hanging over it.  This week it was all good
• Great to see the worship team worshiping, not just singing
• Love the new song.
• We had a photo booth set up for Valentine’s portraits
• The will be available next service
• Had guests, as always
• Had some folks saved, delivered and massively touched by the Father’s love
• Had a girl said she felt the Father stroking her face as I prayed
• Some others got powerfully impacted by the Father’s love
• We desperately need to get some children’s ministry going
• Can’t wait till we move to Sunday mornings so we can have the facilities to do that
• Still looking for the right director of children’s ministry
• I have come to realize that not many people want to be in ministry.  Lots of folks want to work at a church though.
• There is nothing better than having a lost person tell you after a message that the entire sermon was for them.
• I am expecting even more words of knowledge for healing
• God has been challenging me to study and step out in healing.  I will keep calling them out as long as He keeps on healing the sick!
• The Missionaries took over Big Al’s Steak after service
• Made contact with another south Florida church plant.  We are going to go visit them next week.
• We are not looking to copy anyone but I don’t want to reinvent the wheel.  I am not so prideful as to think I don’t have things to learn.
• I really want the people of The Mission to catch the vision of being portable and all the doors it opens.
• Tracey and I laid in bed last night recounting all the testimonies of what God did in the service
• Lives changed
• Kingdom expanded
• Radical lovers of Jesus
• photos
• podcast (eventually)

Finding a Meeting Location in Delray Beach

I announced at the beginning of the year that this year The Mission is going to move its meetings from Friday night to Sunday mornings.  Of course you know that means we have to find a new meeting place. Most new churches meet in public meeting places like schools, community centers or hotel banquet halls.

For us, this is a little more difficult.

Virtually every school in Delray Beach has an ethnic church meetin in it.  Some have multiple churches meeting there.

There are only a few hotels in Delray Beach that have banquet halls.  None are suitable for what we want to do.

We really want to be able to have mid week services and be able to host conferences.

We don’t have big ching (we hardly have any ching at all).

There is a school I am in contact with about beginning our Sunday services there but I am still looking other places.

When I tell most people we are looking for a place to house a church they have no ablility to think outside the box of a traditional church with a steeple and such.  I am now looking at industrial spaces, showroom/warehouses, office buildings with large conference rooms, etc.  I think we could convert a large room with cubicles rather easily.  The main concern for us is parking, restrooms and the ability to set up a nursery and childcare during the service.

We are a radically different church and hope to have a different kind of meeting space.

Dreaming With God

I have been looking for a new location for The Mission.  I have searched high and low.  In the last week or so I have stretched my imagination regarding what would be a good facility.

Too many times we fit God into our idea of what He is able to do instead of stretching our faith to line up with Eph 3:20.

Today I stubled across the dream location for The Mission.  The facility is amazing.

Pray with me Missionaries!  Pray that God would show Himself mighty in Delray and Boca.

Saturday Morning Musings

• Look at Wesley’s fresh shirt–>  That has to be the picture of the night
• Great start to the new series “Download – How to receive from God”
• Talked about positioned to receive
• I am amazed how many people are completely oblivious to their pride
• Their lives can be a complete mess and they still think their stuff don’t stink
• Had a long time podcast listener finally show up
• Lillian killed Lead Me To The Cross
• Worship went long but it was necessary, we wont go on with a funk in the air
• Started the night locked out of our equipment room.  I left the house with my wife’s keys oblivious to the fact the church keys were on my key ring.
• Did a dry run of the Valentine’s day photo booth
• Can’t wait to move to Sunday mornings
• Lots of visitors
• Met a dude who just got out of jail lookin to change his life.  I can tell that God is gonna do a great work in His life if he sticks around
• Had some old faces pop in
• Photos here
• Podcast is up

New Message Series

Everybody believes that God is a giver. But not many people understand what God wants to give and how to receive it. During DOWNLOAD we are going to study what the Bible says about receiving from God.

At the end of the series we are going to have a time of prayer and impartation.

Current series schedule is:

2/6: Positioned to Receive from God

2/13: The Father is a Giver

2/20: The Throne of Grace

Missions Offering

Just want to remind everyone that this Friday we are having a special offering for missions. I know a bunch of our folks feel called to the mission field so the time to plant seed is now.