Often people come up to me and ask me if I was talking about them in my Sunday morning message. Sometimes, people wonder if I am looking at them or if I am talking about situations in their family life when I’m speaking. Sometimes people imagine that I am speaking on the topics that I am speaking on just because … Read More
What’s a Pastor Do, Anyway?
I’ve been asked the question a thousand times in a thousand different ways, from the person who knows little about church and thinks I just stand up and talk on Sundays to the person who imagines I simply pray all day long in my office, read the Bible, and have spiritual thoughts. It’s a question that deserves some exploration. You … Read More
Making Introductions
These are some thoughts about how our amazing church can become more and more effective at bringing people from the edge of our community in the core of the highly committed people who make First Assembly thrive as it does. Getting to know more people through introducing yourself to people you don’t know and through introducing them to your social … Read More
Visioneering Process Update
For the seven months, our church has been involved in a Strategic Planning Process. It started in January with a 21 day fast, involving a personal retreat I took to try to hear from God more on the issue of the overall vision, direction and plan for First Assembly. In February, the pastoral staff, the deacons and a few from … Read More
Independence Day Celebration SUCCESS
This past Sunday night’s Independence Day Celebration at First Assembly of God in Lafayette, Indiana was amazing! Beyond the thousands of people who showed up on our grounds, and the thousands more who crowded into the parking lots and streets around the church (creating the most intense traffic I’ve ever seen in Lafayette), the program, games, huge bouncy castles, fair … Read More
Graduate Goes to El Salvador
Landon Thompson just graduated from McCutcheon High School here in Lafayette, Indiana this past month. He’s a popular kid who’s been raised by John and Bonnie Thompson who have long emphasized serving, giving, and missions. Two of his siblings attended a discipleship school called Master’s Commission in Fort Myers, Florida where young people are encouraged to find the anchor to … Read More
Reflections from a Fast-Food Cashier
Last night, I was unable to go home and needed to grab something quick before my night moved forward. The place wasn’t busy, and I ordered my food, noticing that the young man taking my order, while youthful, had some interesting art on his arms and large holes in his lobes from gauges. We started talking. He just moved to … Read More
May 2011 Series: THE CROSS
May 8-29, 2011, I’ll be delivering a series of messages on the richest theme in the scriptures: The Cross. We’ll look at what it means generally and how it applies to our lives. This will be a great time for long-time followers of Christ to renew and sharpen their understanding of how the cross of Jesus applies not only … Read More
Christ Our Healer Sunday
On the morning Sunday, May 1, 2011, we’ll be having specially themed services at 9 and 11 on God’s power to heal. We will worship, take communion, hear testimonies about healing, listen to music, anoint the sick with oil, and pray with faith for people who need physical and emotional healing. I’m looking forward to this morning and the amazing … Read More
A Second Visioneering Meeting
This Sunday evening, April 17 at 6:30, we will be having the second of two Vision 2011 Meetings. Everyone who considers First Assembly their church home is encouraged to be present and participate. This coming Sunday night, we will briefly review the core values, mission, vision and goals of First Assembly that were presented in some detail at the first … Read More