LOST: Finale
No doubt the hip thing to do in churches that are engaging their culture will be to write about LOST on their blogs today. Not sure how hip I, or our church, really is but I am writing about LOST today. I know that for 6 years I watched this show, and enjoyed it, I even felt a strange sense of joy by all the “lack of answers.” In fact, the lack of answers was so much of what defined the show. People spent hours around coffee shops and living rooms talking about the content of “last weeks show” and what it meant, or what they thought it meant.This intrigues me.
My first thought this morning was a question. How often do people spend large chunks of time questioning or talking about what they heard in church this last week? I mean really, we have the same amount of time (40 minutes), and we even have our own version of commercials (announcements). Yet, most people spend little or no time pondering, wading, or digging below the surface of what they heard in church. You may have small groups, sermon based home groups, or whatever your church has labeled them…but it just isn’t the same (in most cases). The large majority of people just don’t care what you said in church…and certainly didn’t care enough to ask someone else about what they missed, or go back and review the DVR to see if it was recorded. I actually heard today that someone took notes each week and would use that to start conversations with friends for the sake of understanding better what happened.
This sounds like things people who loved God would do. (Yes, I know some do) However the vast majority of Christians don’t ever reflect on the last sermon they heard…they certainly don’t throw sermon watching parties at their house! You can argue 
your case for your small group ministry, but chances are that is a separate meeting having little or nothing at all to do with the sermon from that week, and even if it’s sermon based most people aren’t really engaging the content but instead they muck their way through the meeting to get to the food or games they enjoy afterward.
I guess if anything LOST left me feeling like the Church needs to show as much interest, even more interest in the things of the Bible than they do the latest pop culture fads. While Lost will be slated to run in a never ending parade of repeats on various channels for the next 10 years…at best it’s shelf life is 15, maybe 20 years with some reunions (although it will be hard to reunite the dead. But if anyone can manage a TV resurrection I am sure it is going to be the producers of LOST). My point is that the Bible has lasted thousands of years…maybe it’s time we develop a sense of awe about it’s content. How do we elicit a hunger for it’s story and message each week that keeps people asking questions and diving below the surface for a better look at the truth? Can we sustain a long term interest in what will be a lifelong pursuit of God’s truth in the Bible? Is this just a matter of personal growth, and is church leadership unable to have any effect on such matters?
Maybe what was great about the show is that it made some of us church type leaders ask some of these kinds of questions. Maybe in doing what it did the show led other Christians to ponder deeper truths than what they had come to accept as comfortable. I am sure this is just the first of many musings on this subject, and I am 100% sure there will be others who are much better writers join the fray. I look forward to the faith challenges in the same way I looked forward to each weeks episode of LOST. Goodbye lost… it was entertaining, and maybe more?
Baptism Sunday Is In 2 Weeks!
The life change that happens when a person gives their life to Jesus is bet summed up in this symbol of celebration. A glimpse into the fact that God has made us new in and by His power. We are re-purposed for His mission, His call, and His will. It is a choice to follow Christ and an honor to serve Him. Baptism is a celebration of being set free from sin through the work that Jesus did on the cross. Baptism is a great opportunity to tell your family, friends, neighbors, and classmates that a changed has taken place in your life.
If you need to be baptized speak with or email Pastor Phil at your earliest convenience. We are looking forward to celebrating the work God has done in the life of those being baptized. Hope you will mark your calendar and plan on being here for this one! It’ is gonna be great.
It’s Time We Pray Together
As our city has suffered some rough weeks it has become clear that we need to gather our community in prayer. Not just our church, but the community. A city wide prayer service has been planned for next Wednesday, May 19th at 6:30 PM and we would like to invite you and all your friends to come and join others in a time of concentrated prayer and worship on behalf of our city. We will be praying for the hurts of our people, city government, public services like Fire and Police, schools and their administrators, and the work of the churches in the area. I hope you will make it a priority to join us and many others as we join together in prayer.
People of the Rut: Part 2
“Contemporvant Growtivation!” What a buzz. A recent viral video produced and released by NP church has created quite a stir. Blogs and websites around the Christian community are posting off the charts and receiving comments galore. Why all the fuss you ask? Here is why. Watch this quick video and enjoy the tongue in cheek presentation of what happens week in and week out across America and the world in churches…
“Sunday’s Coming” Movie Trailer from North Point Media on Vimeo.
So, I will chime in with a couple comments of my own since our last post, People of the Rut, hits close to home with this video. First, let me say, I laughed so hard at this video it made me cry. Because it is FUNNY. Yes, I was challenged too…here were some of the things I thought:
What do we do each week, every week, that has great value?
What do we do each week, every week, and no one knows why?
Has the “rut of routine” gotten so deep that all we do is laugh at this video, and miss a greater set of truths?
Have our methods become so predictable and planned that they no longer represent a genuine “effort” on our part?
If I think this represents something true about my church, is there something I need to do correct or fortify our course as a church?
These are the questions I am thinking through and invite you to share your thoughts as well. There will be another post after I have had more time to chew on my own revelations. One thing is for sure, I love our large group gatherings each week and what they do to encourage and push us forward. We are earnestly seeking God and His best through us in reaching others and that is a great foundation…the only foundation…and examining that “base” is a good habit that protects us. Looking forward to your thoughts in the comments…
New Member Class: May 16th
Every other month we meet to outline why we have a membership process at Pin Oaks. Our goal is to help you clearly see the investment the Bible asks every Christian to make to a local church. It is a whole life investment that gives God the reigns and then He sets you free about His eternal work. It is about cooperation, accountability, and encouragement. Ultimately it is for the sake of Christ in our community of Anna, Texas. We invite you to join us this February 21st at 6:00 PM for our next New Member Class and see what making Pin Oaks your church home means to you, to God, to Pin Oaks, and this community.
New Member Class
February 21st @ 6 PM
POCF Worship Center
Snacks and Childcare by RSVP
New Series: To The Core Starts May 16th
The second chapter of 2 Timothy is a great insight on the character and qualities that make up the core of any great follower of Christ. Each week will help you get closer to living the life Christ desires of you at home, work, school, and play. The next 3 weeks will be spent exploring these characters and qualities and how we can strengthen these core needs in each of our lives. Come and join us Sundays at 9:00 or 10:30 AM.
