Posts Tagged “Volunteers”
This week was ADMINISTRATIVE PROFESSIONAL’S WEEK (OUCH – if you forgot!!)
SHERYL GRAHAM, our Compass Admin Pro, is the BEST ON THE PLANET!!!! She has served with me 5 years this May (WOW – that’s a record!!). Lisa, myself, our family, and the Compass Staff are SO BLESSED to have her on our team!! I PROMISE YOU what happens on Sunday would NOT be possible without her – SERIOUSLY!!
Sheryl is a GODLY wife, mother, and friend. She loves Jesus, is passionate about changed lives, and a person of utmost character and integrity!! She ALWAYS brings her “A-Game,” Servant’s Heart, Smiling Spirit, and AWESOME Attitude. Every time she answers the phone you hear her smile!! She loves every single one of you (ok, there’s a few exceptions). Tuesdays are “meeting days” and she brings the “SNACKS!” (and often makes them herself)!!! We share the same birthday, BUT she is…oh, I can’t say who’s older!!
She HAS MY BACK – PRICELESS!!!! She is PURE JOY to Partner with!! Words really do FALL SHORT to describe or say thank you for all she means to us and all she does behind the scenes and in front of the crowd that no one knows about except her and God!!
Bottom line – She ROCKS & Jesus ROCKS through her EVERY SINGLE DAY she steps foot in our office!!!!!
AND, to ALL of our ADMINISTRATIVE VOLUNTEERS who serve throughout the week in the office and on Friday mornings – THANK YOU!! EVERY phone call answered, hand written letter, key of data entry, receipt/check posted, offering accounted for, mailer sealed/stamped/dropped off, welcome pack prepared, Easter egg invite stuffed, person plugged into service/small group, person prayed for…REALLY - There’s a DIRECT LINK with what you do behind the scenes and what God does in someone’s heart!!
“Observe people who are good at their work – skilled workers are always in demand and admired; they don’t take a backseat to anyone….They will serve kings rather than work for ordinary people“ Proverbs 22:29
IN CASE YOU WERE WONDERING….
I am FIRED UP about Sunday, this church, being your pastor, and our CURRENT SERIES about DECISIONS. We had a First Time Guest spend $20 to get to church in a flippin’ TAXI on Sunday – HUMBLED, SHOCKED, and BLEW me away at the same time. He said it was the BEST $20 he ever spent – BOO YAH!! There’s people SO HUNGRY for Jesus they are willing to PAY THEIR OWN WAY to come to church – Who Are You bringing with you THIS SUNDAY and paying their way!!??
I heard it again – “I WISH my teen, student would have heard this…I WISH I would have heard this 10 years ago!!” Let’s Do This Thing and Rock this city for Jesus THIS SUNDAY!! Can’t Wait!!
INVITE YOUR FACEBOOK FRIENDS HERE!
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“Jesus knew that the Father had given him authority over everything…So He got up from the table, took off His robe, wrapped a towel around his waist, and poured water into a basin. Then He began to wash His disciples feet and to wipe them with the towel He had around Him….I have given you an example to follow. Do as I have done to you….That is the path of blessing.” (JESUS - John 13:3-17)
When Jesus was the most powerful person in the room, what did he Do? He “TUT-ed” – he Took Up a Towel and washed the disciples feet…He SERVED!!
All week long I’ve been watching Compass VOLUNTEERS “TUT” by Serving the City AND working their butts off to make the Compass Warehouse Shine and get ready for Easter!!
I read a blog the other day about the “secret sauce” that one pastor feels makes their church unique – I agree and it got me thinking about this passage!
So check this out – last night I’m eating at Zaxby’s and that means chicken fingers and yes – EXTRA ZAX SAUCE!! I double dip because I can’t get enough of it!!
Any person living right knows chicken fingers without ZAX SAUCE doesn’t work. And then IT HIT ME – Compass without our incredible VOLUNTEERS doesn’t work either. The “Compass Zax Sauce” that makes EVERYTHING BETTER is the Unexplainable yet Undeniable PASSION of our SERVANT LEADERS. .
Now, I know some would argue JESUS is the ‘zax sauce’ that makes everything better and you’re ultimately right….without Jesus, we can do nothing. BUT, WE are His Hands and Feet to this Generation and HE does His best work through People.
Our Volunteers have begun a tsunami of generosity as you have “TUT’ed” 100s of hours serving the city the past two weeks.
Our Building and Grounds Teams have “TUT’ed” countless hours remodeling, bringing up to code, and now painting & landscaping our warehouse – doing things most would only hire out at their own businesses.
Our Creative Team, Band, and Worship Leaders spend 100s of hours planning, preparing, and sometimes even scrapping a completed element they’ve worked on to make our worship the best possible experience every single week.
Our Volunteer Leaders have literally freed up our staff to be FOCUSED on praying, planning, and preparing for the BEST EASTER EVER!!
Our Set Design Team was hard at work this week “TUT-ing” to get our Easter set ready (BTW – watch your backs – Sheryl & the Admin Volunteer team are scheming!!)
Our Compass Kids Teams “TUT” every Sunday by changing poopy diapers, calming screaming children, and imparting life changing truth to our rug rats every single week – and ALWAYS with the most incredible Attitudes and Smiles!!
Our Host Team “TUT” rain, cold, or sun to welcome, greet, and park guests every single week.
On our Administrative Team, I noticed them this week “TUT-ing” wearing out the keyboards and ink entering first time guest data, sending hand-written welcome notes, and preparing 1000s of mailers and welcome packs. Most have no idea of the tedious daily labor of love that goes on behind the scenes. But that’s not why they do it.
On and on it goes.
COMPASS VOLUNTEERS – thanks for “TUT-ing” with PASSION every single week and making EVERYTHING we do BETTER! You ROCK and JESUS ROCKS through you in every single act of service and generosity!!
QUICK HIT ABOUT EASTER
Our Creative Team says this is going to be the BEST FLIPPIN EASTER SERVICE of all time. I CAN’T WAIT to see WHO shows up and WHAT God Does.
We are adding a THIRD SERVICE for EASTER – SATURDAY Night @ 6:00 pm - you’ll be out in plenty of time to catch dinner afterward!!
If you haven’t invited anyone to Easter yet – SERIOUSLY – What are you waiting for?!!!! Jesus is Alive and if you know Him, you know HE”s the ONLY ANSWER we will ever need – LET’s DO THIS!!!
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How do I even begin to capture in words ALL God did today??!! Here goes -
- Most importantly, 9 people surrendered their lives to Jesus - that’s why we do what we do!!!!
- YES, I would have to say the MERGE couldn’t have gone better!!!!
- Today had to be the MOST POWERFUL WORSHIP EXPERIENCE I’ve ever been part of – Not one of, not top 5 – but THE MOST POWERFUL WORSHIP EXPERIENCE I’ve ever been part of!!
- IF for some reason you were not able to attend today, YOU NEED TO LISTEN TO THE PODCAST (posted Tues) BEFORE COMING NEXT SUNDAY!!!
- We are NOT the same church as the last time you came – God did something today that will FOREVER change the way we WORSHIP and CONNECT this community to Jesus.
- I knew this series was going to be POWERFUL, but I honestly underestimated what talking about the topic of WORSHIP UNLEASHED in our church today!!
- Today we worshipped with ALL of our Heart, Soul, Mind and Strength!!
- Today was just a TASTE TEST of what is happening in heaven 24/7/365 since the beginning of time (check out Revelation 4)…
- Today was a PRACTICE RUN of what is waiting for all of us who have surrendered our lives to JESUS!!
- Compass – DON’T TAKE THIS FOR GRANTED, Today was Not Normal – it was church at it’s best!!
- Today was what we were created for – TO BOLDY, AUDACIOUSLY, and PASSIONATELY WORSHIP HIM!!!!
- Today, we can with one voice proclaim like the Psalmist David, “I was GLAD when they said to me, ‘Let us go to the HOUSE of the Lord.’” (Psalm 122:1)
- We defined WORSHIP as what happens when we MOVE IN RESPONSE to God!! (Romans 12:1)
- THANK YOU COMPASS CHURCH for Moving In Response to our GREAT GOD today!! (Psalm 95:1-3)
- Compass Volunteers – YOU FLAT OUT BROUGHT IT TODAY – in every single area of service….
- From the ENERGY of the Parking Team, to the ELECTRICITY of our Greeters, to the EXCITEMENT of our Ushers, to the ENTHUSIASM of our Compass Kids Volunteers – God spoke BOLDLY and LOUDLY through every single one of you!!
- Compass Worship Team – THANK YOU for leading us where we needed to go – straight to God!!
- Compass Production Team – THANK YOU for creating an environment where we could worship our God like never before.
- Compass Staff – thank you for your leaving it all on the court this week so days like today can happen in this church and community!!
- To every single person who worked BEHIND THE SCENES this past week to make the MERGE HAPPEN (SO MANY, but you know who you are!!) – LIVES WERE CHANGED today, A CHURCH WAS SET ON FIRE today, – You are GOD’s WARRIORS and HEAVEN’s HEROES – the crowd of witnesses CHEERED LOUDLY TODAY on your behalf – you made them proud – YEA, YEA!!!! (Hebrews 12:1)
- Compass Church, Volunteers, & Staff – THANK YOU FOR WORSHIPPING TODAY – I can’t wait to do it again NEXT SUNDAY!!
- And….I heard that was only HALF of our Volunteers in action today – the rest of ya’ll better have your READY SHOES ON!!!!
- The past two weeks have ABSOLUTELY BEEN AMAZING – seriously – it’s hard to put into words ALL God is doing in this church right now!!
- What even BLOWS MY MIND MORE – God has SO MUCH MORE He wants to do!!
- I Can’t wait for Week 2 of WORSHIP HIM – if I were you, I’d make sure I didn’t come alone – the BEST is yet to come!!
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BOO YAH!!!!!! Thank you JESUS!! TODAY was the most ABSOLUTELY AMAZING DAY EVER @ Compass.
•We BAPTIZED 39 people today – that’s only half the story….
•…They literally had NO IDEA when they got up this morning they were getting baptized today.
•That’s Right – THEY might not have been PREPARED but GOD WAS PREPARED FOR THEM and our incredible Volunteers were too!!
•Today, I challenged people who had never placed their faith in Christ or had but had never been Biblically Baptized to BE BOLD, go for it, and be baptized on the spot – not next week, or next month, not go home and think about it, not raise a hand, flip a switch or walk an aisle, but to accept God’s original invitation and BE BAPTIZED TODAY to tell the world that you belong to Jesus.
•Talk about a RUSH – God showed UP and showed OFF in an AMAZING display of what He will do when we take risks for Him!
•Was it Risky? Boldest Risk we’ve ever taken as a church (trust me, we had our doubters – including me).
•Was it Worth It? So much we are going to do it again next Sunday. There’s already a BUZZ among our staff and church about what God MIGHT DO this coming Sunday!! I CAN’T WAIT and I sure won’t get much sleep this week!!!!
•NONE of us have ever experienced a day like this before in church…did I mention 39 people got baptized who had no idea their day would include being baptized for Jesus!!
•It wasn’t NORMAL…it was RADICAL, it was BOLD, it was GOD Showing Up and Showing Off, it was THAT DAY (Acts 2:41) coming to life in our generation.
•You had to have been there…if not, I imagine it’s hard to understand. It wasn’t about us, or people joining a church – this was about people of ALL AGES (middle school and up) RADICALLY and BOLDLY declaring for all the world to know through Biblical Baptism “I BELONG TO JESUS!!!”
Several key moments I’ll always remember…
-MEN who came forward holding their wives hands with tears in their eyes to be baptized as couples…
-DADS laying a spiritual foundation for their families by boldly stepping out (I’m telling ya, women love dudes who take bold spiritual steps with their lives!!)…
-STUDENTS declaring in front of their friends and family “I am Not Ashamed of Jesus”…
-A COACH baptizing two of his players he had invited to come with him to church that day…
-A LADY shouting back at me in response to the question “Is it your testimony that Jesus lives in your heart and life?” “YES, JIM IT IS!!!” – scared me but I loved it!!
-MY PHONE being blown up with texts that one of my close personal friends got baptized in the 11:00 AC Video service – I was BLOWN AWAY! Living Proof that God can use technology and a video service to POWERFULLY speak and change lives!!
-39 BOLD PEOPLE who put their fear aside, knees shaking and all, stepped out and stepped up, went public with their faith, and became catalysts for what I believe will be the Boldest Move Of God our city has ever known.
-MY FATHER-IN-LAW who has NEVER touched a computer before and couldn’t be there today, wanting to learn how to TWITTER he was so excited when I told him what God did!!!!
-MATT AMMONS, our worship pastor, who told me he was stripping and jumping in if nobody responded saving his job and NOT having to do that!!
•COMPASS VOLUNTEERS – ELECTRIC!!!! You were LEVEL 10 at your FINEST today – your Passion, Preparation, Organization, and Execution of the DETAILS in each of your areas was stinkin off the chain!! Thank you for doing WHATEVER it takes to connect people to God. I felt your passion, energy, and excitement to be part of a BOLD MOVE of God every step of the way today.
•COMPASS PRAY-ERS – THANK YOU!! For weeks, our staff, leadership, and prayer teams have been BEGGING God to do something BOLD like never before in our city, church, lives, marriages, homes, and school campuses – Guess What? TODAY HE started to answer those prayers!!!
•I can’t believe how many people are FASTING & Praying to beg God to do something BIG through BE BOLD!!
•Yes, it will take you a couple of days to get on track, work it out, get over the caffeine head aches, stop being hungry (ok, that will NEVER happen)…BUT PUSH THROUGH IT!! You CAN do it!! Here’s the BE BOLD FAST link on our website. I encourage you to download the message from our Dangerous Fast series and listen to asap – we’ll post a new one each week. Keep checking for updates as we’ll also be posting more specific food options for those doing the Daniel Fast and opening a discussion board to encourage each other and share all that God is doing.
•LEADERSHIP COMMUNITY ROCKED!! I was dog tired last night, BUT Worshipping with all of you COMPASS-ERS, Celebrating the Day, Hearing the new Volunteer Systems & Connection Group Structure the staff is rolling out this fall (Wesley is one funny dude!!), Taking Communion together, Kicking off the Fast, Seeing some of you eat EDAMAME for the first time and LOVING it, and ANTICIPATING what God is going to do through this church this fall PUMPED ME UP!! I’ll have to simply pass out….no way I’ll go to sleep after that!!
•DANG IT – the Braves just lost…still believe they are going to make the playoffs!!
•I’m Ready for Football Between the Hedges!!
•Get your READY SHOES ON!!! THAT DAY (Acts 2:41) is going to become THIS DAY in our city in people’s lives!!!!!
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LIVING the Gospel
The New Testament makes it clear that our love will distinguish us as followers of Jesus. It is clear that God has called us not just to talk about the Gospel but to LIVE the Gospel…which means being willing to love, give and serve extravagantly…just as Jesus did for us!
Well just last week, God allowed our church to love, give and serve extravagantly! He allowed us to be the hands and feet of Jesus to a community. Last Friday, I got to watch our church LIVE the Gospel and a week later I still can’t get over it! I just wanted to take a moment today to celebrate a job well done with each of you.
Compass Church, you can rejoice that through your extravagant love, generosity and service we were able to be Jesus to a community in need by providing 365 families and 1704 total people with 13 meals for every person in the family! Those final numbers fire me up almost as much as the memories that I have of seeing our volunteers “bust it” to do whatever it took to put that food in the hands of families that needed it!
If you have given generously by making a commitment to BEYOND and make it a discipline to give back to God through your tithes and offerings, I want to say thanks for LIVING the Gospel! It was through our BEYOND offerings that we were able to partner with the Northeast Georgia Food Bank to make this event possible and through your continued generosity that we will be able to continue this outreach.
If you were one of the 40 plus volunteers that showed up and showed out to express the love of Jesus to our community in a tangible way, I want to say thanks for LIVING the Gospel! Never have I been more blown away by our volunteers than I was seeing you do whatever it took to put over 28,000 pounds of food into organized boxes and ultimately into the hands of families that needed it!
Finally, if you have been on the fence about partnering with Compass Church through your time, talents and treasures, then I encourage you to get in on the action as we seek to see the Gospel LIVED out in Northeast Georgia!
Since I get to post today and the blog is all mine…. I’d also like to take this opportunity to tell you how fired up I am about this coming Sunday!
It is week 2 of GET SOME, perhaps the most audacious yet impacting series we have ever done! I heard from so many couples and singles that this series could not be more timely and God is already challenging people in a HUGE way. I have absolutely no doubt that God wants to use this series to change homes, marriages and families all over Northeast Georgia…but you have got to be here and invite your friends so that he can do that! Bottom line is Satan wants to destroy marriages and wants to lead singles into destructive relationships and marriages. He wants YOU to do anything but GET SOME of what we are talking about on Sunday….GUTS. You don’t want to miss out on what God wants to say to you and how He wants to challenge you THIS SUNDAY!
Chase McKissick
Compass Children’s Pastor
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ANNIVERSARY WEEK
•Anniversary week – celebrated 19 years of marriage on Tuesday, May 19 (took a blogging break early this week).
…YES! We had a great day – Lis picked me up early from work – hung out, saw a movie (Angels & Demons), dinner (Carrabbas – the chicken marsala is to die for)…nothing off the charts but LOVE spending time with her!
…YES!! we dated for 5 years and I love her more after 19 years of marriage than the day I met her!
…YES!!! we still feel like we’re “Clueless” and learning more about each other every day!
…YES!!!! we practice what I preach – that’s ALL I’m sayin’…
•Still RECOVERING from the surprise party we hosted for my mother-in-law at our house this past Saturday. 150 people, best chicken and barbecue on the planet, and the desserts – let’s just say we DON’T MESS AROUND – 10+ BEST CAKES ever assembled underneath one giant tent (chocolate, german chocolate, lemon, best carrot cake EVER, caramel, Italian cream) – don’t HATE me!!
•The Tent Company drove on our yard after a solid weekend of rain AND got the truck stuck. THAT WILL make a pastor cuss!! Lis and I did come down off the ledge AFTER they apologized every day this week, agreed to put all 3 of our kids through college, and are sending someone out to FIX it!
SUNDAY POST GAME
•Sunday ROCKED – Bold, Audacious, Inspiring, and Life Changing!!
•We kicked off our marriage series GET SOME!! As promised, it was OFF THE CHAIN!!! If you missed it, shoot yourself now…or at least listen to the podcast. Just the one principle alone that I shared about PRIORITIES God has used to forever CHANGE my life and marriage and many others!!
•21 people raised their hands to commit to making GOD THE ONE in their lives – I was BLOWN AWAY!!
•Tons of people also raised their hands and took the challenge to fight for their marriage or future marriage by PRAYING for their spouse/future spouse for 7 straight days – that’s AWESOME. Lis and I are 3 for 3. I LOVE it when we can hit Satan where it counts …he does not like it when we PRAY because it moves the heart of God on our behalf!!
•I challenged singles who are SERIOUS about doing marriage God’s way to invite a Godly couple who has a marriage they respect to dinner and ask them questions about what it takes to Get Some!! (that ought to be fun!!)
•A couple that celebrates their 47th Wedding Anniversary in June told me “Marriage isn’t for sissies!!” I LOVED that.
•We had a First Time Guest on Sunday that was BLOWN AWAY by our VOLUNTEERS!!
•I’ve used the GET SOME INVITE CARDS to invite at least 5 people already this week – the most intriguing, captivating, audacious, in-your-face INVITE CARD we’ve ever done (ok, “Chicks Dig Compass!” is a close 2nd).
•Seriously, there is not a person living in Northeast Georgia that God will not use this topic to rock their world.
•Seriously, there is no better series to GET SOME FRIENDS to come to church with you!!
•Fired up about Sunday – finishing the talk today – GET SOME GUTS!!!!!
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•Today was one of those days that remind me why I love Jesus and Compass. I LOVED what God did!!
•I’m feeling bad for you right now if you missed it – services at both campuses were Off the Chain today.
•God Showed UP and Showed OFF and 13 people gave their lives to Christ – NEVER gets old and I’m always Blown Away when I get that text on Sunday afternoons from our team quantifying all that God did in our services. Seriously, this is NOT NORMAL!
•5 changed lives happened in the 11:15 AC Video Service – that Rocks!
•We held our own attendance wise for the first BEAUTIFUL weekend of the year, especially for a town that has 3 lakes less than an hour away.
•FYI – I heard they were dumping raw sewage in all the lakes for the rest of the summer – but only on Sundays!
•Energy at both campuses was off the charts – I felt it the moment I walked in at both locations.
•OK – I know I sound like a broken record but since Matt has come on the staff full time, Worship has been off the chain.
•I Loved EVERY Worship song we sang today. We have not sung “Mighty To Save” in a while – it was a POWERFUL MOMENT!
•Marcus Dobbs BROUGHT IT today – best he’s ever done leading worship – he keeps getting better. I Love His Heart!!
•It was good to see Chris and Felicity Combs at our AC and Ian at the OC – I love the fact our band is willing to go wherever they are needed.
•I tell the band all the time they are some of the most talented musicians I’ve ever been around BUT what impresses me more is their heart to connect people to Jesus through worship – we’re blessed Compass.
•They absolutely BROUGHT IT on ‘Move Along” by All American Rejects – it was SICK.
•I came out FIRED UP after seeing the Video Break on Failure in the middle of that song!
•Today’s topic, Failure, hit home with a lot of people. Best message of the series so far. Next week is the Door of Fear – I can’t WAIT!!
•It was great to have Lee Patterson on the stage today and share some of his story – Lee loves students and Jesus. God’s got big plans for him!!
•I’ve been on the AC & OC Production Teams pretty hard the last couple of weeks to bring their A game. They always do, but there were some areas I felt we were sliding in (some out of their control). I forget sometimes they are all volunteers and led by volunteers. They have responded BIG TIME and Brought it BIG TIME today. I’m so PROUD of them. We would NEVER have seen the number of people connected to Jesus we have this year without their crazy commitment and insane passion to see lives changed every week!!!!
•Yes, we have walking among us the greatest Volunteers on the planet!!
•I can’t wait to go to the THR3E Conference in Charlotte on Tuesday and learn from Pastor Steven Furtick and his team. Leave tomorrow afternoon.
•They asked for questions – I emailed in 10 – hope they all get answered.
•Tomorrow night having dinner with several church planter friends in Charlotte – can’t wait to hear and learn from them.
•Next Sunday is going to be a great Sunday to bring a friend – I’m jacked up about what God is leading me to preach about.
•Please PRAY BIG TIME for me and our leadership team this week for wisdom, favor, and break throughs. We have some key conversations and key decisions to make that impact our next moves facility wise that are huge. We need favor and a break through with God and man this week!!
•I’ve got to learn how to “Twitter” this week – there are a ton of people ‘following’ me on twitter but I’ve never twittered. This is the week to bust through that door.
•Absolutely LOVE being your pastor. Long but good day – going to bed. Lis has got the tv cranked up so I know she’s still awake!
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Today was a SOLID day. God showed UP and Showed OFF. I loved the worship set about the FREEDOM we all have in Christ!
•Truth be told we work our butts of every single week to make sure Sundays are THE BEST day of your week.
•Jesus gave His Absolute BEST and went ALL IN for us – there is no option for us not to do the same.
•We had a TON of Key Volunteers in key spots out today – strange weekend. Not really sure why.
•We had some Production Team members work the 9:15 AC service and then bolt to the 11:15 OC service to make it happen – the commitment of our volunteers is second to one. I LOVE our Volunteers. They are the Best on the Planet. They will do anything short of sin to connect people to Jesus.
•When I explain to people in the community that we have Volunteers that Set Up and Tear Down EVERY SINGLE week they are BLOWN away that people would actually love other people that much to go through that every week. Yes, our ACTIONS really do speak LOUDER than words.
•OC set up and tear down team – you are UNBELIEVABLE – the foot soldiers behind the Big Things God is doing in Oconee, Walton, and Barrow.
•One of our volunteer female vocalists met me at the OC to assist with putting on my mic today. It was really cool. She’s an incredible singer that we LOVE to have on stage but seeing her willingness to work BEHIND THE SCENES and NOT just in the spotlight put a huge smile on my face. That kind of servant’s heart to do WHATEVER is exactly why God is using Compass Church to Rock this community with His love.
•I met a new guest in the hallway today at the OC – she said God would not let them choose a church until they visited Compass.
•Looking forward to the May 3 AC NEWCOMERS LUNCH and OC NEWCOMERS DESSERT. Love to meet all the new people God is bringing our way every week and love to talk about the incredible Vision God has entrusted to Compass for Athens and Beyond. If you are new or not involved yet at Compass, I really hope you can come. We’ll take care of your kids too!! Click here to Reserve Your Spot.
•My Father In Law told me the 11:15 VIDEO service was great and people responded to the Gospel! That made my day. Yes, the video service works. My family attends it.
•We had 23 First Time Guest Families Today – that’s awesome for the week after Easter.
•I met someone at my son’s baseball game this afternoon. They got our mailer and want to visit Compass. That FIRES me up.
•We have a lot of people ready to be baptized – that FIRES me up.
•Paul Sims was off this weekend – I’m really glad he got a break, but that doesn’t change the fact that I missed him big time.
•Speaking at chapel at Athens Christian School on Friday – can’t wait!! Pray for me not to say something stupid. God’s put something in my heart to share with them that I know will rock their world. They may not ever invite me back.
•Please pray for me and the staff – have some key decisions to make this week and really need God’s favor, direction, and timing on the downtown campus.
•I love Compass. I love the way we do church. I love this community. I love being your pastor. I’m ALL IN! The BEST is yet to come – Get your READY SHOES on!!
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GOD DID IT
•4 Rockin Services – the most we’ve ever done in one weekend
•971 “Peeps” in attendance – highest attended weekend ever
•98 First Time Guests – thanks for checking us out – you really did make our day
•Baptized in ALL 4 services – never gets old!!
•88 People raised their hands inviting Jesus to be their PERSONAL LORD and Savior – BIGGEST Day of Life Change @ Compass EVER!!!!
•If that’s not a great day, I don’t know what is.
Some Other Highlights…
•Remember the boy who asked me to pray for his mom to “Come Home” during our Come Home series? – She was with him today – that made my day.
•We had one set of parents drive in from Richmond, VA to see their daughter baptized at the AC.
•We had a set of grandparents drive from Mississippi, walk in the door at the OC straight up @ 11:15, said they wanted their grandaughter to know they made it, our ushers escorted them to a special seating area reserved for family of those being baptized – it rocks to be part of something BIG God is doing.
•Seeing so many of our OC Volunteers enjoy a service without having to set up and tear down before and after made my Saturday night – AC Volunteers, you served them well!!
•A lot of dresses and several suits today – must have been Easter!
•The Creative Team Rocked it – from the set at the AC to the painting and video treatment at the end of True Love – over the top!
•The Children’s Teams at both campuses really brought it – our children’s volunteers are some of the best I’ve seen ANYWHERE!!
•Several of my personally invited ‘peeps’ showed up…some didn’t…I’ll keep inviting them knowing one day God will rock their world!
•Saturday’s Prayer time was Off The Chain – our Prayer Partners blow me away!
•Fav Easter Text I received: “Rise up big dog. Bases loaded with lost souls, knock it out!”
•Stupidest thing I said – Thomas maybe had to run an errand for milk, bread, and HAM – where does that stuff come from?
•Powerful Moment – getting to baptize one of my long time friend’s daughters together – it was a God thing!!
•Biggest Surprise – my wife Lis knocking on one of the on stage doors at the OC as we were about to take the offering – no clue!
•Some said I preached hard today and really connected. Yes, that’s awesome to hear. And yes, it’s Easter – one of those Sundays you don’t need a pep talk. And yes, I will never get over what Jesus did for me.
•But, behind the scenes there was another reason. At the Saturday night service we had major sound issues. I found out early this morning that we had 3 VOLUNTEERS stay ALL NIGHT Saturday working to fix the problem. I really didn’t have the words to express my gratitude. With “tired tears” in her eyes this morning, one of the three said “Jim, the only thanks we need is seeing those hands go up in the air – it makes it worth it all!” I PREACHED EXTRA HARD FOR THEM. I called them first this afternoon and gave them 88 Reasons staying up all night was worth it.
•The sound system thing ticked me off big time – yes, I went a little ballistic after the service. Late last night, God had to remind me it wasn’t about me, it was ALL ABOUT HIM!
•Our AC Building & Grounds Volunteers – not a lot to work with but you know how to get 50 lbs into a 5 lb sack – AWESOME job.
•Just knowing that our OC Set Up & Tear Down teams totally rearranged Easter plans to provide a place for people to hear about Jesus BLEW me away – Compass Volunteers are the best on the planet.
•The Volunteers at Compass leave me speechless. Words fall short to express thanks. THAT is the kind of commitment and dedication that will ROCK this city for Jesus…I bet you God was up all night “Easter Eve” too…..just a thought!
•The OC Easter Egg Hunt was a huge success – 3000 Easter Invites we’re given out.
•The Compass Staff rocks their love for Jesus, commitment to reaching this community, and tenacity to do whatever it takes to make big days like this happen – the best team I’ve ever had the honor and privilege to lead.
•Talked to several of my pastor friends – God Showed UP and Showed OFF in a lot of places today – that was so good to hear.
•THIS TUESDAY Night, April 14, 5-8pm – Don’t Cook – Go to Chick Fil A on Epps Bridge Road. 10% of everything you purchase goes to the Compass Relay For LIfe team and their fight against cancer…this would NOT be a night to use your Compass Chick Fil A free sandwich cards.
•7 days we get to do this all over again – I can’t wait!! Next Sunday is going to be powerful as we continue our series DOORS.
•The Best is yet to come – God is just getting started!!
•Off The Chain weekend – Dawgs baseball swept, G Day game, Braves are 5-1, Tiger was on the prowl today, got to eat at PF Changs (lettuce wraps – get in my belly!), Easter dinner with all of Lisa’s family and great friends, EIGHTY-EIGHT Changed Lives – doesn’t get any better than that my friends.
•THANK YOU Compass for doing things you’ve never done before to connect with people we’ve never connected with before.
•THANK YOU for your willingness to get Uncomfortable, be Unselfish, and Unwavering in making Jesus famous in this community.
•THANK YOU for allowing me to grow as a leader and your pastor – I love you!
•It was a most excellent day. Yes, I will Sleep Well Tonight!!
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An UNBELIEVABLE…UNEXPLAINABLE…UNDENIABLE DAY!
•UNBELIEVABLE – 45 people “STRIPPED” today and asked God to come into their life and begin the process of changing the old to new.
•45 People!!!!! That BLOWS ME AWAY!!!!
•UNEXPLAINABLE – I definitely did not feel like I was on my A game at the AC (sorry bros – first time it’s happened this year, really can’t explain, just felt like I was ALL OVER the freakin place getting to what I wanted to preach about.) I will not let it happen again.
•BUT, my team (and my wife) kicked me in the butt (in the name of Jesus) between services and I had several at OC tell me it was the best message they’d heard this year!! AC – PLEASE get the Podcast on this one so you will understand what the heck I was trying to say today.
•With All that – we still had 15 people accept Christ on the Athens Campus – Proof that God really does speak through a Jack…ok, donkey sometimes!
•UNDENIABLE – Compass, over the past 3 weeks with crazy weather we have seen 151 people COME HOME to GOD! That’s AMAZING!!
•And what is happening in our church is NOT NORMAL…don’t EVER think that it is…don’t ever get used to it…and don’t stop praying your guts out with me that God continues to use Compass Church to ROCK Northeast Georgia for Jesus and BLOW people’s minds about what the church is all about.
•I heard on CNN/Fox news a poll that said the church was decreasing in America – I want to be part of CHANGING that stat in my lifetime!!
•And we ARE – both the AC & OC crowds were up from the week before. Check this – the 11:15 AC Service only had 8 less than the 9:15. VIDEO teaching can and is working. The preacher man might not be live in the room, but Jesus has been showing up big time at the 11:15 AC services.
•I’m am pumped about the next 3 weeks of this series – Stripping RELIGION, Stripping MONEY, Stripping JESUS (that’s really weird to say). Trust me – there’s NOT ONE WEEK you want to miss.
•I still think it would be funny to shut the church down for those that say “we go to Compass” but never come (I know that’s a bad attitude but just the way I feel sometimes on Monday – one of those ‘reoccurring’ thought patterns and sins I constantly struggle with).
•WRITE THIS DATE DOWN on your calendar, palm, stinkin little iPhone (yea, I still want one) – APRIL 1, 6:30 – 8:30 pm. Joe Sangl’s Financial Learning Experience (check him out here) is coming to Compass Church in Athens. I did a crappy job of promoting this yesterday. You NEED to be there. All the details will be in Tuesday’s post.
•There are 3 things you can do to change your life in 2009: #1 – Surrender your life to Jesus, #2 – show up at Compass every Sunday you possibly can, #3 – GET TO JOE SANGL’s CLASS on April 1. Don’t make many guarantees…but those 3 are MONEY IN THE BANK!!!
•Parking & Outside Greeting team – took it to a Whole Nutha Level in the rain today. THANK YOU for getting wet for Jesus. It’s that “BT-tW” do whatever it takes to welcome and connect people to Jesus that makes Compass special!!
•Our OC Set Up & Tear Down team Rocked the world for Jesus in the rain yesterday – that AMAZES me.
•When I pulled into the OC I didn’t see any greeters outside…I called Wes…YOU WERE ALL meeting people at cars with UMBRELLAS. I love the way we GREET GUESTS. That was Awesome. I stress about WAY TOO MUCH!!
•The Creativity during “Yahweh” was off the chain yesterday. I want one of the T-Shirts. Very Inspiring!!
•I was trying to say “Wild COUGARS”…#1 – I heard it didn’t come out quite that way (at least that’s what Lis and my middle child told me – I’ve got a whole list of those kind of faux pas). #2 – Also, I later found out it was wild PANTHERS I read in the paper not cougars.
•For those that DID NOT write anything on their “Stripping Time” cards because you thought I was going to collect them, I encourage you to get alone with God sometime this week, ask Him what He wants to expose in your life, write it down, and have your own burning party!! (Deuteronomy 7:17-26)
•NewComers Lunch AND Dessert were AWESOME but kicked my but…Serious “Holy Hangover” today.
•BUT, I LOVE to hear the stories of how God is working in our people’s lives – it really is INCREDIBLE!!
•I really do have to pinch myself to remind myself that God uses a dude like me to actually pastor a church- that’s crazy!!
•I really do LOVE this church and our people. TRUST ME on this one – You Ain’t Seen Nothing Yet – THE BEST Is Yet To Come.
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