Posts Tagged “Come Home”

Mar 09 2009

Sunday Post Game

Posted by: jcarpenter in General, tags: , ,
•GREAT DAY today…I HATE Spring Time Change Sunday – statistically the lowest attended Sunday of the year and typically kicks our butts.

•BUT – we weathered the storm very well. Attendance actually UP at the AC this week. TONS of first time guests.

•Most Importantly God showed UP and showed OFF. In the past two weeks we’ve seen 104 people COME HOME to GOD at Compass Church.  THAT’s something to CELEBRATE!!

•Somebody call somebody – God is doing something BIG in the 11:15 AC VIDEO service. God has used video to invite 21 people to Come Home in that service alone the past 2 weeks.

•I had a “secret shopper” from one of the largest churches in America attend the 11:15 AC service – he said the video service was Powerful, Passionate, and Emotional. I can’t say enough about our totally Volunteer Production team – you ROCK, Jesus ROCKS through you, you are the best on the planet at what you do.

•Marcus Dobbs rocked the house today – I LOVE seeing him lead worship. What makes it so special is He’s one of our own that God is calling out to greatness. Marcus and his wife Patti have cleaned the AC campus now for at least 5 years. They areservants and a huge blessing.  Fires me up to see God minister through him.

•Matt Ammons could literally not talk/sing on Friday but knocked it out of the park – nobody would have known he was sick.  Brings back memories – Michael Jordan going for 40+ with a 103 degree fever.

•Can I just say I LOVE THE ENERGY in our worship the past two weeks – it’s freakin off the chain. The singers have taken it to a Whole Nutha Level!!

•People holding up signs during “You Found Me” was a Top 5 most powerful service moment.

•My wife rocks. She was an incognito pastor’s wife undercover today – I didn’t ever recognize her on stage! I bought her that super cool off the chain hat when I was in Texas.

•TEAR DOWN went the best ever at the OC – these guys and gals are UNBELIEVABLE and LEADING the MOVEMENT to connect people to Jesus in Northeast Georgia – NO WAY I could EVER thank them enough or could we do what we do without them.

•Yea, I felt like a ROCK STAR jumping off the OC stage into the audience today…been wanting to do that for a long time.

•And Yea, our DYSFUNCTION does not have to determine our DESTINY.

•Love pastoring this church – NEVER been a part of so much life change in all my life.

•Going to miss the COME HOME series – one of my all time favorites. God did something the past 3 weeks that I believe will usher in a season of life change in both our church and community like none of us have ever experienced before.

•OK – you need to know I’m PUMPED about our next series (does that surprise you?!).  Seriously – Get Ready, Get Ready, Get Ready – many of you are about to experience the biggest season of spiritual growth you’ve ever taken in your life over the next four weeks during STRIP.

•More details on that tomorrow.

•It’s 9:30pm – still at the baseball park. Yea, we’re baseball freaks. This weekend we’ve had one 9 year old softball tryout in Danielsville, 2 middle school games in McDonough, 4 14U games in Cumming, 6 12U games in Monroe and a ton of great memories. Baseball is a spring rite of passage in the Carpenter family.

•Pray for us as a staff and leadership team this week. Some Big Time Decisions to make on next steps where God is leading us!!

•The BEST is yet to come.

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Mar 06 2009

Sunday Pre-Game

Posted by: jcarpenter in General, tags:

I can’t believe this is the LAST WEEK of our current series COME HOME.  This series has been INSANE and we almost didn’t do it.

Some things you need to know about Sunday:

•Daylight Savings Time Begins – Set your clocks ahead one hour before going to bed Saturday night!

•There will be NO SNOW – temps will be in the 70s. We’ll probably have some Host Team in shorts….Gotta LOVE our Athens weather.

•I’m willing to bet 99% of you have NEVER HEARD the story I’m preaching from Sunday and you’ll NEVER FORGET this story EVER.

•I heard a lot of comments that last Sunday’s message was one of the “most powerful/best messages you’ve ever heard…” I’ll pay y’all later, but what I want you to know is that I SERIOUSLY believe THIS SUNDAY’s message will go down as THE MOST POWERFUL and LIFE CHANGING message we’ve ever done.

•The Creative Team is doing an element in this week’s service we’ve NEVER done and I can’t wait to see the impact!!

•With all the Come Home INVITES I’m hearing about I’m asking God for and expecting the largest attendance we’ve seen this year.

•Please PRAY like crazy for God to do something BIG and INVITE every person you know who has given up on God or the church. We welcomed 54 people BACK HOME last Sunday and are planning for a homecoming party that blows that one away THIS SUNDAY.

•I can’t wait to go to UNLEASH with 40 of our leaders this Thursday at New Spring Church. It has been sold out for several weeks, we just received a few extra tickets. Call the church office and talk to Sheryl if you want one – 706-369-9431.

•Pumped about watching both of my boys play baseball this weekend.

•Saw a movie at the Cine in downtown Athens last night on date night with Lis – it rocked!!

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Mar 04 2009

Sunday Post Game on Wednesday…

Posted by: jcarpenter in General, tags: ,

MAN vs WILD

•Saving the BEST – Sunday Post Game – for Last…LOTS to catch up on….

•Been without Power until late last night – couldn’t post blog…Craziness.

•Monday morning 4 trees we’re literally blocking our road…We my brother-in-law had to cut them down with a chain saw (they won’t let me touch one even in a state of emergency).

•No, you can’t drink 30,000 gallons of pool salt water, but sure comes in handy to flush your toilets with when there’s no water or power.

•9 People spent the night huddled together in our living room Sunday night with oil lamps and candles – felt like Grizzly Adams.

•We wimped out & stayed at a friend’s house in Colbert who had power Monday night.

•Why do People in the South Freak Out about Snow BUT Love to Play In the Snow and get their cars stuck?

•I pushed a dude in a Mustang sitting in the middle of the intersection, but couldn’t get him to move more than a foot…I then realized he had “Slicks” for rear tires – only in the South!!

•My nephew built the funniest Snow Man I’ve EVER seen in my life. I hope you all tried some “Snow Ice Cream.”

GOD STUFF ON WEDNESDAY

•Wed Morning Men’s Group ROCKED this morning.

•We always kick off with a YEA GOD & Celebrate before we do anything else – 2 CELEBRATIONS worth getting my butt out of bed @ 5:30 am today….

#1 – One of our guys (both he and his wife were laid off within two weeks of each other) was hired yesterday…guess what?  With a Pay Increase.

#2 – A really good friend that helped me launch Compass back in the day showed up unannounced this morning. “A Sweet Friendship Refreshes the Soul” (Proverbs 11:25)

SUNDAY POST GAME

•Best for Last…We saw FIFTY FOUR People raise their hands to COME HOME on Sunday – BLEW Me Way. God ROCKED our Worlds!

•I had several people tell me Sunday was the MOST POWERFUL service they’ve ever attended at Compass Church!

•That BLOWS me away and YES – God Showed Up and Showed Off both DURING and AFTER the service (to walk out & see snow was stinkin’ awesome).

•We ran out of Come Home Packets – if you raised your hand and did not get a Come Home Packet, call the church office or pick one up on Sunday at the Connections Area.

•Ton of people asked me where to get the book we included. It’s called “The LIfe You’ve Always Wanted” by John Ortberg. Yes, it’s worth it – I don’t recommend anything to read that has not impacted my life.

•I Prayed Sunday morning for the weather NOT to impact us, but rather the CHURCH would impact the weather…We had a TON of First Time Guests on Sunday – INCREDIBLE considering every tv and radio station was screaming SNOW!!

•We decided a long time ago there were enough churches for people who actually like going to church. So, we decided to build a church for people who DID NOT like going to church. I had a first time guest on Sunday who DOES NOT like church tell me we were doing a good job at that and she’d be back. MADE MY DAY!!

•Please PRAY like Crazy for this Sunday and INVITE Every one you know whose given up on church or God or is tired of religion. We’re expecting them and want to WELCOME them BACK HOME.

•There’s a serious BUZZ about this series. This Sunday is the FINAL WEEK. If there was EVER a Sunday to bring a GUEST – THIS SUNDAY is the SUNDAY!

•I PUMPED out of my mind to Preach this Sunday…THIS is actually the week and Old Testament story I couldn’t wait to get to (I bet 95% of you have NEVER heard this story before in your life). It is one of the MOST POWERFUL illustrations of the GOSPEL in the Bible!

•Worship ROCKED – one of the best sets we’ve ever done.

•OC Tear Down Team ROCKED – few in number but MIGHTY in Power. It’s because of CRAZY people like you that tear down and load trailers in the SNOW when you should be at home in front of the fireplace that God is using us to ROCK Northeast Georgia for Jesus.

•Host and Parking Teams – thanks for freezing your abs off to Welcome and Greet and Park us on Sunday in the RAIN – you ROCKED!!

•LEADERSHIP COMMUNITY ROCKED – I absolutely LOVED hanging out with 40 of our Volunteer Leaders, pouring into them, praying with them, and just catching up. We needed that time for both campus leadership teams to come together, celebrate what God is doing, and learn from each other.

*PLEASE pray for SUNDAY for God to do something BIG and for the Compass STAFF – we need it BIG TIME!!

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Feb 27 2009

Are You Growing…Sunday Pre-Game

Posted by: jcarpenter in General, tags:

ARE YOU GROWING?

My oldest son said this morning at breakfast “All My Pants Are Getting Too Tight.”

He’s also bench pressing more and squatting more than ever before.

Both are signs of Physical Growth.

Jesus said the way we grow spiritually is by bearing Fruit (John 15:5-8)

Jesus said His food, nourishment, sustenance for life, nutrition – in other words what made Jesus GROW – was to do the will of His Father (John 4:32-38).

Jesus then defines “spiritual fruit” as people who are “brought to eternal life.” (John 4:36)

I was challenged to ask myself, “Jim, What signs of Spiritual Growth are shaping my life?”

I want to personally be that kind of person and lead a movement of people who can say “we are bulking up, are busting out, are bench pressing and squatting more than ever before when it comes to connecting people to Jesus.”

SUNDAY PRE-GAME

As I write this, the countdown clock says Compass Church is LIVE in 2 Days, 1 Hour, 7 minutes, 39 seconds.

#1 – PRAY LIKE CRAZY for Sunday for God to Show Up and Show Off like never before.  Pray with me - I’ve personally invited 10 to Come Home this Sunday – it’s going to ROCK to see what God Does.

#2 – DO SOME SPIRITUAL REPS, some Bench Pressing and Squatting before Sunday by INVITING every Drifter or person who is Drifting away from God to THE HOUSE this Sunday to experience a Homecoming like we’ve never experienced before.

God has ROCKED  and WRECKED my world (ignited my passion…broke my heart) preparing the message this week…I’m not big into ‘Predictions’ but I believe with all my heart we are going to be part of seeing more people Come Home to God in our 3 services Sunday than any other day in our church’s history….CAN’T WAIT!!!!

We have the greatest Volunteer Leaders on the planet – I can’t wait to hang out with you TOMORROW MORNING – 9:00am @ the AC Campus (breakfast and coffee will be ready to go @ 8:45am).

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Feb 23 2009

Sunday Post Game

Posted by: jcarpenter in General, tags:
•Sunday was HUGE. God did something BIG on both campuses as we introduced the most life changing series we’ve ever done – COME HOME!

•Lisa told me that is was a very reflective message – lot to think about. Others said it was the KICK IN THE BUTT they needed.

•Sometimes I think we ought to just shut the church down for those that say they attend Compass but rarely come – yea, that’s a bad attitude.  But I’m absolutely PUMPED out of my mind for what God is doing through the local church in my generation and for the life of me can’t figure out why someone would want to sit at home or do something else on Sunday. But that’s just me!!

•If you’re reading this and take it personally, maybe it was meant for you!

•Christine Cain from Hillsong Australia, who spoke at the C3 conference and shared her story of abuse by four different men for 12 years, said the best counsel she could give anyone on healing from the “Spit” of life (ok, that’s my words but intent the same) was for her to show up Every week for the past 20 years at THE HOUSE (aka the local church).

•We need the corporate Worship of God and the Word of God to flow through our minds, bodies, and veins – ANYONE who thinks they can do it alone is DUMB…ok, pc – is “very misguided.” (I wanted to say Stupid)!

•If you’re reading this and take that personally, maybe that was meant for you!

•Yea, I’m UNAPOLOGETIC and PASSIONATE about the local Church. I really do believe it’s the HOPE of the WORLD – not government, education, or business. The CHURCH is  the only DNA carrier of the only message in the history of the world that can change a life, heal the broken, and free our souls – the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

•We’ve got something to get EXCITED, PASSIONATE, FIRED UP ABOUT – we get to be part of the the CURRENT of the Power of Christ that SURGES forth when the Gospel of Jesus Christ is presented Boldly, Unashamedly, and UNDERSTANDABLY.

•Next week will be one of the most UNFORGETTABLE services we’ve ever had at our HOUSE – Compass Church.

•If you missed Sunday and had  a Hall Pass (like someone died or a once in a life ski trip or you were ill with the flu), PLEASE listen to the Podcast – this series, Come Home, WILL set the pace for our entire year of ministry. We need EVERYONE on the same page with what God is asking us to do. We’re are going to Make the Name of Jesus Famous in this community like never before!

Sunday Highlights:

•The Buzz & Anticipation at both campuses about God is off the chain. I LOOK FORWARD to every Sunday with great anticipation of what God could do with ordinary people who have extraordinary value that sit in our CHAIRS every single week.

•Yes, I did say “Jesus Loves Porn Stars” Sunday. Seriously – he does. If you don’t think so, you need to read the Bible!

•The 11:15 AC Video Service ROCKED. Attendance was up. We had someone accept Christ. Video works. You don’t need Jim, you need JESUS!

•Thanks to those who are on the front lines making this happen – you are allowing us to Reach People we’ve never Reached before!

•Never Gets Old – we had people at both campuses Come Home and surrender their lives to Christ!

•Made My Day - Saw several new Volunteers on the OC set up/tear down team – we have a Plumbing truck pulling one of our trailers – Love It!

•Favorite Moment Sunday – happened when I said “Hi, my name is Jim and I’m Addicted to Changed Lives.” Our Entire OC Usher Team (and several others) shouted back immediately “Hi, Jim.”  Most didn’t have a clue – it was AWESOME!

•Broke My Heart – a 7-8 year old boy took a SINGLE Come Home Invite Card and came up to me and said he wanted his mom to come with him. Here’s what’s so cool about God – I know her personally, she used to come to church (at Compass). She’s Drifting…I’m PRAYING EVERY DAY this week that God uses that little boy in his mom’s life to Bring Her Back Home to her Heavenly Father’s HOUSE.

•Didn’t Jesus say Kids would lead the way in the Kingdom.

•Fired Me Up – a mom with tears in her eyes for her 39 year old son took a Come Home Invite Card and asked me to pray that her son would come back home. You bet I’m praying for her and him.


•Got Me Pumped – The Host team told me many people we’re asking for Come Home Invite Cards – that ROCKS.

•I Needed This – one of my boy’s baseball teammates asked him Sunday in between ball games “Who was that – your brother?” When MacLean said, “No, thats my dad” His teammate looked back and said “Your dad is in his 20s!!” – C’mon now – my new favorite 14 year old in the world!!

•I’m telling you church, we are on to something. God wants to do SOMETHING BIG THIS SUNDAY if You and I will get UNCOMFORTABLE and become INCONVENIENCED and BOLD enough to INVITE every person we’ve ever known who has DRIFTED away from God or is DRIFTING away from God….With God’s favor, you get them there.  I Promise you we’ll be ready with our A Game and a Homecoming Celebration like they’ve never experienced. We’re pulling out all the stops to Welcome God’s LOST CHILDREN back home this Sunday!!

•Staff will be with my friend Shawn Lovejoy in Cumming, GA on Monday/Tuesday this week at Church Planters Conference – check it out here.

•ABSOLUTELY CANNOT WAIT to preach out of Luke 15 and the story of the Prodigal Son – freakin pumped about that!!!

•ABSOLUTELY CANNOT WAIT for LEADERSHIP COMMUNITY this Saturday (2-29) and the incredible opportunity to meet with all of our Volunteer Leaders from Both Campuses who are ROCKING this community for Jesus – I’ve heard the words Krispy Kreme and Chick Fil A Biscuits by those who are planning this event.  Leaders I hope you RSVP’d!!

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Feb 18 2009

Sunday Post Game

Posted by: jcarpenter in General, tags: ,

•#1 – 5 people invited Jesus into their heart and life Sunday – Life Change NEVER gets old. That’s why we do what we do!

•#2 – Check out THIS VIDEO from Sunday produced and edited by and featuring Compass Volunteers – SAYS IT ALL!.

•And in case you missed it – I don’t ever want to hear anyone say again “I’m JUST a Volunteer!”

•YOU ARE: a servant of the Most high God, made in His image for His glory, JUST changing the world one life at a time, JUST turning this community upside down, JUST putting marriages back together, JUST leading people back to God,
JUST placed here for such a time as this, JUST a light to this city, JUST an UNCOMMON – UNBELIEVABLE – UNSTOPPABLE Force proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ, comforting the broken, standing in the gap on behalf of this generation, proclaiming that captives have been set free and prisoners will be freed…YOU ARE LEADING A MOVEMENT!  You are anything but JUST a VOLUNTEER!
•You are part of 300 Volunteers Strong CONNECTING people to the CURRENT of the POWER of CHRIST that SURGES forth whenever the Gospel is preached (I remember hoping 300 people would just show up for a service on Sunday…AMAZING!!)

•The Compass staff is praying for 500 by Easter to ramp up for all that we believe God is getting ready to do through this church in this community.

•Don’t wait another day – we’ve got a spot for you to be part of the GREATEST VOLUNTEER MOVEMENT on planet earth – the local church.


•My goal is to see every man, woman, student, boy, or girl to be Ignited and Used by God to make a difference in THIS GENERATION…to know what it feels like to be a CONNECTOR to the CURRENT of the POWER OF CHRIST that SURGES forth when the Gospel is preached.

•It’s Your TIME…Your YEAR…Your OPPORTUNITY! – Jump In Today!!

THIS SUNDAY

•We launch our brand new series – COME HOME! I’ve been waiting, praying, planning, anticipating for WEEKS – I can’t wait to preach this series!!

•After a marathon creative meeting yesterday –  I couldn’t sleep last night thinking about it – the songs, the message, the stories of people coming back home to God you will experience during this series…we’ve NEVER DONE a series like this before.

•We have an opportunity in this series to see more people come home to Christ than any 3 week period in our church’s history – I can’t wait to see what God does!

•We will experience the most powerful 3 week window of life change from sharing the Gospel in the history of our church…had to say it again!

•I can’t get THIS SONG out of my head – it’s the WHY behind the series.

•Here’s where I need your help – Do you know any “DRIFTERS?”

•Do you know anyone who is drifting or has drifted away from God? There’s a thousand reasons – divorce, the “spit” of life has beaten them up, things didn’t turn out as planned, grew up going to church and don’t want to have anything more to do with it, burned out on religion and/or the church, have said they are never stepping back into a church again, feel mad/ticked off/upset/p.o.’d at God or the church, maybe felt God or the church has let them down, tired of the church’s judgmental and hypocritical attitude, felt they have been dropped by God or someone else,  they’ve gone way to far for God to ever love them – Would you help me INVITE them to COME HOME this Sunday – we are planning a Homecoming for them like they’ve NEVER experienced in their life before!!

•INVITE EVERY SINGLE one of them you can (and their cats & dogs – ok, not the cats) this Sunday. We’re pulling out all the stops to launch this series.

•COME HOME INVITE cards will be available under the carport at the church 24/7 beginning today – pick them up when you bring your students to 706 tonight!!

THIS WEEK

•Getting on a plane to go back to my roots – going to Dallas, TX to the Creative Church Conference where God planted the vision inside of me to start Compass Church. Yea man, it’s going to rock…can’t wait to drink the creative kool aid!

•Most stinkin awesome creative church on the planet with one of the most dynamic leaders of my generation – Ed Young!

•Paul and Matt are going with me – we’ll be back Friday night.

•Stay connected to the conference and get the behind the scenes scoop here – http://www.twitter.com/edyoung or http://www.edyoungblog.com.

•Still not over last Sunday…Still not sleeping about this Sunday.

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