I hope you're having a great week. I'm so excited about the season coming up at Church of the Way. Easter is less than two months away. Can you believe that? As I was praying about and planning for Easter, I really felt led to dig into the story of Jesus' last week before Easter. There's a lot of fascinating aspects of the story and a lot of characters. I hope you'll be there an invite friends as we begin "How It All Went Down" this Sunday. Check out a preview and share this sneak peak to invite friends here.
Thought for the Week
"See, I am doing a new thing." Isaiah 43:19
I'm always fascinated by the lessons of everyday life. Emily and I have been under an 8-month kitchen renovation. It's going to take about four more months. We've been living in a little bit of kitchen chaos for a season. But I started another section this week with our countertops. They were looking rough. We went the economical (or...cheap!) route and used a new refinishing product. Underneath, they looked messed up and pieced together. I know my boys couldn't see the vision for what they would eventually look like. But I could see it, even though they were currently a mess. Do you know God sees you that way? And He is always ready to do a new thing. You and others might see a mess, but God sees what the finished product is going to look like. He's got lots of products and ways to make you into something new. He's got big plans. You might have lived a season in chaos under construction, but God sees a renovation opportunity. In Christ, we never have to settle for what we were. We never have to live with the scars of a damaged past. There is always an opportunity for something new in your life. God is doing some new things at Church of the Way, and I'm excited about watching Him move. Let us always be open to the new things God wants to do in our personal lives. He sees the finished product if we will just let Him work.
In Christ,
Carter McInnis
Lead Pastor
carter@churchoftheway.net
ifoundtheway.blogspot.com
First United Methodist Church of Griffin
Friday, February 28, 2014
Thursday, February 20, 2014
Sunday Preview & Thought for the Week (2.20.14)
Hey there Church of the Way!
I hope you've had as good a week as I have. I'm so excited about what God is doing among us and how He is moving marriages during "The Vows." I hope you'll be there this Sunday as we close out the series focusing on the last line of our wedding vows. "To love and to cherish, till death do us part." We're going to dig into God's Word to see how to make our marriages last a lifetime.
Also, you don't want to miss this week because of our "Wedding Vow Renewal" Ceremony. If you've always wanted to renew your vows, this is the perfect time to do it. I hope you'll plan to stay after worship for the 'reception'! It'll be a lot of fun. Plus, we've got some big news to share this week about how God is moving in our church and it's future. Exciting times!
Thought for the Week
"Well done good and faithful servant." Matthew 25:21
Today I read a interview with Mark Batterson, pastor at National Community Church in Washington, D.C., that said, "Live for the applause of nail-scarred hands." I've been to Mark's church and met him. You can tell this ideas is at the heart of who he is. The passage above is from a story Jesus told about what we do with our 'talents'. Back then, a talent was a monetary amount, but isn't it fitting to compare it to what we think of as 'talent.' It is so, so easy to get captivated with attention and applause of the world. How many likes did my post get? How many comments did my blog get? How many people retweeted me? Who shared my photo? Do my parents approve? Do my kids think I'm cool? Do all the people at work like me? Is our house as nice as our friends' houses? What will the neighbors think? Do you think people at church can tell something's wrong with me/us? Did I measure up? Will I win employee of the year this time? Does not getting a raise mean the boss doesn't like me? Does being laid off mean I'm a failure? We have been worried about popularity since we were about 13, and it hasn't stopped. That's not our goal, though. Our purpose is not to win awards or be popular. Our purpose is the honor Him. Please Him. Magnify Him. Obey Him. Follow Him. Are you living for the applause of others? Your family? Your friends? Your children? Your parents? Your co-workers? Your colleagues? Or are you living for the applause of nail-scarred hands?
In Christ,
Carter
I hope you've had as good a week as I have. I'm so excited about what God is doing among us and how He is moving marriages during "The Vows." I hope you'll be there this Sunday as we close out the series focusing on the last line of our wedding vows. "To love and to cherish, till death do us part." We're going to dig into God's Word to see how to make our marriages last a lifetime.
Also, you don't want to miss this week because of our "Wedding Vow Renewal" Ceremony. If you've always wanted to renew your vows, this is the perfect time to do it. I hope you'll plan to stay after worship for the 'reception'! It'll be a lot of fun. Plus, we've got some big news to share this week about how God is moving in our church and it's future. Exciting times!
Thought for the Week
"Well done good and faithful servant." Matthew 25:21
Today I read a interview with Mark Batterson, pastor at National Community Church in Washington, D.C., that said, "Live for the applause of nail-scarred hands." I've been to Mark's church and met him. You can tell this ideas is at the heart of who he is. The passage above is from a story Jesus told about what we do with our 'talents'. Back then, a talent was a monetary amount, but isn't it fitting to compare it to what we think of as 'talent.' It is so, so easy to get captivated with attention and applause of the world. How many likes did my post get? How many comments did my blog get? How many people retweeted me? Who shared my photo? Do my parents approve? Do my kids think I'm cool? Do all the people at work like me? Is our house as nice as our friends' houses? What will the neighbors think? Do you think people at church can tell something's wrong with me/us? Did I measure up? Will I win employee of the year this time? Does not getting a raise mean the boss doesn't like me? Does being laid off mean I'm a failure? We have been worried about popularity since we were about 13, and it hasn't stopped. That's not our goal, though. Our purpose is not to win awards or be popular. Our purpose is the honor Him. Please Him. Magnify Him. Obey Him. Follow Him. Are you living for the applause of others? Your family? Your friends? Your children? Your parents? Your co-workers? Your colleagues? Or are you living for the applause of nail-scarred hands?
In Christ,
Carter
Why I Needed Snowmageddon
Later today I'll be jogging in shorts and a T-shirt. It's hard to believe we were sledding a week ago. As this week life has gotten back to normal for those of us in the Deep South (especially the ATL), I can't help but reflect: I needed Snowmageddon.
- I played a lot with my boys. We played in the snow with no regard for time or where we had to be next. We risked life and limb for a good ride down the hill. We decided we might have a future in the skeleton at the next Winter Olympics. There was nowhere I could go and no meetings I had to attend.
- We stayed up late together every night cheering on Team USA in Sochi. We learned about new sports together and marveled at the flips, twists, speed and accuracy of the world's best. We shared something we probably wouldn't have gotten to share in the normal routines of a school week and it's 8 o'clock bedtime.
- We didn't set an alarm for four straight days. I can't remember the last time that's happened in this house. We got up when the boys woke us up, which was usually plenty early. We just lived life as it came.
- I got a lot of work done. I wrote a huge paper I needed to write for school. I visioned for our church and planned for future sermons and series. No meetings and no travel means more time to reflect.
- Our dishwasher ran constantly because we cooked and ate every meal together for four straight days. There was a lot of laughter at the table and a lot of dirty dishes. No fast food, no hurried meals. They became our sacred time to come in from the snow or ice or work.
- We prayed a lot. At every meal and bedtime we thanked God for a warm, dry house. We prayed for those that had no home or had lost power. We prayed for those working to restore power. We read Bible stories and thanked God for the fun we'd had that day.
Every meal was not a five-star meal. The house was mostly a mess during the ordeal. I wore sweatpants every day. By Friday afternoon, we were ready to get out of the house (and did). But, Snowmageddon gave my family a Sabbath. In a hustle and bustle culture, those rarely happen. They certainly don't happen enough. This week, baseball season has kicked into high gear. We have four boys on four different teams in four different levels. We have at least one practice every night, most of the time two. We will spend Spring at the ballpark. Soon, I'll get a new reading list for my classes in May and will be engulfed in reading in the evenings instead of watching Ted Ligety or Body Miller race down a mountain with my boys. Church life will get crazy again with meetings, strategic planning and special events. I'll resume ministry-planning lunches and discipleship over coffee instead of chili with my family and hot cocoa after a sledding break. My wife's alarm has blared this week as she readies the boys off to school once again. But we had that week. The snow provided a few days to slow down and do what God had commanded us to do -- slow down. Stop working. Rest. Worship. What if we all actually did we God told us to do and made Sabbath a normal part of our busy, busy lives. Just a thought.
Thursday, February 13, 2014
Sunday Preview & Thought for the Week (2.13.14)
I hope you're staying warm, and I hope you'll join me in prayer for all those without power and all those working to restore power, clear roads, and in the healthcare industry. Alas, the sun and warmth are coming and we'll be ready to go this weekend at Church of the Way.
We'll be continuing our series "The Vows" as we talk about "For better, for worse, for richer, for poorer." It's so crucial to have the foundation of commitment in a marriage through thick and thin, and we'll talk about how to do that.
Thought for the Week
"Have you entered the storehouses of snow?" Job 38:22
In your down time this week, take a moment to read Job 38. It's a series of questions from God to Job. God is basically saying, "Did you put the universe together, big boy?" You think you can do this better than me? You think you understand all this? Watching the weather from inside my warm house this week has been interesting. There is something majestic about the snow. There is something terrifying about the ice. And though it has been a mess across the region, there are other parts of the world that are sunny and 75 this week. We are focused on our world, but it's a big world. There is a God who is present in it all. There is a God who sees a big picture. And we have no idea about his plans and ways. This is so crucial to remember in day to day life. We want to micromanage every moment of life, and we have several helpful suggestions we'd like to give God as it pertains to our day to day activities. We know just what we want him to fix, who we want him to heal, and who we'd just as soon he let fail. We see our own snow storm and have no idea what is happening on the other side of the world. He sits beside storehouses of snow, sunshine, rain, hail, wind and anything we could imagine. He put the stars in their place. And we can trust Him. It's not only that He is powerful -- He is powerful AND He loves us. It's a big world. He sees it all. Take a look at Job 38 while you stare out the window at the snow with a good cup of coffee.
Be Safe. Stay Warm. And I love you.
Carter
We'll be continuing our series "The Vows" as we talk about "For better, for worse, for richer, for poorer." It's so crucial to have the foundation of commitment in a marriage through thick and thin, and we'll talk about how to do that.
Thought for the Week
"Have you entered the storehouses of snow?" Job 38:22
In your down time this week, take a moment to read Job 38. It's a series of questions from God to Job. God is basically saying, "Did you put the universe together, big boy?" You think you can do this better than me? You think you understand all this? Watching the weather from inside my warm house this week has been interesting. There is something majestic about the snow. There is something terrifying about the ice. And though it has been a mess across the region, there are other parts of the world that are sunny and 75 this week. We are focused on our world, but it's a big world. There is a God who is present in it all. There is a God who sees a big picture. And we have no idea about his plans and ways. This is so crucial to remember in day to day life. We want to micromanage every moment of life, and we have several helpful suggestions we'd like to give God as it pertains to our day to day activities. We know just what we want him to fix, who we want him to heal, and who we'd just as soon he let fail. We see our own snow storm and have no idea what is happening on the other side of the world. He sits beside storehouses of snow, sunshine, rain, hail, wind and anything we could imagine. He put the stars in their place. And we can trust Him. It's not only that He is powerful -- He is powerful AND He loves us. It's a big world. He sees it all. Take a look at Job 38 while you stare out the window at the snow with a good cup of coffee.
Be Safe. Stay Warm. And I love you.
Carter
Thursday, February 6, 2014
Sunday Preview & Thought for the Week (2.6.14)
I hope you're having an awesome week. I'm getting excited about what God is going in relationships this February at Church of the Way. This week, we'll be continuing "The Vows" series and I'll be teaching on the question "Forsaking all others, will you remain faithful to him/her as long as you both shall live?" This is a huge issue in marriage. Faithfulness is so important to the partnership God intended in marriage. I believe God has a plan for us that will help couple nurture the marriage bed while protecting it as well. This is a sensitive topic, but one so important to marriage. I'd encourage you to utilize our KidzWay ministry for kids up through 5th grade. However, I believe it's vitally important for students to learn about sexuality in the church. They're hearing about it everywhere else. I think the Bible has some things to teach young people as they grow in maturity. I'm looking forward to seeing you there!
Thought for the Week
"They offered unauthorized fire before the Lord, contrary to his command." Leviticus 10:1
Did you ever break curfew or go somewhere your parents had told you not to go? Did you ever break a teacher or coach's rule? Have you shown up late for work or gone against company policy? There are consequences. The passage above is the beginning of a story where Aaron's sons Nadab and Abihu suffer grave consequences for doing something contrary to what God commanded. Now, the thing with rules is that we always want to question authority, right? Why is this a rule in the first place? Why is this a policy? This is overbearing or unjust, we demand. Of course, once you become a boss or parent and start making up some rules of your own, you understand that you are not trying to thwart fun but set those under you on the best path possible. The rules are for protection and direction. They are in place because you see the bigger picture. You know the dangers out there, and you understand reality at a deeper level than those you're trying to direct. You have their best intentions in mind. If we believe God is good, that's what we must understand about his direction. There are consequences when we break His commands because we end up distancing ourselves from him, which is the last thing we need in life. It veers us off the path He has planned for us, the one that is best for us. This is not about power or control. This is about love. Some see the Bible is a big rule book. It's not. It's a love letter. It doesn't seek to control us, it seeks to woo us to our loving Creator.
In Christ,
Carter
Thought for the Week
"They offered unauthorized fire before the Lord, contrary to his command." Leviticus 10:1
Did you ever break curfew or go somewhere your parents had told you not to go? Did you ever break a teacher or coach's rule? Have you shown up late for work or gone against company policy? There are consequences. The passage above is the beginning of a story where Aaron's sons Nadab and Abihu suffer grave consequences for doing something contrary to what God commanded. Now, the thing with rules is that we always want to question authority, right? Why is this a rule in the first place? Why is this a policy? This is overbearing or unjust, we demand. Of course, once you become a boss or parent and start making up some rules of your own, you understand that you are not trying to thwart fun but set those under you on the best path possible. The rules are for protection and direction. They are in place because you see the bigger picture. You know the dangers out there, and you understand reality at a deeper level than those you're trying to direct. You have their best intentions in mind. If we believe God is good, that's what we must understand about his direction. There are consequences when we break His commands because we end up distancing ourselves from him, which is the last thing we need in life. It veers us off the path He has planned for us, the one that is best for us. This is not about power or control. This is about love. Some see the Bible is a big rule book. It's not. It's a love letter. It doesn't seek to control us, it seeks to woo us to our loving Creator.
In Christ,
Carter
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