Sunday Mind Dump - April 11, 2010

• The last three weeks have been some of the most challenging that Renae and I have faced in a long time while being in the ministry. I mentioned last Thursday on this blog that we have been SLAMMED with work due to continuous emergencies and crisis’s in our church family that have required our attention. We have barely been home. Hopefully we will see some letup this week.
  
  
• As a pastor I have to always brace for the Sunday after Easter. Easter is usually the highest attended day of the year and the next weekend is always challenging.
  
  
• Today was probably our best weekend following Easter ever.
  
  
• Church was good today. Attendance was strong and I got a lot of positive feedback from the morning message.
  
  
• We began a new series – a verse-by-verse journey through the book of 2 Peter – that I have entitled Transformed by Truth. It’s going to be very helpful to Christian people and beneficial to our church congregation. The main theme is about knowing Jesus and knowing truth so that you won’t be led astray by false teachers. Peter has some shocking things to say about false spiritual leaders.
  
  
• I had a little difficulty preaching in the first service. I think the sermon was better in the second service. Sometimes it just works out that way.
  
  
• The most profound part (to me) of today’s text was v.10 where Peter said, “be diligent to make your calling and election sure.” I really liked expounding on that thought and mulling over what it means.
  
  
• God doesn’t want us doubting our salvation. He wants us to have assurance.
  
  
• Assurance of salvation does NOT come from believing that we belong to the right group, trusting in a system of theology, or even trusting in the fact that we mumbled a prayer one day in our past. Real assurance comes when we see visible, evident fruit of the Spirit being manifested in our lives. When we see that occurring, then we know that God is in us.
  
  
• Transformed by truth. Transformed by the Holy Spirit.
  
  
• Best quote of the day: It’s not just our profession of faith that gives us assurance, it’s progression in the faith that gives us assurance.
  
  
• Conducted Seminar 201 today. About 26-30 people took the class. I always enjoy these teaching environments. It gives me an opportunity spend more time with people (than I am able to do on Sunday morning) and get to know them better.
  
  
• 201 graduates are eligible to become small group leaders, lay pastors, ministry directors, etc. and represent some of the core ministers of our church family.
  
  
• The campus grounds look great. Really appreciate the people to do this job.
  
  
• We will be purchasing a mower in the next week or so and will have to wait for it to be delivered. The cost is $8,500. I think about ½ that amount came in from the special offering we received. We’ll kick in the rest from our general fund to make up the difference. This piece of equipment is going to have a huge impact on our ability to maintain the campus grounds.
  
  
• Thanks to everyone who gave.
  
  
• The storage shed is finished. We need to have it painted now. Any volunteers? We’ll provide the paint, brushes, etc.