Davenport Service

Yesterday, I spent over an hour at Davenport University checking out the room that we are going to use on March 15 for the gathering's service. The room is sweet and I am convinced that it is going to be a great night.

After spending time on the campus and hanging out with a few of the students that attend the gathering, I am convinced that the students at Davenport are ready for something like this. Be in prayer that we will see God do some amazing things on March 15!

IT'S FINALLY HERE

Check out our new website:

www.thegatheringgr.org

We are praying that God will use this new site as another way we can reach out to college/young adults in our community!

New Website

Hopefully in the next few weeks, the gathering's new website will be up and running. We are pumped for this opportunity and we hope we can use this as another effective tool to reach our community. Check back for a future post when the website is complete.

www.thegatheringgr.org

Planning vs. Preparing

Anyone who knows me, knows that I am a big time planner. I have a 10 year plan for my private life and I have a 10 year plan for my professional life. I can't help it, this is the way my mind works. But this week, I read something that has really messed me up...it has made me think and evaluate my life and ministry.

This is what I read:
Leaders must focus more on preparation than on planning. Planning relies on predictability. But preparation helps leaders stay clear amid uncertainty. Planning assumes continuity; preparation equips leader to be flexible enough to seize opportunity. It forces them to pray, learn, and discern what God is doing - all aspects of understanding God's unique vision for the church. After all, isn't it God who does the planning (Jer. 29:11)? [Church Unique p.25]

Does anyone else need to throw away their 10 year plan?

Coffee

For those who know me well, they know that I am a huge coffee drinker. Over the past year, I have been introduced to the Keurig Single Cup Coffee Maker. I was leery at first to try this, but I now love it. In fact, my mother-in-law gave me a coffee maker for Christmas and now I wouldn't know what to do without it. Stop in my office sometime and will make you a cup of the sweet sweet goodness!

Church Unique

This book has rocked my world the past few days!

Friendship Registry

Yesterday we started something new at Heritage (I know it is crazy...something new in a baptist church). We presented to our people a new way of managing our Sunday Morning attendance...we call this the "Friendship Registry." Everyone who attends the Sunday Morning service will need to write their name in a folder and pass the folder down their row.

To our amazement, "most" people took the time to fill out the sheet in the folder. Because of the Friendship Registry, we had a record number of guests give us their information. This can only help us as our church continues to grow and as we strive for great organization.

This process will only be effective if we do the necessary follow-up on these people and stop making excuses of why we don't do the necessary follow-up that is needed to take our church to the next level.

Too much is on the line!