A Stone's Throw

Each Sunday night I will be summing up the previous week’s events in a “numbered” list, along with the “sum total” of our attendance for the week…even though “I’m not very good with numbers.”

1. Had an extremely busy week of lots of meetings with architects and the like for our new building plans.
2. Absolutely love the people that I work with–both in Carthage and Joplin!
3. Drove to Springfield to meet with a group of pastors and church planters. Those guys help me so much!  I probably wouldn’t be in ministry still if it weren’t for this group of guys supporting me and helping me through a really difficult time.  Thanks guys!
4. One of my heroes, Daryl Eldridge, came to Forest Park Carthage last Sunday to visit and give us some insight on how we can improve our church.
5. Drove back to Springfield with Kevin and JB to meet with our audio-visual, lighting, and techno whizbang companies to design A/V and lighting for our new building.
6. Most importantly, we had Qdoba for lunch…mmm…Chicken Fajita Three Cheese Nachos!
7. Oh, and we also had a Strawberry Concrete from Andy’s Frozen Custard!
8. The house on the new property was demolished!  Check out the video in an earlier post!
9. Our Student Ministry had our DNOW this weekend, called ELEVATE!!
10. Two students from Carthage found Christ this weekend!! They will be baptized soon!
11. My friends, The Radiance Effect, were the band for the weekend.  Cool to catch back up with them…they were at a DNOW I spoke at last spring…and I went to church with the drummer growing up (he was just a little boy when we went to church together–his dad was one of my Sunday School teachers in college.)
12. We had a great attendance today…292!!! Had a boost in attendance with guests from ELEVATE.
13. We had 4 new students come to Collide tonight!!  We are going to need to get another vehicle to transport our students….GREAT problem to have!!
14. Worked on our taxes…worked on some remodeling stuff…had a great time hanging out with Taylor boy on Saturday night and Sunday night at ELEVATE.
15. Watched the end of the Oscars…I’m exhausted.  Big week coming up!

We have began the long process toward our goal of having a new worship facility in Carthage!!  Yesterday, we demolished the house that was on the property.  This video is in fast motion, but it didn’t need to be in too much fast motion–it only took about 10 minutes to have the house completely torn down from when the big Cat started!  That is a shower that he “tossed” to the side!  Amazing power in that equipment!

Check out the video that Aaron made for us!  I can’t wait to hear the cheers when we show the video at church on Sunday!  Here is the sneak preview–pays to read the blog!

Found this life story on the Buckhead Church blog.

Enjoy Eric’s story…

One year ago today, February 6th 2008, put changes in motion which would affect my entire life. This day was my first Oasis Divorce Recovery Class, my first experience with a church in over two years, and my first real attempt to talk about my divorce.

I walked into a room full of 13 total strangers and was asked to talk about something I didn’t even want to talk to my family about. I looked around the room and saw all these people, some looked like their world had been ripped from them, others like it was just another day. I wondered if i had anything in common with these people.

I wondered if I was normal.

The first question of the night “Who here attends one of our church campuses, or attends a church in the area”. I was the only person in the entire group who didn’t raise their hand. I was scared to death of what would come next but nothing happened. They didn’t chastise me, try to convert me, or even give me the “you poor soul” look, I’ve come to expect from most Christians.

The rest is another story.

Those 13 people quickly became the most important part of my week. I would look forward to my Wednesday night meetings, the sharing, the community and the family feel of the whole process. I made great friends from this little group. I found a ministry in which I’m so passionate about that I think some people think I’m obsessed.

They challenged me, convicted me, showed me how to heal, how to love, and most of all that I wasn’t alone.

We all have hard times in life. Times when we think we are the only ones who can deal with what is going on. We feel no one can really cope with us, understand us, or be able to offer us any counsel.

You are wrong.

We are surrounded by people who are willing to listen, to talk, to share, and to understand us. Do not go through the problems or hardships of life alone. We all need support and if you believe nothing else written in the posts on this blog, know that God doesn’t want us to go it alone.

So reach out, talk to one another, encourage each other. Look what 13 strangers did for me, imagine what you can do with someone you know.

To those 13 amazing and strong people I say “Thank You”. Every day is a blessing and a testimonial to the love, kindness, and compassion you showed on Wednesday nights.

Hebrews 10:23-25 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful; and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near.

1 Corinthians 12:20-21 But now there are many members, but one body. And the eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you”; or again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.”

There really is HOPE for YOU if you are hurting! God wants to do an amazing work in your life…He wants to give you peace! I love to read and hear about stories like this one, whether it is from our church or another! The bottom line…there is hope for you no matter what is going on in your life…and there is a group of people that God made especially for you to “do life” alongside!

Do you have a story about God using a small group of people who have helped you in your journey? Jump on and tell your story!