Monday Memo

Hi Five Oakers: Here are most of the questions and comments from the weekend Communication Cards:

// Wow! Thank you for such a meaningful and encouraging time of worship. Loved the worship time today! Tim, thank you for your message of Christ’s joy. Challenging and uplifting!

// Ah-mazing music! [Most of the team members were in youth group together not that long ago and one still is.]

// Wonderful spirit-lead worship. Message - equally inspiring Tim. Lovely Alex, Ashley, Legend, Nathan, Erik, Ian.

// You gave me the courage to make some phone calls that could be either very encouraging or rejection. And I know the outcome is in God’s hands, not mine. Thanks for a gentle push. Joy, joy.

// You know I love our worship team, but solo of Ocean’s was beautiful. Solo singer is blessed with amazing talent - I love to worship with her. Hope she can join the team more. [That's Ashley Hill and she lives in Australia these days, but we try to have her on whenever she comes home.]

// Awesome rendition Alex – another home grown young leader! Loved the voices of the young women in worship. Thanks for giving God your heart and talent. This church follows Christ in preparing tremendous young leaders. Tim, thanks for a very deep, heartfelt message. You have grown so much as a man, husband, father and pastor. Praise God. [Loved having Alex lead that song! And it was a great kickoff message for our new series.]

// Great message Tim! Thanks for sharing your personal story. Good reminder that our “plan” in these times needs simply to be “Listen to God”.

// Thank you for the very thoughtfully prepared and God inspired message. You gave many new insights and inspirations for my consideration and adoption. Thank you.

// Thank you Tim for sharing so honestly about how you’re trying to discern God’s next steps for your family. I assume, as do others that church staff have it all figured out all the time.

// While ushering, several people commented on what a “good problem” it was that they had to sit way down in front or that I had to find them a seat!

Monday Memo

Hi Five Oakers, Here are most of the questions and comments from the weekend Communication Cards:

// Is it possible to display the passages on the jumbo screen that is being preached? [I appreciate this question, and I'm guessing you want everyone in the house to see the text. That's a really good thing. I project verses on the screen when making a reference to one or two verses, to save time and the distraction of having to look them up. But me tell you why I I don't project our primary text.

One of our primary values at Five Oaks is biblical literacy because the more we know the Bible the more we know God, and the more we know him, the more we love him. Jesus makes it clear that the way to know him and the way to know the Father is through God's Word. He even told people to judge his ministry by what the Bible says. So I want to get people to take out their Bibles (paper or digital) so they get use to handling it and reading the verses in context (which is the only way to understand what it says). 

While we're on the topic of biblical literacy, I'm increasingly saddened by the reality that too many churches who value the Bible fail to teach it week after week. They preach sermons filled with truly biblical ideas, but their services are devoid of Scripture and the sermons only refer to Scripture without teaching it. People come away knowing more stories about the pastor and his family than about the story of God and his people.

I know I'm sounding like a Bible-thumping fundamentalist, (I know some, and, I can assure you, they would not let me into their club), but I think this is becoming a serious problem. If churches were at least doing some Bible teaching and study within their small groups I'd be happy, but the small groups are usually more of the same. I would like to put a sign on every "pulpit" that says, "It's the Bible, stupid" (a play on the James Carville line from the Clinton campaign).]

// Loved opening song! Way to hit hard.

// Great message Henry.

// Great worship set guys. Loved the way you did “Hark the Herald Angels Sing” – great/creative rendition of it without losing its underlying joy. Beautiful message and insight on the three Magi – wow, I see worship differently!

// Thank you Pastor Henry for all your research you share with us behind all of the theology. It helps me understand scripture better (and helps me remember it better as well).

// Yo! Do we have a limit on the number of Christmas songs we can all sing? [I'm guessing you want more. Noted. And thanks for the feedback.]

// Can we ever offer actual wine at communion? [We've never discussed it, and we have no plans to move in that direction. They offer wine for communion at my oldest son's church in Louisville, and it's Southern Baptist! They offer two options, juice and the wine (which is marked by twine). I think they've been doing this since day one when they started about 10 years ago. Not sure how it would be received in our congregation, and I'm not looking for a fight, especially over communion!]