Yesterday was one of those days that left me feeling pretty good about our little church. We had two different people from our church give talks/sermons/presentations (am & pm), and neither of them were me! How cool is that!?!
At our Sunday morning gathering we had a normal service - other than instead of me giving the sermon, Jim did it. It was his first time ever, and he did pretty darn good if you ask me! I first met Jim shortly after we moved here - he was working in a little music store where I went for my supplies. Later, when son Isaac started taking guitar lessons, he went there for his lessons. I would take him down, and then just hang around the store for an hour or so while he was taking his lesson. Jim and I had many good talks. Eventually he started coming to our church, and playing drums in the band, and getting involved in small groups... and eventually he has become a teacher and leader in the church. It was awhile ago that he said he felt like God might be calling him into some type of pastoral ministry. I have pretty much just been watching and waiting. He does quite a bit of 'behind-the-scenes' stuff, and after a recent sermon series I did on the 23rd Psalm he approached me about some things God had laid on his heart. I said, "That sounds like it would make a good sermon." The rest is, as they say, history. Anyway, I was rooting pretty hard for him, because he is a tender-hearted guy, and I knew this first sermon could really send him one way or the other. I was so happy that it went well.
After the morning gathering we went to lunch with Drew Carrie Anna - and Anna got coffee spilled on her while she was sleeping in the car carrier. She cried for a little bit, but I think it startled her more than anything. Whew. I was worried it might have burned her pretty good, but when she flashed that beautiful smile of hers I knew she was alright.
Last night, then, we had our monthly '3rd Sunday Supper.' Except this was a special one. Another person from our church shared about the organization she works for. Joan works for Project Amazon, and did a superb presentation about the organization - complete with powerpoint and videos - and she even prepared us some authentic Brazilian food for supper. It was extraordinary if I do say so myself. I was a little worried that not too many would come out on a hot and muggy Sunday night, but we had almost 40, which I thought was pretty good. Project Amazon (or PAZ) is a multi-national church-planting organization focused on the unreached parts of the Amazon Basin in Brazil. They plant churches with a strong emphasis on home groups and one-on-one discipleship. The amazing thing is, even though it is worlds away, it is very much the same emphasis that we are trying to establish in our church/denomination with things like our Missional Leadership Initiative and the teachings of Neil Cole, Reggie McNeal, etc. I was glad Joan brought that aspect out in her talk. I was also amazed that she said Project Amazon was started by a guy whose four children also all became missionaries, and his siblings and all their children became missionaries too. I find that quite remarkable. Anyway, not only a great presentation, but I REALLY liked the food too. My only regret is that she did it on a Sunday night instead of a Sunday morning. Next time...
So all in all yesterday was a pretty fine day in our little church. I felt like a real 'Ephesians 4' and '1 Cor. 14:26-40' pastor. Like, maybe there are some things I'm doing right after all. Now I've got some carpet stains I need to get to work on in the entryway...
Peace out, and in.
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