Sunday

some thoughts about sunday at north point before i head off to bed…

1. i woke up really early today.   i think i was experiencing some anxiety.

2. i spent more time going over my sermon than i normally do on sundays.

3. preaching through the sermon on the mount has been way more challenging than i expected.

4. and i was expecting it to be really challenging!

5. teaching on anger and reconciliation the past two weeks has pushed me emotionally and made me even more aware of all the deep friendships i share in the north point family.

6. it’s hard to look people in the eyes…knowing the words i am saying are causing pain.

7. i’m not afraid to keep doing it,  tho.

8. teaching on lust,  divorce,  and the law this morning,  was not the most “seeker-sensitive” moment in my life…

9. …especially knowing we had a bunch of first-timers today!

10. it was awesome getting to introduce and pray for adam and autumn this morning.   i’m totally pumped about the start of a new era in youth ministry for NP.

11. i am super confident that adam is ready for the challenge of being our new youth minister.

12. i am even more confident that he is married to a perfect partner…who shares a love for kids and commitment to the kingdom.

13. i can’t wait to watch our youth ministry grow under their care and leadership.

14. it was great to have yan and nadya boldyrev,  missionaries in russia,  with us today.   a few of us got to meet them on friday night and hear of their ministry to orphans in st. petersburg.   it moved us.

15. it was super cool the moment they realized they share a common heritage with the north point family.   it happened during communion.   to see the tears in their eyes as we talked at the end of the service is a moment i’ll remember for a while.

16. only one phone went off during the service.   and it was a visitor.   very funny.

17. the youth group girls that sit in the front row crack me up.   they talk to me during my preaching,  as if we are casually standing around out in the lobby.   except we’re not.

18. it stinks that mike,  the electric guitar player for today,  got sick and couldn’t play.   i always love it when mike plays.   his smile is infectious.   i always smile watching him play.   the joy he has in playing is obvious.

19. the band definitely made up for his absence.   the music was great today!

20. the connection of  “inside out” to the message was really profound.   it was almost as if we were singing the sermon.   what a great song.

21. i love it when people invite their neighbors to join us.

22. we need to have regular classes on how to serve communion the right way.

23. we had the longest service we’ve had in years…73 minutes.   introducing and praying for adam and autumn.   longer announcements.   the longest song ever (inside out).   an extra long sermon  (it was about lust,  adultery,  divorce,  and righteousness.   what do you expect?).

24. we’ll be back to normal next week.   i promise.

25. the super bowl party was great.   lots of thanks to shari and the NP events team.   awesome attention to details.

26. i’m still feeling the effects of some amazing chili…as i write!

27. i am not a giants fan.   i’m censoring myself right now.

a great way to start a new week.

let your righteousness exceed that of the pharisees.   mike.