And we are underway...

We kicked-off our 40 Days of Community campaign yesterday in grand fashion. The theme is "Life is a highway" and so we decorated with balloons and race car and traveling decorations. Our friends over at the Manhatten Cafe provided a feast for us during our continental breakfast. We had decorating help from one of our very talented folks, Kim Reed. We decided to just have one 10:30 a.m. gathering so we could all be together in a larger community for the kick-off.

The music team had us on our feet for the entire set and the energy was through the roof. I think everyone was singing and clapping for the entire 25 minutes of music. I thought to myself...this is how church should be.

Here is the other awesome development from yesterday. We started two more new small groups and had more people than I can count ask about being in small groups. If my count is anywhere near correct I think we are at somewhere around 40% of our average attendance in small groups for the 40 Days of Community.

Awesome Easter!

We had a fantastic Easter celebration. The music team began the celebration with an awesome set that included "God With Us" and "Saving the World". I know I felt the power of the Holy Spirit during the music.

The drama team brought a poignant and funny drama about the tendency to reduce holidays down to the celebration while forgetting the meaning. Jerry did a great job as the husband conned into a wearing a bunny suit (which looked hilarious).

I finished our Easter series "Famous Last Words". We are one of two thieves on one of two crosses. Do we see our need for a savior? If so, we too can here the reassuring words of Christ, "You will be with me in Paradise".

What a glorious day!

Today the family of TRCC is fasting in preparation for 40 Days of Community. We are praying that these next 40 days will be a time of growth, discernment and inspiration as we find Christ in community with each other and show Christ to the world in community with others.

Have a great day!

Tough month

Sorry for not posting more regularly, but it has been a tough month.

For those who don't know my 13 y.o. son has been sick for the last six weeks. We have been to doctors in St. Louis twice and worked with the school to get him caught up.

I will be posting more often.

Have a great Easter.

Holistic Gospel

One of the key points of the vision is an emphasis on the holistic gospel. This can best be summed up in the following motto: The whole gospel for the whole person for the whole world.

The whole gospel: If all we focus on is salvation and sanctification then we have missed the whole gospel. A close reading of the gospel message will reveal that there is more to the whole gospel message. We must be willing to preach and teach the need to love our neighbors and live in relationship with the entirety of God's creation.

The whole person: We do a great job of helping each other with the health of our spirits and souls. If we leave our teaching there then again we have missed the whole gospel. We need to focus also on the entire person. We need to emphasize physical health, mental health and emotional health of God's people.

The whole world: We can't just be in community with the people in our church or the people in our city. We need to recognize that we are part of something much bigger. We are members of the human race and that broadens our focus to all the people on the planet. We also need to recognize that the whole gospel includes our responsibility to live in community to God's creation. That includes some of the most sensitive ecological issues of our day. Issues like pollution and deforestation.

Scripture uses many terms for our mission in the world and all of them encompass holistic ministry.

TRCC is going to be launching some new ministries in the coming months that will begin to address issues of holistic ministry.