Carnival Day
USC’s Blatt Field
3pm-7pm
- Cotton Candy, Snow Cones, Popcorn, Jump House, Ultimate Frisbee and MORE. Invite some friends and be there TODAY around 3pm!
WEDNESDAY:
FREE Coffee & Rockband
Coolbeans on College St. just 1 block from USC’s Horse Shoe
7pm-10pm
THURSDAY (NOT just for the college students):
Skate Night & Putt-Putt & Free FOOD
Three Fountains Skating Rink – (DIRECTIONS are on the midtown website)
7pm-10pm
FRIDAY:
DODGE BALL Tournament
USC’s Blatt Field – the word is the Midtown Staff will be entering in a team…so bring it. Staff Strike Force is going to take it!
2pm
SATURDAY:
Lake Day – (DIRECTIONS are on the midtown website)
Wake Boarding, 4 square, beach volleyball, FOOD, and more.
1pm-8pm
I cannot wait to see what God does THIS SUNDAY, as we are gathering together for ONE BIG GATHERING @ 6pm @ The Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center in the VISTA in Downtown Columbia. The next week we go Multi-Site so join us as we will all be together in one room. It should be an exciting night! DIRECTIONS HERE.
Who is God? God is the universe’s Creator
And Sustainer plus the only Savior, there is no one greater
He triune, holy, omnipotent, omniscient, absolute
Loving, sovereign and righteous are a few of His attributes
How do we know this? Well, we know this from the Bible
Where God has revealed Himself- anything else is just an idol
What’s the Bible about? Man’s complete ruin in sin
And what God has done in Christ to bring us to Him again
What is sin? Sin is the breaking of God’s law
Plus our condition, which means from birth we all got flaws
What’s the result? The result is by nature we’re God’s enemies
And must pay the penalty unless God provides the remedy
What the remedy? The remedy is the cross of Christ
Where He suffered all the strikes for the lawless type
I’ve been rescued by the Lamb, I’m convinced that He’s risen
And blessed is the man whose sins are forgiven!
Just fall back, and with the eyes of faith
Behold the beauty of surprising grace
Because the Lamb has died, third day He had to rise
He’s magnified- God’s wrath is satisfied
Just fall back- there’s an atonement now
The cross of Christ is holy ground
Because the Lamb has died, third day He had to rise
He’s magnified- God’s wrath is satisfied
Regeneration- the Holy Spirit’s true work in His love
To the elect, who receive new birth from above
Expiation- expiation means God’s removed my filthiness
The old testament type was the goat into the wilderness
Redemption- we’ve been freed from slavery to sin
And His very own blood is the price He paid, my friend
Propitiation- Propitiation means since the Lamb has died
His work is finished- God’s wrath is satisfied
Adoption- adoption means God is now my Father
I got the hottest Poppa and by the Spirit holler Abba
Reconciliation means there’s no more enmity
God is now a friend to me, we’re no longer enemies Justification- God declares us righteous Sanctification- we’re being made into His likeness Glorification- that’s what happens at the finish
When God conforms believers perfectly to Christ’s image!
God’s grace is magnificent, He slayed His innocent
Son- through faith and repentance we get the benefits
What is faith? Faith is a gift from God- when we receive this
We trust and treasure the person and finished work of Jesus
Repentance? Repentance is turning from your sin
And trusting Christ as the Spirit cleanses you within
What is grace? Oh, grace is unmerited favor
Our inheritance major ‘cause we cherish the Savior
Right, and if I may quote again, we were doomed with Satan
But believers get Jesus’ righteousness through imputation
Imputation? God takes Jesus’ righteousness amount
Through faith He credits it into the Christian’s account
Anything else? Well, I guess this overview must suffice
But none of this is possible apart from union with Christ
And finally, once you know the ways of the Lord than the
only thing that you can say is Soli Deo Gloria!
I did a little reading and then held Jack for a while…Good Morning!
I tried out 3 Golf Drivers and ended up landing The Cleveland Launcher Composite 460. I got it for $65 and they re-gripped it with the one I wanted for FREE. I feel like I won!
Got my set of keys to our *New Earlewood Campus.
The Sound Installer folks met me over there to look around and make final measurements.
The install begins Monday. Multi-Site begins in 3 weeks…I almost just threw up…WOW…that is soon!
Then Renie, Jack, & I had dinner at Longhorn in the VISTA with Jon Ludovina & Erica Peterson (doing their wedding in less than a month) along with The Tippings.
Then I came home and watched a couple episodes of The Unit Season 2.
Then the fun began….FOOD POISONING…ugggggghhhhhhh… I was up from 2am – 6am. It was horrible.
SATURDAY
Spent the day at the house with Renie and Jack for the most part except for our lil’ road trip to Target. By the way I cannot resist getting the freshly popped popcorn they have….I love that stuff.
We had dinner with our friends the Tippings along with The Colemans (Paul is a student pastor in Mt. Pleasant and was one of my roommates in college). Renie and I love those guys.
We then went down to the river for a walk.
Then we watched The Unit Season 2.
SUNDAY
Message final prep and lunch at House Coffee on State Street in West Columbia. It is becoming a new tradition for me.
Then I came home and preached the message through a couple of times out in the “barn” in our back yard. I used to do it in the house but Renie started getting tired of hearing me preach it 2X at home and then she would hear it once at the Gathering.
Quick trip by Earlewood to get some important measurements for the sound booth that will be built this week as we prepare to go Mult-Site on August 23rd.
Preached the Crucifixion 3X at our Gatherings….it was very very heavy tonight!
Next week…we celebrate resurrection. Be there if you can!
Yes it is true…we are going Multi-Site starting on Sunday, August 23rd. The numerical growth that we have experienced has continued to push us towards this move. Back in October of last year we had a couple weeks where we jumped over the 800
Midtown VISTA
mark and that is in an auditorium that cumulatively between our 3 Gatherings seats at most 660 seats. We ended up adding an Overflow VIDEO Gathering in a room next door during all of our gathering times. This summer we were able to get a bit of relief as most of our college students have been gone for the summer. In June our numbers dropped down into the 400’s, which was expected. Well as it has happened now for 3 years in a row; we have added about another 150 – 200 people in the month of July alone and we are back up to where we were when the spring semester ended.
When the fall semester begins here in a few weeks we will have some 300 or more college students showing back up and on top of that we expect their to be the natural August/September numerical growth that has been typical no matter what goes down. We are also seeing an increase in the interest of families, which is very exciting to see. We actually now have members who are in their fifties…gotta love that!! All that to say we could very quickly be pushing over 1,000 people and ONLY have 660 seats to be hospitable with…YEA…that’s NOT hospitable. We really feel as though God has called us to reach more people with the gospel and opening up seats is an obvious must with where we are at this time.
We have tirelessly been looking for a larger venue and in doing so we have found a couple of options, but for the fact that we don’t have a few million dollars just sitting out back…those are NOT real options at all. Through much prayer the Vision Team Elders of Midtown have decided that we will be going multi-site as of August 23rd. God has opened up a 2nd venue for FREE through another local congregation in downtown. YES…FREE RENT! We will continue meeting at the State Museum at our
Midtown EARLEWOOD
regular gathering times, but we will be adding an additional 5:30pm Gathering at our new Earlewood location (older downtown neighborhood) with the option to add an 8pm Gathering whenever it is needed. If we end up adding 2 Gatherings this will open up 700 more seats for folks to hear the gospel, be transformed, and then be sent out into the city as missionaries with the gospel message. We will also be working through a merging process with the location church we will be meeting in. Their church voted on this 3 weeks ago and the vote was unanimous and moved forward. Be in prayer about what this will look like within the next couple of years.
I will share more details on what the preaching/teaching will look like along with worship leaders/bands in the next few days. I am personally excited about the move for a number of reason…Here are some.
I think Jesus wants us to do it.
The Gospel will advance.
More people will have the chance to experience the gospel message, true biblical family, and have the opportunity to be on mission with Jesus through the local church.
It is going to stretch me, our vision team, lead team, servant team, & missionary members to step up in a number of areas that will produce much growth and with it fruit.
I love stain glass windows.
THE DETAILS:
Midtown VISTA – 5:30pm, 7:15pm, 9pm (1.1 miles from the State House)
301 Gervais St
Columbia, SC 29201
Midtown EARLEWOOD – 5:30pm (2.5 miles from the State House)
2930 River Dr
Columbia, SC 29201
All the blessings we enjoy are Divine deposits, committed to our trust on this condition, that they should be dispensed for the benefit of our neighbors.- John Calvin
I am not sure in the moment that Calvin made that statement what he was thinking or what passage he had been delving in that morning, but what he articulates is biblical and challenging at its core.
Here is what he nails:
We are blessed
Our blessings are from God
We are to bless others
It may be possible that he had been spending time in Genesis 12:2, but again I really have no idea – “I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing.” Genesis 12:2
Here is the truth; God has blessed us with amazing deposits that are intended to be used as a blessing to those around us. The Gospel is rooted in the fact that we have done nothing to deserve the blessing of his salvation and sanctification, yet he has blessed us by pealing back the scales from our eyes so that we can see the blessing of His Grace given through Jesus.
So I challenge you with this as you reflect on The Gospel:
Who in your world can you be a blessing to that in your heart of hearts you feel deserves it the least?
Who is it?
Ok, Now go bless them.
O’ and by the way in the moment where you begin to remind yourself how much they don’t deserve it, don’t forget that you equally do NOT deserve the grace of Christ Jesus.
Ok so I know I have been majorly slack as of late when it comes to the world of blogging. I am going to try to get back in the groove this week so check back and we will see how I do.
FRIDAY
Caught up on a little bit of sleep (sleep is a very precious things these days)
Read for a while.
Met up with my friend Kakaras for a little golf for his birthday.
I shot 78. I have shot 78 the last 2 times…I am shooting about 7 strokes better before I had my ACL and Meniscus repaired…maybe I will hurt the other knee.
Later that night I went to a reception for some good friends who got married earlier this summer. (Renie and Jack stayed home…Renie was worn out)
SATURDAY
We spent the day at home simply chillin’ and doing a little bit of cleaning, laundry, and organizing.
We then at some great Midtown folks over for Bacon Wrapped Filets that I picked up at the Ole’ Timey Meat Market. That place is incredible and the meat is priced reasonably.
Renie, Jack, and I then watched 7 Pounds with Will Smith. Very good flick and worth watching. By the way, I am a new NetFlix customer and I highly recommend it.
I slept in the guest bedroom…I slept hard and all night. It felt great. Renie cut me a deal to where on Saturday nights I have NO getting up in the middle of the night Daddy duties since I preach on Sundays. SHE IS AWESOME.
SUNDAY
Daddy time with Jack in the morning. I read the BIG PICTURE Bible. We looked at the 10 Plagues and the Passover. He slept through it….O’well.
I then headed over to HOUSE COFFEE on State St. where I studied a bit and then ate a chicken salad wrap. I listened to the Pirates of the Carribbean sound track 3 times during my 3 hour study time frame.
Came home…and then preached the message 2 X through in the laundry room and then headed to the State Museum for THE GATHERING.
I preached the 5:30, 7:15, and 9pm Gatherings. It was my first time back preaching in a month. IT WAS GREAT to be BACK.
I preached Mark 14 and I think it was decently solid…we then shared in Communion.
I usually don’t post numbers because I am just NOT a big numbers person, but we topped the 600 mark tonight and all 3 Gatherings were packed out. THIS HAPPENS EVERY JULY with NO FAIL. By the end of July we reach back to the number we left the semester off with. Here is the thing we gotta about 350 college students gone for the summer. It is about to get crazy around here.
We are going multi-site on August 23rd…more on that later this week.
When you first read the title of this blog you may think that this post is about finishing well with the Gospel Message, well…….it’s NOT. Though I may do a post on that in the future. I thought we could have some dialogue on some of the things we have “NEVER DONE” but hope to do one day. (these are mostly fun in nature…I do have others that are more serious in nature, but I will save those for another day)
I want to kill a wild boar with a knife. (it may sound crazy, but I really do want to do it)
Shoot below a 71 in golf. (71 is my best and I shot that at FOX RUN in Simpsonville, SC, 11 years ago)
Go to a final round at The Masters in Augusta, GA
I am sure there is more things that I want to do that I have NEVER DONE, but those are just a few of the random things I would love to do at some point.
WHAT ABOUT YOU? I am curious… (someone get us started by commenting)
