We Interrupt this regulary scheduled blog to bring you…
As probably the most active (and unquestionably the most verbose) Blogger in the Lifepoint Staff, (Both Volunteer and paid staff) I also try to keep current on what other churches and ministries are up to. As such I follow many other blogs, only some of which I have in my blog list.
The results of the above are occasionally I link to another blog for information or insight, or something of that nature. Today, though I just wanted to share something that I thought was really flipping (and by use of the term “flipping” I am merely attempting to state that this goes way beyond the term awesome) awesome.
As perhaps not everyone at Lifepoint knows (But will if they read this post) we are part of a network of churches (Ground Level Network) The church spearheading this is Elevation Pastored by Pastor Furtick. They are hugely impacting their community and have invested a lot into Lifepoint Church.
So back to the reason for this post, I was reading Wade Joy’s Blog (Elevation’s Worhsip Pastor) and found THIS POST, and then went to Pastor Furticks Blog and Read THIS POST and I got excited. and I mean excited, why? Read and see for yourself!
We Interrupt this regulary scheduled blog to bring you…
As probably the most active (and unquestionably the most verbose) Blogger in the Lifepoint Staff, (Both Volunteer and paid staff) I also try to keep current on what other churches and ministries are up to. As such I follow many other blogs, only some of which I have in my blog list.
The results of the above are occasionally I link to another blog for information or insight, or something of that nature. Today, though I just wanted to share something that I thought was really flipping (and by use of the term “flipping” I am merely attempting to state that this goes way beyond the term awesome) awesome.
As perhaps not everyone at Lifepoint knows (But will if they read this post) we are part of a network of churches (Ground Level Network) The church spearheading this is Elevation Pastored by Pastor Furtick. They are hugely impacting their community and have invested a lot into Lifepoint Church.
So back to the reason for this post, I was reading Wade Joy’s Blog (Elevation’s Worhsip Pastor) and found THIS POST, and then went to Pastor Furticks Blog and Read THIS POST and I got excited. and I mean excited, why? Read and see for yourself!
What a Day!
I’m not sure if words can describe the amazing day I’ve had today.
To start off we baptized 61 people this morning. And we only had 17 scheduled. How? Well I could explain but I’m going to guess that Pastor Daniel’s blog will have much more information about it in a day or so. I’ll link over to there once we get to that point.
Two of those people were members of my team! And another one is from our downtown leadership team! I was helping out backstage so I got to see all of them! For me it was really emotional, I wanted to cry in joy!
Earlier this year I posted about a talk that Pastor gave us about having the vessels for oil.
Well this morning was a God thing, we had 51 sets of clothing prepared for, and when we had 24 people respond first service we were scrambling to get stuff dry and reset for second service.
We used all 51 sets of prepared clothing and not a single person had to “double up” and used a previously used set! How awesome is our God. I’m throughly convinced that if we had 52 sets of clothing there would have been 62 baptisms, he had us prepare the vessels and provided the oil until we ran out!
And our downtown campus praise team led worship this morning and did an awesome job!
So this morning was amazing, then following the service I climbed into a van and we drove 10(ish) hours to Atlanta which is now where I’m posting from.
Had crawfish and gator tail for dinner!
I know that Josh is doing a blogumentary from Drive and I’ll be posting regular updates myself. Actually as all of us who blog (Pastor, Pick, Josh and Myself) are all down here and all have our labtops I’ll wager all of us will be updating.
What a Day!
I’m not sure if words can describe the amazing day I’ve had today.
To start off we baptized 61 people this morning. And we only had 17 scheduled. How? Well I could explain but I’m going to guess that Pastor Daniel’s blog will have much more information about it in a day or so. I’ll link over to there once we get to that point.
Two of those people were members of my team! And another one is from our downtown leadership team! I was helping out backstage so I got to see all of them! For me it was really emotional, I wanted to cry in joy!
Earlier this year I posted about a talk that Pastor gave us about having the vessels for oil.
Well this morning was a God thing, we had 51 sets of clothing prepared for, and when we had 24 people respond first service we were scrambling to get stuff dry and reset for second service.
We used all 51 sets of prepared clothing and not a single person had to “double up” and used a previously used set! How awesome is our God. I’m throughly convinced that if we had 52 sets of clothing there would have been 62 baptisms, he had us prepare the vessels and provided the oil until we ran out!
And our downtown campus praise team led worship this morning and did an awesome job!
So this morning was amazing, then following the service I climbed into a van and we drove 10(ish) hours to Atlanta which is now where I’m posting from.
Had crawfish and gator tail for dinner!
I know that Josh is doing a blogumentary from Drive and I’ll be posting regular updates myself. Actually as all of us who blog (Pastor, Pick, Josh and Myself) are all down here and all have our labtops I’ll wager all of us will be updating.
Intercessions…
Recently we were blessed to have one of Pastor’s mentors Dr. Early come down to speak to us. (About the subject of spiritual warfare is what he covered at the volunteer meeting). One of the items he mentioned was intercession.
That brought me back, back before Lifepoint was Lifepoint (we were Lighthouse at the time) after the worship set Bill (see previous worship team post) and Lucy (who hosts the small group I attend) would sit in a back room and pray over the service. Lucy is amazing, to borrow a phrase she’s someone who can pray down heaven.
When we moved to the new facility it’s something that kind of fell away mainly because we didn’t have the room setup with an easily accessible back room. However after Dr. Early’s talk, it’s something we’re going to be starting up again. As I was just privileged to witness, there is some serious power in prayer.
I think that Jeremy is coordinating it, when Dr. Early told the story they started with a big buff former military (I think) guy just going up to people and go hey, you’re praying with us today. If he can’t get volunteers I might ask Jim to do just that for us! Jim’s got a Heart for God and the Body of a tank.
Intercessions…
Recently we were blessed to have one of Pastor’s mentors Dr. Early come down to speak to us. (About the subject of spiritual warfare is what he covered at the volunteer meeting). One of the items he mentioned was intercession.
That brought me back, back before Lifepoint was Lifepoint (we were Lighthouse at the time) after the worship set Bill (see previous worship team post) and Lucy (who hosts the small group I attend) would sit in a back room and pray over the service. Lucy is amazing, to borrow a phrase she’s someone who can pray down heaven.
When we moved to the new facility it’s something that kind of fell away mainly because we didn’t have the room setup with an easily accessible back room. However after Dr. Early’s talk, it’s something we’re going to be starting up again. As I was just privileged to witness, there is some serious power in prayer.
I think that Jeremy is coordinating it, when Dr. Early told the story they started with a big buff former military (I think) guy just going up to people and go hey, you’re praying with us today. If he can’t get volunteers I might ask Jim to do just that for us! Jim’s got a Heart for God and the Body of a tank.
Prayer Power…
Somewhere around 11:15 last night I received a call from one of our church staff. Now let me start off by saying I’m an optimistic realist, (IE I always focus on the positive, but I’m not ignorant to the fact that there is a negative), Now almost everyone stored on my cellphone has their own ringtone, (a rash and fiscally irresponsible decision but it’s too late now, and it has been useful) so as soon as I heard it I knew something was amiss, I know this person would have waited until the morning for good news so I dove for the phone. He was on the way to MCV in Richmond their baby was having seizures and he asked me to pray and get the word out.
This first thing I did was a very quick prayer, the second was to call my parents, then I got notice that they were being re-routed to Fairfax.
At that point I was mass texting my entire team to ask them to pray.
I got an amazing response back (proving that I’m not the only night-owl on my team) and we got down to business. (And intercession is major business in my opinion)*
Around 11:30 one of the staff came back with this message, “This is spiritual Warfare, use your sword!” I felt rather sheepish for not even considering that, but I grabbed my Bible and flipped to the Psalms. I read, I prayed I meditated, I worshiped, I sang, and I know that there were at least seven other people doing the same (well maybe not the singing). Finally around 12:45, and I have no other way to describe this, but I just felt a peace fall around me and I got up off the floor, closed my bible, and grabbed my ipod to listen to some worship music. Seven minutes later a text arrives letting me know that the seizures have stopped and the little one is resting calmly.
God we thank you for your mercy and grace. I thank you for being my comfort through this, and my strength. We ask for your continued involvement in the protections of this family and this child. Father I cry out for your mercy and ask that you continue to protect our staff at Lifepoint. Thank you for the cross, thank you for the stripes you endured, by which we are healed. In Jesus name.
I ask that anyone who reads this would pray for our staff and their families, for their physical, emotional, mental and spiritual protection. For the work that has begun here, that we would have the courage, the strength and the compassion to do what God has called us to do. That we would live lives obedient to his purpose.
Thank you and God bless.
~Matthew Furukawa
04/29/08
*Sidenote: post to follow.
Prayer Power…
Somewhere around 11:15 last night I received a call from one of our church staff. Now let me start off by saying I’m an optimistic realist, (IE I always focus on the positive, but I’m not ignorant to the fact that there is a negative), Now almost everyone stored on my cellphone has their own ringtone, (a rash and fiscally irresponsible decision but it’s too late now, and it has been useful) so as soon as I heard it I knew something was amiss, I know this person would have waited until the morning for good news so I dove for the phone. He was on the way to MCV in Richmond their baby was having seizures and he asked me to pray and get the word out.
This first thing I did was a very quick prayer, the second was to call my parents, then I got notice that they were being re-routed to Fairfax.
At that point I was mass texting my entire team to ask them to pray.
I got an amazing response back (proving that I’m not the only night-owl on my team) and we got down to business. (And intercession is major business in my opinion)*
Around 11:30 one of the staff came back with this message, “This is spiritual Warfare, use your sword!” I felt rather sheepish for not even considering that, but I grabbed my Bible and flipped to the Psalms. I read, I prayed I meditated, I worshiped, I sang, and I know that there were at least seven other people doing the same (well maybe not the singing). Finally around 12:45, and I have no other way to describe this, but I just felt a peace fall around me and I got up off the floor, closed my bible, and grabbed my ipod to listen to some worship music. Seven minutes later a text arrives letting me know that the seizures have stopped and the little one is resting calmly.
God we thank you for your mercy and grace. I thank you for being my comfort through this, and my strength. We ask for your continued involvement in the protections of this family and this child. Father I cry out for your mercy and ask that you continue to protect our staff at Lifepoint. Thank you for the cross, thank you for the stripes you endured, by which we are healed. In Jesus name.
I ask that anyone who reads this would pray for our staff and their families, for their physical, emotional, mental and spiritual protection. For the work that has begun here, that we would have the courage, the strength and the compassion to do what God has called us to do. That we would live lives obedient to his purpose.
Thank you and God bless.
~Matthew Furukawa
04/29/08
*Sidenote: post to follow.
E double G s Eggs
Well Josh’s Blog now has the video for the egg drop up.
He did an amazing job editing the footage (as always!)
E double G s Eggs
Well Josh’s Blog now has the video for the egg drop up.
He did an amazing job editing the footage (as always!)
