Identity Theft

After coming back from vacation the week before Easter, needing to prepare for Good Friday and Easter, then needing to figure out how to approach this next series and write the message (and a huge boatload of other stuff), I feel like I'm finally coming up to breathe. Just want to catch up on a couple of things.

First, you're not going to believe how many first time decisions to follow Christ were made this last weekend. We've never experienced anything like it before. I'll share about that at the services this weekend and be prepared to join heaven in celebrating. I think the most first-time decision we've had on a weekend is seven. Just to give you some sense of proportion when you hear how many recorded a first-time decision on the 3x5 cards (including their name and contact information).

Second, this next series is really important for your spiritual growth. We'll be spending the next several weeks digging down into the passage we covered on Easter. Here's a little excerpt from my message:

Our identities are fragile. You and I forget who we are all the time. That’s why the Bible is always reminding us. Most of what we know about what a Christ-follower is supposed to be comes from reminders of who we already are. It’s not like Paul’s epistles, which make up a big part of the NT, are filled with lofty goals of what we need to become. It’s almost exclusively Paul telling followers of Jesus who they already are in Christ because of what Christ has done and telling them to live like who they already are.

This is a foundational spiritual growth principle that you need to get and you need to know and you need to pursue. You’ll read the Bible in a whole new way if you see this. God calls his people to be who they already are.

Third, thanks for all the feedback on the 21-Day Challenge. Jeni told me of parents bringing their Bibles with them to read while they waited for their kids to practice for the Palm Sunday children's choir. I think that's pretty cool. I got one email from a young mom telling me her husband bought her a Bible so that she could participate. I could go on with many other stories. We'll have other spiritual growth challenges. But don't quit. Keep reading and reflecting on God's "text message" to you.