props to the makeover crew

God blessed us with 32 in attendance for this morning's Worship Gathering. I took a picture of each side, then spliced them together for the picture below.


The Mini Temples (our name for our children's teaching time during the Worship Gathering) have been working very hard at inviting their friends. God blessed their efforts with a total of seventeen in attendance today! I'm proud of the kids, and of Kristy for her heart to engage these young ones in the life of our church family.

- - -

We meet in a rented facility on Sunday mornings, which means that we set up and tear down everything that we use to create environments where people can feel welcomed, be loved, and worship God. The Makeover Crew sets up every Saturday evening without fail, and they are the first to arrive and the last to leave on Sunday mornings. People are hearing the gospel and experiencing the love of God because of their hard work and willingness to serve.

(left to right) Kris, me, Kristin, Shameer, Brittany, Joshua

In addition to the setup and teardown, this crew is thinking through how we can better serve our guests and prepare for them. Shameer, especially, is generating ideas in this regard, in his role as Vibe Machine. I'm excited about facilitating their creativity.

The Makeover Crew and I begin each Sunday morning with a time of prayer, and we kneel in the rows of seats where people will sit and hear about Jesus. It's been really cool to point to visitors and decisions as direct answers to their prayers.

I am proud of these young men and ladies, and proud to serve alongside them.

it's all about the story

I liked this blurb I saw this on Village Church's "Creative" blog:

Why Blog?

It turns out that the Internet isn't just a fad, and we should probably stop feeling like we need to quote 1 Cor. 9:19-23 to justify our taking advantage of the latest technology. The Church has a story to tell, so tell stories using blogs. They're magic, you know.

- - -

It reminded me of a conversation I had with a friend the other day:

Friend: I'm resetting this phone, and I'm not sure if I should be concerned. This person was getting Facebook updates on their phone. Should I be concerned?

Me: Well, probably the best answer to that question is the following statement: Clarence Sexton has a Facebook page.

Friend: (relieved) whew. okay.

- - -

You need to tell your story. If you're not tech savvy, then tell it through other means. But story is how people engage, and if you're not telling your story, you're not engaging others.

This is especially true for followers of Jesus.

sometimes, you need to be there

One of the things we'll be doing more intentionally this year is using our Midweek Gathering time to be more present in the lives of people who can't come to us.

Tonight, we gathered at Kenny (seated in recliner in picture below) and Ruby's home for prayer, Bible study, time together, and meatballs and cheese dip.


Kenny and Ruby both have been struggling with injuries and illness recently, and thus haven't been able to make it to the regular gatherings, so they greatly enjoyed seeing everyone and reading together.

When we asked how we could pray for each other, Kenny shared that his doctor had basically given up on him recovering the memory he lost after his strokes. They have diagnosed him with early-stage dementia. He and Ruby shared how scared he is of losing the memory of his family and friends, as tears came to their eyes. They shared how they continue to trust God, even as they don't understand why this is happening, even as hope is hard to come by.

It was a powerful moment for all of us who were there, and a moment possible only because we were there.

Rejoice with them that do rejoice , and weep with them that weep. - The Bible, Romans 12:15

new year, new post

It's been too long since I've written, so here are a few updates:

- We had a blessed holiday season, with Kristy's sister Karen and her family stopping in for a couple days over the Christmas weekend. Then we spent the New Year's weekend with my family in Illinois. I got to play basketball with some of the guys, and we were blessed to worship at my parents' church Sunday morning.

One highlight of the weekend for me was going to breakfast with my siblings Saturday morning. Other than having to explain Matt's six cherry limeades to the waitress, it was great.

- I wanted to say thank you to Russell Dennis (president of Heritage Baptist College) and his family for filling the pulpit and playing special music while we were gone. They were a blessing to our people!

- It has been a challenging past few weeks for myself, as well. We have had to make some transitions with the church, and some dear folks have decided to move on to other church families. Though it is painful, I want only God's best for them, and wish for them only that the work God started in their hearts will continue.

- I am rethinking next steps for the life of our church, as we will be in full replanting mode. One of the steps necessary will be to ask my friends and fellow churches for temporary support for myself and my family. If you would be interested in helping out in this way, please email me (redhedrev at gmail dot com).

- I have been encouraged by recent conversations with some family and dear friends who have affirmed what God has put in my heart. You know who you are, and I owe you a great debt of gratitude.