Last Thursday, March 24 was the “official” 3-month mark for us in the new building. We opened it on Christmas Eve 2010.
After that opening service in December, I got an email from one of the guys from the church saying we’d outgrow the building in 6 months. I laughed. I shouldn’t have.
Today we had to pull out extra chairs for our Sunday morning service. We only own a few more that are still in the storage closet.
It’s interesting that we’re here only 3 months into opening the new building. When we reopened our remodeled building after the flood, it also only took 3 months for us to outgrow it. Maybe 3 months is the mark for us. Sounds good to me!
All I can say it this: GOD IS MOVING IN CLARKSVILLE, TN! It’s a blast to be on board and to have the privilege to be a part of whatever He has planned!
If you live in the Clarksville area and haven’t been to Awaken yet, come join us on Wednesdays at 6:30pm (right now we’re in the book of Jonah) or on Sundays at 10am (we start Chapter 5 of 1 Peter next Sunday). We also have some pretty amazing Good Friday and Easter services planned that you won’t want to miss! Hope to see you soon.
Nate and I just met with one of the owners of Neal-Tarpley-Parchman Funeral Home here in Clarksville in prep for our upcoming Good Friday Funeral service on April 22. I’ve been to plenty of funeral homes before, as a pastor and also as a grieving family member or friend. It’s always a bit surreal. Funeral homes and grave sites have the unique ability to confront you with the reality of death in many ways.
One thing that stood out to Nate and I as we walked around and talked details with the owner was the “death vocabulary” that everyone was using. Here are a few words we used and/or heard multiple times in just 10 minutes of being inside…
death
casket
coffin
hearse
funeral
cremated
mourning
grave
pallbearers
deceased
died
dead
passed away
…and more.
The verse that immediately came to my mind as we walked out was Ecclesiastes 7:2…
“Better to spend your time at funerals than at parties. After all, everyone dies—so the living should take this to heart.” – New Living Translation
The stats are staggering: 1 out of every 1 person dies (except Elijah & Enoch, of course). That’s why Solomon says it’s so healthy to spend some time at funerals – they confront you with the reality of death.
I’ve performed quite a few funerals over the past few years: a 12-year old boy from my youth group, a 16-year old boy that I counseled, an 89-year old woman, a premature baby that was buried in a casket the size of a shoebox, and more… As a pastor, doing a funeral has a way of putting fire in my preaching like nothing is else. After all, the people sitting in a chair on Sunday may be lying in a casket on Monday. We’re not guaranteed another breath!
It would be healthy for us to remember how fragile life is more often.
Talking about death is not only healthy to think about, but it’s also a great way to share your faith with someone. If you want an interesting conversation, ask someone where they’ll spend eternity when they die. Most people don’t think that far ahead and they’ll stumble through a random assortment of unfounded beliefs that don’t even make sense to them as they’re coming out.
Awaken will be holding its first-ever funeral on Friday, April 22 at 6pm.
The funeral service is for Jesus Christ.
In an effort to remind us all of the reality of the death of Jesus, we’ll hold a Good Friday funeral for Jesus complete with casket, hearse, pallbearers, and more.
The Day God Died
Last year, we went pretty traditional with our Good Friday service, but we wanted to think outside the box this year and do something that’s not normally done. We wanted people to really grasp the reality of the death of Christ. If He had died today, He might be buried in a similar way – His body placed in a casket, carried out by pallbearers, loaded into a hearse, then lowered into a grave.
For many people, the death of Christ has become a story that gets revisited once a year. Not this year. We want it to really hit home.
God’s Not Dead.
In addition to our Good Friday service, we’ll also be holding 2 Easter Sunday services on April 24 at 9 & 11am! That day, of course, will be full of celebration and a look at how the resurrection of Christ impacts our eternity.
Although Jesus really died, He didn’t stay dead! He’s very alive today!
Awaken Kids will be available for all 3 services that weekend, so that people of all ages can learn about the death and resurrection of Christ on their own level. We’ll be doubling our Awaken Kids staff on Easter Sunday so that everyone can be a part of one of at least one of the Easter services.
All 3 services will also include a Gospel message and an invitation for people to come forward and give their lives to Christ. We view these days as strategic time to bring hurting people to Jesus. In preparation for this huge weekend, a group of us will be fasting and praying each Friday leading up to Good Friday. Please feel free to join us as we ask God to work powerfully.
Beginning April 1, we’ll be renting out a billboard space in Governor’s Square mall to help us spread the word about the service. We also have 2,500 postcards available at Awaken for you to take to pass out wherever you go. In addition, we’ll be organizing some street teams for those who want to hit the streets and spread the news that way!
This morning, I read the end of Matthew 27 during my time with the Lord. I’ve read it many times before, but for some reason today, the last verse jumped out at me…
So they went and made the tomb secure, sealing the stone and setting the guard. – Matthew 27:66
Maybe it’s because I already knew the end – I knew what was coming.
I knew that stone and those guards wouldn’t be there for long.
I knew that when the women came to anoint Jesus’ dead, stiffening body, that they wouldn’t find it.
I knew that Matthew 27:66 wasn’t the end.
I knew the Great Commission from the risen Christ was just a page away.
Whatever the reason was, I just had to sit back and soak that verse in for a moment. The reality is that if death couldn’t hold Jesus, a rock and some soldiers stood no chance! In fact, if death couldn’t hold Him, the Earth itself and the entire Roman army stood no chance!
Because of Matthew 28:6, there’s hope…
He is not here; for He is risen, as He said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. – Matthew 28:6
This weekend, we’ll be announcing our plans for Good Friday and Easter 2011. I’m pretty excited about some unique things we’ll be doing to promote the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. We’re praying for God to do unbelievable things as we seek to make Him famous! It’s the biggest weekend on the Christian calendar – I’m praying it’s an unforgettable day at Awaken and around the world as the Good News of God conquering death is proclaimed!
This Sunday, March 13, Awaken will be providing a few ways to meet the spiritual and practical needs of those devastated by the recent earthquakes and tsunamis in Japan.
PRAYING
Our normal Sunday time of prayer, The Refuge, will be dedicated to praying specifically for the needs of those impacted by the disaster in Japan. We will pray for individuals, families, churches, and the nation as a whole. The Refuge meets every Sunday at 9:15am in the prayer room at Awaken Church. Since you’re already losing an hour of sleep to Daylight Savings, what’s another half hour?! Come join us as we ask God to work in Japan!
GIVING
We’re a pretty new church and we do some things a little differently at Awaken. Instead of passing an offering plate, we have boxes around the building where you can give financially. This Sunday will be different though. When you arrive at Awaken on Sunday, you’ll find a “LOVE JAPAN” envelope in your bulletin. All cash or checks collected on Sunday in these envelopes will go directly to the disaster relief efforts of Samaritan’s Purse. If you’d like to make a donation by credit card, you can do so through our website. Make sure to put “JAPAN” in the comments section. This will be the first time at Awaken that we’ve ever specifically asked people to give financially, so I’m excited to see how God works through this!
If you’d like more info about Samaritan’s Purse, click here.
Many of us have already been praying for Japan, but these are two ways that we can come together to have an even greater impact.
WHY?
As a church, we know the devastation of a natural disaster first-hand. Thankfully, our disaster was nowhere close to the magnitude of the recent disasters in Japan. However, by coming together not only to pray, but also to give, we enable organizations such as Samaritan’s Purse to meet very practical needs in Japan, while also opening doors for them to share the Gospel! God is honored when His people unite and I believe this is a great way for us to unite and allow God to not only use our prayers, but also our finances.
Oh yeah – bring a friend on Sunday too. There will be some great worship and a message from 1 Peter 4. Hope to see you there!
PSALM 29:10 [NIV] – The LORD sat enthroned at the Flood, and the Lord sits as King forever.
Some people say the story of Jonah is a little hard to swallow.
Others say it’s a whale of a tail.
Ok, ok. Sorry. I was just getting those corny Jonah jokes out of my system so that I’m not tempted to say them when I teach the book!
Although Jonah is one of those books of the Bible that many people question, it’s a powerful book and an actual event. I believe it happened because Jesus said it happened, and I’m pretty sure He knows what He’s talking about.
Our study through the action-packed book of Jonah begins this Wednesday, March 16 at 6:30pm (download iPhone/iPad/iPod/computer wallpapers HERE while you’re waiting).
The book of Jonah gives a beautiful picture of God’s grace on His own prophet as well as a group of wicked people living in Nineveh. Despite how much they deserved God’s judgment, they were on a collision course with His grace. He truly is “gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness.” (Jonah 4:2).
Join us on Wednesday nights in March and April as we get a glimpse at God’s heart for ALL people! Make sure to bring a friend who needs Jesus!
If you don’t live in the area, make sure you’re subscribed to our podcast. The podcast is updated within 30 minutes after each service. You can also download teachings by going to our Jonah teaching archive at awakenchurch.org.
Tonight I’ll be teaching from 2 Samuel 24 about the census of Israel, the resulting consequences, and David’s repentance and obedience. It’s a powerful chapter about the price of disobedience as well as obedience.
I had planned to teach something else tonight (we’re starting a new book next Wednesday), but felt like the Lord was steering me in a different direction for tonight.
100% of the counseling we do at Awaken deals with disobedience in the life of the person we’re counseling or someone close to them. So often we want the effects of obedience (blessing, reward, peace) without the expense of obedience (honesty, repentance, consequences). That’s not how it works though.
In 2 Samuel 24, David was told to build an altar to the Lord, but to do so, he had to purchase a field. He had the opportunity to receive the field for free from its owner, Araunah, but when Araunah proposed the deal, David said something that I pray more of us learn to say…
“…I will surely buy it from you for a price; nor will I offer burnt offerings to the Lord my God with that which costs me nothing.” – 2 Samuel 24:24
He recognized that a true offering would cost him something. He wasn’t in to re-gifting.
You know what re-gifting is. You open a package at Christmas with a candle and a picture frame that you’re not into. You smile and thank the person who gave it to you while mentally thinking who you could give it to after you re-wrap it. It’s not much of a gift if it didn’t cost you something. David got that. He understood that his sacrifice to the Lord had to be just that – a sacrifice.
Obedience comes with a price tag, but so does disobedience.
The price for disobedience is far greater, though. The best thing to do when it comes to sin is to make whatever sacrifice is necessary to obey. It will cost you something, but the expense will always be worth the effects of obedience…
…So the Lord heeded the prayers for the land, and plague was withdrawn from Israel. – 2 Samuel 24:25
I’m a creature of habit. There are a few restaurants where I don’t even have to use a menu – I know what I want before I walk in the door. When the waitress asks what I want to drink, I go ahead and place my food order as well.
Although that might come in handy at a restaurant, it can be destructive in our relationship with Christ. It’s called a rut – they’re easy to fall into and get stuck in.
Paul wrote some important words to the Corinthian church…
“For a great and effective door has opened to me, and there are many adversaries.” – 1 Corinthians 16:9
Barrier or Launch Pad?
Paul was about to step foot into something new, but there were obstacles to overcome. For many, that would have prevented any further venture in that direction. Not Paul. Obstacles weren’t barriers to him – they were launch pads. He used them to launch further into ministry and do even greater things for the Kingdom of God.
Don’t just maintain.
I’ve recently encountered some obstacles of my own. Months ago, we began to feel the need for small groups at Awaken. The church began as a small group, but it’s grown beyond that now. There was a need to connect outside the church walls. However, things were working great at the church. It was growing, new families were coming each week.The tendency, although we began to feel the need, was to just stick with what was working – maintain.
The last thing we should do as Christians and as ministry leaders/pastors is maintain. We need to constantly be pressing forward, thankful for what we have, but always longing to reach more people with the Gospel. We need a divine discontent.
Starting Awaken Groups was no easy task. It took months of planning, reading, meeting, researching, and praying to figure out when and how to implement small groups. All along the way, the temptation to stay with what’s comfortable was nagging. That would be so much easier.
In any stage of ministry, there will be obstacles and adversaries. Expect them, then push them out of the way and charge ahead.
ROCK THE BOAT! Don’t be scared to try new things. It’s part of the process. If you fail, you learn from your mistakes and you move on.
What’s that thing you know you should do, but you’re scared to do it? Today is the day to embrace it. Step out in faith.
Wk 3 of #LoveJoySex Sat & Sun @AwakenChurch!. Life-changing truths from God's Word for relationships. Bring somebody who needs Jesus - I am! 1 hour ago
