A California couple is being fined for conducting a Bible study in their homes. Admittedly, it is a rather large Bible study on Sundays with up to 50 people. The city has determined it should considered a church and, thus, should apply for permits and provide ample parking and handicap access. In short, it comes…
Tag: Church
The Worship Project Band rockin’ the House during Worship Out Loud at The Gathering. I count it a privilege to be able to teach here week in and week out. I love my job.
The Worship Project Band rockin’ the House during Worship Out Loud at The Gathering. I count it a privilege to be able to teach here week in and week out. I love my job.
I think I’ve been a part of some of these groups in the past. Pretty funny vid. (HT: Pure Church) (Source: http://www.youtube.com/)
Resurrection Weekend at The Gathering
This weekend is going to be huge in the life of The Gathering. We are going to start the weekend with an incredible time of reflection and worship at 7:00 PM Friday, celebrating Communion together. This has always been very special to our Gathering Family and this year promises to be even better! If you…
First Baptist Church of…the Republic?
Over at the White Horse Inn, there is a good article on the Church and politics called, No Nation Under God, that I’ve included in my Google Shared Items Page and I encourage you to read it in its entirety. In this article, Pastor Jason Stellman discusses the way in which the political process has…
Christmas, Gathering Style
I am so excited about what is happening at The Gathering. You are stepping up to the challenge this year by reaching beyond yourself to be a blessing to people you will never know. Rather than allow God’s blessings to terminate on yourself, you are determining to be a channel of blessing to the world….
Amazed
I have to take a minute to say how thankful and proud I am for The Gathering. The more I think about what Scripture says the Church is supposed to be, the more I see The Gathering becoming that. That word “becoming” is so important as we must remember we’ll never arrive this side of…
On Mission
The report yesterday on the mission day in Atlanta was awesome. I’m excited about the opportunities that lie ahead for The Gathering. So many important doors are being opened and it’s incredible to watch our people excited about walking through them. On Saturday, we had 7 people join with a great team from Birchwood Baptist…
Hypocrisy
The charge of hypocrisy is the one I most often hear levied against the Church and used as an excuse by those who want no part of it. “I don’t want to hang out with a bunch of hypocrites” This is often the claim made by those who fail to realize that that statement is…
Real Community
I’ve been thinking about the real purpose of church and what we’re supposed to be about. Ultimately, of course, it’s to glorify Christ by making disciples (Matt. 28:19-20), but how do we do that together…as a church; a family? Hebrews 10:24-25 came to mind: 24 And let us consider how to stir up one another to…
Good Interview on Small Churches: Paul Cunningham
UPDATE 3/25/10 – For some reason, the creators of this promotional video have chosen to no longer promote and marked the video as private. Sorry if you didn’t see it as it really was a good and important interview. Guess I’m definitely not going to the conference now. I don’t know that I’m going to…
A Rant.
I’ve been thinking a lot about the state of The Gathering and where we’re going and how we will get there. I am incredibly encouraged by the spirit of the people who currently make up this Body and the excitement that is present about our future. There is a focus on the Mission here that…
2010: Year of the Mission
I met with our Mission One:Eight Team this past Wednesday night and left so encouraged and excited about the coming year at The Gathering. God has moved in some pretty big ways over the last couple of months, removing the inward focus that largely characterized what this church has been, bringing a fresh wind of…
Church, 7 Days a Week
Love this video. Don’t know where this church is, but if they’re also preaching the Gospel like they seem to be living it, they’ve got it going on. This needs to become the goal of The Gathering (and every other New Testament church for that matter).
The Gathering…in a year.
I had someone ask me this week where I hope The Gathering will be in a year. It didn’t take me long to come up with a few things I hope to see this church being in the coming year: 1. Strong disciples. That is something every church intends to accomplish, but few actually do….
What Does Organic Church Really Look Like, Anyway?
Thinking a lot about church lately. Yeah, I know – it’s my job. But I’m thinking more in terms of reformation and growth. You know, what we’re really supposed to be…and be about. At our church, we’re in a place where we’re re-thinking how things are done – What’s important. What’s NOT important. I find…
Dr. Alvin Reid on The Cost of a Great Commission Resurgence
I came across this exceptional article by Dr. Alvin Reid of Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, titled Do We Really Want to Pray for Revival? The Cost of a Great Commission Resurgence. If you care anything about the Church (the organism, not the institution), please take the time to read this insightful and challenging article.
Boroughing Through the Blahs
Tick, tock, tick, tock. We’re down to the last several hours of 2008. Another year flown by…memories of what has been accomplished flood my mind. For me, it’s been a good year, but I’m finishing more on a whimper. This holiday season has been absolutely exhausting for me. Between travel and trying to squeeze in…
Let’s go interactive! The Gathering on Twitter.
You now have the opportunity to get up-to-the-minute updates on what is going on at The Gathering as well as interact with those who are following. Prayer requests, reminders, and announcements will be posted regularly. Just one more way we’re building community at The Gathering. Get a free twitter account and start following. http://twitter.com/thegatheringmbc
Tough Love – 1 John 3:11-15
Man, John just pulls no punches, does he? Listen to some of this: “Whoever does not love abides in death.” “Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.” Tough stuff, but I read it very appreciatively. Sometimes we are too polite in the…
