- I’m so proud of Redemption Gateway this morning.
- After a month or so of praying and encouraging people to consider moving to the 5:00pm service, we had 295 people at our 5:00pm service last night!
- In the fall, we averaged about 195 at 5:00pm, so that’s a big jump.
- Most of all, it did what we hoped by creating room for guests in the morning.
- I met a bunch of new folks yesterday morning and was thrilled that they had such a good experience.
- Felt like both a great conclusion to 2016’s focus on mission through Home Away From Home, and a great launch to 2017 as we study the mission of the church through Acts.
- I had a ton of fun preaching yesterday to start the Acts series.
- Always enjoyable to preach a book of the Bible and I think this one will be remarkably formative for me, for our congregation, and for Redemption as a whole.
- One new family I met yesterday were encouraged to come to Redemption by some neighbors who don’t really go to church.
- Would love to know how they knew of us or recommended it, but really cool.
- Things are kind of kicking into full swing now with lots of kids back at school, new classes beginning, and with Student Winter Camp next weekend.
- The Student team told me this morning that last year they had 106 kids at camp and this year they have 170 registered.
- I love the impact that that ministry and all the mentors have on the lives of those young people.
- And I can’t wait for my oldest daughter to join the ministry next year (she’s pretty excited too).
- That’s the other thing that’s starting… the winter soccer season.
- And, yes, I ended up volunteering to coach.
- I typically don’t volunteer right away because I like the idea that maybe my girls could end up on a team with somebody that actually knows soccer.
- But, alas, once they didn’t have a coach I figured that if I volunteered I’d at least get to decide when and where practice would be.
- And since both Abby and Caitlin are on the same team, it’s a chance to get some extra time with them.
- Had our first practice last week and it’s a sweet group of girls.
- Then I went to a coaches clinic this weekend put on by the league and learned for the first time in my life how to dribble a soccer ball.
- Like, the actual, right way to do it.
- Made me realize that one of the reasons I didn’t really like to play soccer was that I didn’t know what I was doing.
- Hoping I can help some of these girls figure it out and maybe they’ll have a better experience than I did.
- We also got our uniforms (yellow and navy) and so now the big decision is what our team name should be.
- It’s the big decisions in life, right?
- In other random news, have you watched any of the show This is Us?
- I’d heard from a bunch of people how good it was, so Molly and I started watching it over Christmas.
- It’s really, really good.
- Didn’t win anything at the Golden Globes, but that’s cool.
- Going to watch the College Football National Championship tonight.
- Pulling for Dabo and really hope his guys B.Y.O.G.
- Alright, gotta run.
- Have a great week.
- All of life is all for Jesus.
