6:20 am Pick up my niece Carrie who is a part of our worship and creative arts department and is "Janet Fraser" for the Services this morning. We stop at Starbucks (of course) and discuss how Starbucks used to have "it" but when you have to tell people if they bring their morning receipt back for a $2.00 drink in the afternoon you don't have "it" anymore. (For an understanding of what "it" is you would have to have heard Craig Groeschel at the Leadership Summit or get his book "IT".)
7:00 am Arrive at church - Carrie get's snacks to the Green Room and starts organizing for the morning. Jay (our Minister of Worship) is the only other one there for a few minutes. He's tired - he stayed up too late watching the Olympics. I go do a sermon run through in the room where our 30's-40's Single Adults meet so that I can feel confident I am not over my time allotment (the bane of speaking).
7:25 am I want to say I think I'm right on the money time wise that would be presumptive before I've actually spoken... I have to use the bathroom (at least once or twice depending on how much is riding on the sermon - I'm not nervous but it's amazing how much the anticipation impacts the bladder and the other system...and I can't believe I just wrote that in my blog.
7:55 am The run through starts - Jenni Clayville was late. Last week Laura Vandergiessen sang - and she's what, 9 months pregnant. This morning Jenni's on and she's not far behind Laura. And may I say, that these ladies voices have been positively impacted by being "baby carriers" and they are both in rare form (vocally that is). Ben stepped in as base at absolutely the last minute - yea Ben!! I need to see the video of David Alexander - Janet sent me a copy last night but it wouldn't work on my computer with Vista and I couldn't get the sound working on my home computer. I can't wait to see it. David is immensely articulate and I think it's going to be powerful.
8:25 am Run through almost complete...saw the DVD - what an amazing testimony!! Now, I hope it works to challenge people to write their weakness on a piece of paper and pin it on a wall. What if they don't? Lord, we don't make this stuff up for fun or for emotional impact...it's my desire that this really is a time of asking you to be strong through our weakness!!
8:40 am Head back to pray with the team - Mike Ghering is POD (Pastor of the Day - giving announcements and praying). I always feel so weird at this point. It's just about faith and trust that you will show up Lord, it's all about you!!!
8:50 am Stand at the door and greet people on their way in. When I do this I always meet someone who I sense is part of God's plan for me that day. If anyone knew how un-natural it is for me to reach out this way they would be so surprised, but when you are coerced by Christ you do what he calls you to do.
9:05 In my place and worshiping. I have some pretty intense prayer moments in worship before I speak.
9:22 am The other thing most people don't know is how awkward, weak and uncertain I feel as I walk toward the stage and pick up the music stand and walk to my place as the sermon opener rolls on the screens.
9:57 am Walk down off the stage and to my place as worship begins and the congregation begins to move toward the walls and pin their weakness on the wall and tell God they are willing to let him use their weakness to show God's power. At first I wait for to see if anyone is going to go - someone moves, then several and then it's a flood. Before long they are standing in line at both walls - men and women, some with their kids, silently, worship-fully, many with tears - pinning paper on a wall. What a holy moment!!
(For the message go to sunsetpres.org and download or listen to the podcast for 8-10-08. Oh, and Janet - I was exactly ON TIME!)
12:17 pm Second service is done and I get to pray with several people and talk to a number who have been deeply touched and truly heard God speak into their lives in the service...
1:15 pm I drive away from the church - tired - no, exhausted. Spent for the sake of Christ and his church. There isn't anything better!!!
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