mcD’s and BK.

I was chatting with a friend of mine and I described to him how here in Caro, the more fashionable third place is McDonald’s. It’s a great meeting spot because of the atmosphere, coffee, and conversation space. And in the same conversation we were talking about how the local Burger King isn’t doing well.

So I got to thinking about the lobby in McD’s versus the lobby/eating area in Burger King.

And there’s a stark difference.

The BK lobby isn’t as friendly. It’s plain jane (decor from the 80′s) with virtually no “feel” of a typical third place environment (and I define that “feel” as the Starbucks motif. Enter a Starbucks and there is a sense of comfort and relaxation, a place to “hang” and not feel uncomfortable. Here one has a coffee shop experience that may include WiFi, television, art on the wall, your iPad and a friend to converse with, or a good book to read).

Nonetheless, I began to think about the local church and the buildings she inhabits. Are they comfortable? Or do they fail to speak the language of the culture? Does it provide a space where people can be open, honest, and transparent, or does it feel “religious” (meaning ancient) and disconnected (meaning people do not understand the cultural cues)?

We want to serve people by providing spaces for the gospel to be heard and community to be had. A place where the only stumbling block is the gospel.

And McDonald’s has re-branded themselves and literally changed the way people experience their food. Burger King hasn’t done that and I wonder if that is part of the reason they are struggling.

tainted by joy.

Yesterday was awesome. I left our worship gathering and luncheon with a full heart tainted by joy. We celebrated our church’s 125th anniversary and it was one of the neatest things I’ve ever been a part of. Stories were shared and we rallied around our past, present and future. It was an incredible honor.

I wanted to post a couple of pics for you to see. Check ‘em out below!

the hand.

For the Lord your God dried up the waters of the Jordan for you until you passed over, as the Lord your God did to the Red Sea, which he dried up for us until we passed over, so that all the peoples of the earth may know that the hand of the Lord is mighty, that you may fear the Lord your God forever.” -Joshua 4:23-24

As mentioned yesterday, this Sunday is our 125th Anniversary celebration. I love these sorts of celebrations.

They shape us. And mold us.

As God’s covenant people.

Memorials do several things, but in particular, they:

1) Help us remember the past.

2) Give us clarity on our identity in the present.

3) Challenge us to look to the future.

Everything is eschatological (I define this as infinite non-time colliding with finite time–not the end of the world!) and in these two verses we see these three assertions unfold. God has acted, is acting, and will act. He dried (past tense), helped them pass over (present), so that (future) the earth will know the Lord is mighty and fear can ensue forever.

The hand is at work, both now and then, and into the future.

Are you watching?

125 years.

This Sunday is going to be fun. We are celebrating our church’s 125th Anniversary. 125 years of faithfully proclaiming the gospel; faithfully communing together and living on mission. What an amazing thing, indeed!

I’m particularly excited about sharing that history and spring-boarding into the future with our vision, mission, and ministry strategy that reflects the deep-rooted DNA of our context and people.

• Our Vision: To Glorify God by enjoying Him forever.
• Our Mission: Partnering with Jesus in Building a Movement of Changed Lives.
• Our Strategy: Celebrate. Connect. Contribute. (See Acts 2!)

You can watch our live-stream here.

I’m praying that God would be honored as we celebrate the past and engage the future.

Soli Deo Gloria!