10 things I am excited about at Movement Church right now
1. NEW LIFE – We have recently had some close friends in our Movement group give their lives to Jesus. Some we have lifted up in prayer for two years. I get giddy thinking about their testimonies being shared on Sunday and celebrating new life in Jesus.
2. LARGEST ATTENDANCE EVER – This week we had 171 people attend Movement Church. That’s not gigantic and everything isn’t just about flashing numbers, but I am excited about the church God has slowly built in less than two years. “Every number has a name, every name has a story, and every story matters to God”.
3. NEW ENERGY – As we have recently had an influx of new people it is so exciting to get to meet them and their families and see their gifts being fused into our body. I love seeing the gifts and passions of God’s people.
4. 7 HEALTHY GROUPS – We recently trimmed back from 9 Movement groups to 7. This was necessary pruning and I am really excited about the result. I believe that every one of those groups could potentially multiply in the fall and has a healthy leadership structure. Multiplication gets me excited.
5. LEADERSHIP COMMUNITY – We have one of our all leader gatherings coming up in March. Its not going to be “normal” and we are using this even to take our leaders to the next level as we look for Easter to be a next level season for us.
6. EASTER RAMP UP – We have some great things planned for Easter. Some creative things, some logistic things, some tech things, but all done in the name of Jesus. We want this day to be a big deal because Jesus giving us life is a big deal. We had the best most productive meeting in church history last week and it was all about Easter and using this day to make Jesus famous.
7. MOVEMENT WORSHIP’S FIRST ALBUM – Movement Worship is releasing their album next Sunday. It represents what God has built at our church and is soundtrack of the last year. I am so excited for our people to have something to encourage them in worship throughout the week. I am so proud of our team and especially the work that Josh Howard and Jeremy Noland their team put into this.
8. BAPTISMS – We have a baptism service coming up on February 22nd and it looks like it will be the biggest one we have ever done. We have seen new life in Jesus and I am just as excited to see people taking steps in their faith in obedience.
9. APPRENTICESHIP – We try to apprentice everything we do and multiply our impact so that we can develop our people and the gifts God has given them and so we can plant churches long term. Today we saw some great teaching and worship leading and I love thinking that these young leaders are not only getting experience but are so gifted and want to grow.
10. HAITI – We have had a church-to-church partnership in Haiti for over a year now. As a young church still figuring out many things we have had to grow into this and have been in transition with changing leaders in Haiti. We have three nurses going on a trip with Grace Fellowship in February to learn first hand how we can do medical missions trips and have just been re-partnered with a great pastor and wife. My heart loves Haiti and I am excited about us being able to have a consistent, sustainable impact there through a local church that we get to help grow.
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