I hope your week has been fantastic. I am so super excited about this Sunday and our final part of the series "Finding My Purpose." I hope you're making plans to be there. I believe this story of Esther is one of the most powerful stories in the Bible, and I think God has something to teach us through it. Plus, there might be a few surprises in worship. See you there!
Thought for the Week
"Settle your father and brothers in the best part of the land." Genesis 47:6
That quote is from Pharaoh to Joseph after his brothers and father reunite with him in Egypt. It's a great story near the end of Genesis. Pharaoh offers provision for Joseph's family because of what he knows about Joseph. It's a profound moment. I tell my boys when they leave the house that they represent Jesus, our church and our family name. People form opinions about the organizations and families we belong to based off their experience of us. Are we like Joseph? Do we give a vibe of integrity and character or is it something else? It's something to think about. Of course, the final chapter in this understanding is the realization that what we know about God is because of what we experienced in Jesus. By knowing Christ, we know that God is forgiving, loving, sacrificial and merciful. You don't have to worry about whether or not God loves you. He proved that in Jesus. The fullness of God lives in Christ. So, what will others think about Christ when they know us? What will people think about our family name because of what they've experienced by knowing us? Will we garner respect and honor to our families, like Joseph, because of who we are? It's something to think about.
In Christ,
Carter
First United Methodist Church of Griffin
Thursday, September 26, 2013
Thursday, September 19, 2013
Sunday Preview & Thought for the Week (9.19.13)
I hope you're having an awesome week. I'm pumped about continuing the series on Esther this Sunday called "Finding Your Purpose." This week I'm going to be teaching on what it really means for us to be a part of what God is doing in the world as we look at a fascinating conversation between Esther and Mordecai in Esther, Chapter 4. See you there!
Also, we're sponsoring a golf team for the Family Promise Golf Tournament on Sept. 30. This is one of their biggest fundraisers of the year and has a direct impact on homeless families in our community. You can support Family Promise by giving on Sunday morning or follow this link to support our team. Just click one of the players and make a donation.
Here's the link: http://familypromise.donordrive.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=donorDrive.team&teamID=5131
Thought for the Week
"Therefore don't worry about tomorrow, because tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." Matthew 6:34
I read bits of a great article by a journalist that was allowed inside access to football coaches at Texas A & M last week during their preparation for their "Game of the Century" versus Alabama. It had an interesting quote from their head coach, Kevin Sumlin, to his assistants on the Sunday night before their week of preparation: "Just know that whatever happens, we're gonna be sitting right here next Sunday trying to figure out how to beat SMU [their next opponent]." Isn't that life? We want to think that the world will end if a relationship doesn't work out, or that we've finally made it if we could just get THAT job. We want to think that there are these big moments in life that will define us. The truth is, there will always be another moment. Whether we are wildly successful or fall on our face failures in a particular moment won't stop the sun from rising the next morning. Jesus knew this. In the passage above, he's trying to teach us to do what we can do today. Today is in our control. Yesterday is done. Tomorrow has too many variables. But today? It's in our hands. Do what you can do today for God. This day has enough trouble of its own.
In Christ,
Carter
Also, we're sponsoring a golf team for the Family Promise Golf Tournament on Sept. 30. This is one of their biggest fundraisers of the year and has a direct impact on homeless families in our community. You can support Family Promise by giving on Sunday morning or follow this link to support our team. Just click one of the players and make a donation.
Here's the link: http://familypromise.donordrive.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=donorDrive.team&teamID=5131
Thought for the Week
"Therefore don't worry about tomorrow, because tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." Matthew 6:34
I read bits of a great article by a journalist that was allowed inside access to football coaches at Texas A & M last week during their preparation for their "Game of the Century" versus Alabama. It had an interesting quote from their head coach, Kevin Sumlin, to his assistants on the Sunday night before their week of preparation: "Just know that whatever happens, we're gonna be sitting right here next Sunday trying to figure out how to beat SMU [their next opponent]." Isn't that life? We want to think that the world will end if a relationship doesn't work out, or that we've finally made it if we could just get THAT job. We want to think that there are these big moments in life that will define us. The truth is, there will always be another moment. Whether we are wildly successful or fall on our face failures in a particular moment won't stop the sun from rising the next morning. Jesus knew this. In the passage above, he's trying to teach us to do what we can do today. Today is in our control. Yesterday is done. Tomorrow has too many variables. But today? It's in our hands. Do what you can do today for God. This day has enough trouble of its own.
In Christ,
Carter
Thursday, September 12, 2013
Sunday Preview & Thought for the Week (9.12.13)
I hope you've had a fabulous week. I'm loving the series we're in right now called "Finding My Purpose." So many of you have told me that you're reading Esther. It's a book with such rich lessons for each of us. Keep it up!
This Sunday, we'll continue the series by talking about what we do when there are obstacles to us living out our purpose. What do we do when there are those that want to thwart us from finding our destiny in Christ and fulfilling our purpose? It's a serious question that we all need to know about. Can't wait to see you there.
Thought for the Week"Be holy, because I am holy." 1 Peter 1:16
This morning I had a meeting at my boys school and one of the counselors there said, "Tanner is you." She went on to talk about how my seven year-old's expressions and mannerisms mirror mine. This is unfortunate for him, but I digress. Many of us mimic our parents without knowing it. Many of our children mimic us. It made me wonder, though, "I wonder if we remind others of our Heavenly Father?" My wife recently bought a sign she's placed in our kitchen that says: Live in such a way so that those that don't know God will come to know God because they know you." Wow, powerful words. I fall short in this often. All of us do. What if we did mimic our Father. What if people looked at us and saw compassion, forgiveness, patience, acceptance, selflessness, love and holiness. When we are truly our Father's child, we can't hide it. God's DNA is in you. You were made in His image. Let us be people that live into that God-given image, so that when people see us, they see Him. Let us be holy, like our Father. Let others see us and say, "I see so much Christ in you, your mannerisms are the same as His." This is what the world needs more of.
Be blessed and be a blessing!
Carter
This Sunday, we'll continue the series by talking about what we do when there are obstacles to us living out our purpose. What do we do when there are those that want to thwart us from finding our destiny in Christ and fulfilling our purpose? It's a serious question that we all need to know about. Can't wait to see you there.
Thought for the Week"Be holy, because I am holy." 1 Peter 1:16
This morning I had a meeting at my boys school and one of the counselors there said, "Tanner is you." She went on to talk about how my seven year-old's expressions and mannerisms mirror mine. This is unfortunate for him, but I digress. Many of us mimic our parents without knowing it. Many of our children mimic us. It made me wonder, though, "I wonder if we remind others of our Heavenly Father?" My wife recently bought a sign she's placed in our kitchen that says: Live in such a way so that those that don't know God will come to know God because they know you." Wow, powerful words. I fall short in this often. All of us do. What if we did mimic our Father. What if people looked at us and saw compassion, forgiveness, patience, acceptance, selflessness, love and holiness. When we are truly our Father's child, we can't hide it. God's DNA is in you. You were made in His image. Let us be people that live into that God-given image, so that when people see us, they see Him. Let us be holy, like our Father. Let others see us and say, "I see so much Christ in you, your mannerisms are the same as His." This is what the world needs more of.
Be blessed and be a blessing!
Carter
Wednesday, September 11, 2013
The Day I'll Never Forget
For many, and rightfully so, today (September 11) is a day of remembering people that were lost. I recall someone mentioning something to a few us in between classes at Candler School of Theology at Emory University. I was in my first semester of seminary. Who could ever forget that moment, day, and week.
Nevertheless, for me, today is a day of remembering people that have been saved. Four years after that fateful day across our country, we launched regular Worship Experiences at Church of the Way in the cafeteria at Simonton Elementary School. On September 11, 2005 we embarked on a journey that has been like no other. Starting a church has by far been the craziest, thrilling, frustrating, draining, satisfying, and hardest thing I've ever done in my life. New people showed up on that day eight years ago. A team of dedicated volunteers and a handful of part-time staff had worked so hard in the months prior to make it a special day. People came in the weeks that followed that we didn't know and that didn't have a church. Some of them are still with us. We didn't know where it would take us.
We didn't know that we'd unplug the cafeteria's ice cream freezer one Sunday and have to pay to have the ice cream replaced. We didn't know that so many people out there were hurting. We didn't know that we'd still be meeting in a school eight years later, albeit a much larger one. We didn't know the economy would tank. We didn't know that some of our core group would leave. And I didn't know that I'd still think about them...8 years later. We didn't know that talented new leaders would come. We didn't know the friends that we would make along the way. We didn't know about all the babies that would be born (and there's been a lot of them.). We didn't know about the tears we'd cry together and the pain we'd share. We didn't know if it would work.
There was just so much we didn't know. But we knew Jesus, and we knew he'd called us. Some people questioned me about starting a church on September 11. I told them that we'd always remember our church birthday. Moreover, God needed this day back. It's his day. It does not belong to death, hate and ugliness. It belongs to new life, salvation and redemption. All of us were changed 12 years ago. I like to think things changed 8 years ago to. The baptisms, healed marriages, changed lives, and redeemed souls tell a better story about this day. What a privilege it has been to serve this amazing people called Church of the Way. Happy Birthday! It's been a fun eight years. Can't wait for the next eight!
Nevertheless, for me, today is a day of remembering people that have been saved. Four years after that fateful day across our country, we launched regular Worship Experiences at Church of the Way in the cafeteria at Simonton Elementary School. On September 11, 2005 we embarked on a journey that has been like no other. Starting a church has by far been the craziest, thrilling, frustrating, draining, satisfying, and hardest thing I've ever done in my life. New people showed up on that day eight years ago. A team of dedicated volunteers and a handful of part-time staff had worked so hard in the months prior to make it a special day. People came in the weeks that followed that we didn't know and that didn't have a church. Some of them are still with us. We didn't know where it would take us.
We didn't know that we'd unplug the cafeteria's ice cream freezer one Sunday and have to pay to have the ice cream replaced. We didn't know that so many people out there were hurting. We didn't know that we'd still be meeting in a school eight years later, albeit a much larger one. We didn't know the economy would tank. We didn't know that some of our core group would leave. And I didn't know that I'd still think about them...8 years later. We didn't know that talented new leaders would come. We didn't know the friends that we would make along the way. We didn't know about all the babies that would be born (and there's been a lot of them.). We didn't know about the tears we'd cry together and the pain we'd share. We didn't know if it would work.
There was just so much we didn't know. But we knew Jesus, and we knew he'd called us. Some people questioned me about starting a church on September 11. I told them that we'd always remember our church birthday. Moreover, God needed this day back. It's his day. It does not belong to death, hate and ugliness. It belongs to new life, salvation and redemption. All of us were changed 12 years ago. I like to think things changed 8 years ago to. The baptisms, healed marriages, changed lives, and redeemed souls tell a better story about this day. What a privilege it has been to serve this amazing people called Church of the Way. Happy Birthday! It's been a fun eight years. Can't wait for the next eight!
Thursday, September 5, 2013
Sunday Preview & Thought for the Week (9.5.13)
I hope you're having a great week. Our little ones started preschool this week, so there are actually a few quiet hours around here during the week. I am super excited about the series starting this Sunday, "Finding My Purpose." I'm going to be teaching on the book of Esther. It's one of my favorite stories in the Bible, and a book with such rich wisdom for life. I think Esther can help us find our own purpose as we watch her find hers. This is a great Sunday to invite a friend to church, as everyone wants to find their purpose, no matter where they're at in life or what their faith background is. In fact, an easy way to invite a friend is to do so through our website with all the details about when and where, and you can and your own note. Here's a link:
http://churchoftheway.nextmeta.com/content.cfm?id=159
Thought for the Week
"Then the chief cupbearer said to Pharaoh, 'Today, I am reminded of my shortcomings.'" Genesis 41:9
Do you know the story of the cupbearer? He had made a promise to Joseph, Abraham's great-grandson, that he would remember him when he got his job back with the king. Perhaps if he'd put in a good word with Pharaoh, Joseph would be released from jail (where he had been after being wrongfully accused). That was two years ago. Joseph sat in that jail for two more years, and the cupbearer remembered what he was supposed to do. People make mistakes. Sometimes, people intentionally try to hurt us or wrong us. More often than not, people just mess up. They forget, they don't realize what their doing, and the just make mistakes. So what is the remedy? Forgiveness. If we go around expecting people to be perfect, we're going to live a pretty miserable life. Forgiveness wins. When we forgive people's mistakes, whether they were intentional or accident, we are most like our Creator. We are full of mistakes, and he loves us anyway. He takes us mistakes and all. Is there someone out there who's made a mistake with you that you need forgive? Let go of it. They might be like the cupbearer and not even know it.
In Christ,
Carter
http://churchoftheway.nextmeta.com/content.cfm?id=159
Thought for the Week
"Then the chief cupbearer said to Pharaoh, 'Today, I am reminded of my shortcomings.'" Genesis 41:9
Do you know the story of the cupbearer? He had made a promise to Joseph, Abraham's great-grandson, that he would remember him when he got his job back with the king. Perhaps if he'd put in a good word with Pharaoh, Joseph would be released from jail (where he had been after being wrongfully accused). That was two years ago. Joseph sat in that jail for two more years, and the cupbearer remembered what he was supposed to do. People make mistakes. Sometimes, people intentionally try to hurt us or wrong us. More often than not, people just mess up. They forget, they don't realize what their doing, and the just make mistakes. So what is the remedy? Forgiveness. If we go around expecting people to be perfect, we're going to live a pretty miserable life. Forgiveness wins. When we forgive people's mistakes, whether they were intentional or accident, we are most like our Creator. We are full of mistakes, and he loves us anyway. He takes us mistakes and all. Is there someone out there who's made a mistake with you that you need forgive? Let go of it. They might be like the cupbearer and not even know it.
In Christ,
Carter
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