Easter Weekends And Banner Years

I want to kick things off by saying a huge, "THANK YOU" to all of our leaders and volunteers who made Easter Weekend such an amazing weekend.  We did something that was a foreshadowing of things to come as we offered multiple services.  Those of you who served did an amazing job!

Granted, there were a few hiccups along the way (as there can be when doing something new), but I was blessed beyond measure to see you in action.  In both services, every team did exactly what they needed to do and the proof is in the pudding.  Here's what a couple of our first time guests had to say  about their experience.

"Great people! Great church!  Thank you for such a warm welcome to Skyline Church!"

"Your church had a major uplifting feeling, like I'm alive and not without hope."

It really was incredible.  Not only were we able to do multiple services, but we eclipsed 400 people for the first time ever in the history of Skyline Church.  But the best part of the whole weekend was the fact that 2 people came to faith in Christ.  THAT IS WHY WE DO WHAT WE DO!!!

It's all part of a Banner Year in 2014.  We have always dreamed God-Sized Dreams at Skyline Church and I feel stronger than ever that we are on the edge of something amazing that God is doing.  He is beginning to bring our dreams into reality.

If you will recall at the beginning of 2014, I challenged you to begin praying prayers so great that it would take God's intervention to see them through.  As we have been praying those Sun Stand Still prayers, God has already started answering them.  Not only have we experienced greater growth than ever before, we have also seen so many people come to Christ and are on pace to baptize as many people this year as in the previous three years combined.  That's some amazing stuff and only God can have the credit.

This past weekend, I announced yet another answer to our God-Sized prayers.  In March of 2015, God has opened a door for us to launch a brand new Skyline campus in Bethalto, IL.  I know you are as excited about that as I am.  But I am also certain you may have questions.

I want to challenge each of you to stay after service on Sunday.  We will have a Question/Answer session in the cafeteria as soon as the equipment is put into the trailer.  I can't wait to share with you how this all came about and what this journey is going to look like over the next few months.  We will even have one of our Bethalto Campus core team members present to share her story with you.  You will also have a chance to ask any questions you may have.

This is going to be another amazing chapter in our journey as Skyline Church.  We are going to be able to reach even more people with the Gospel than ever before and each of us will have the opportunity to take a physical and spiritual part of the journey as we take our mission of Loving God, Loving Others, and Making A Difference to a whole new city in our region.

This is only the beginning!!!!  Let's live radically together for Jesus and His mission through our church!

Easter At Skyline Church

We have wrapped up the first part of our journey through "The Story" and it has been incredible to say the least.  I can't wait to start it all up again in a few more weeks.

As amazing as the first part of 2014 has been, it is only going to get better.  Yes, we are taking a break from "The Story", but we are not taking a break from life change.  In fact, we are going to see much more in the coming weeks.

Why?  The Easter season is upon us.  Easter Sunday is the largest attended Sunday of the year world-wide.  Even in a city that puts spring break during Easter weekend...it is still the largest attended weekend any church in our area will have.

This Sunday you will see familiar faces who may only come a few times a year.  You will see many unfamiliar faces.  You will see family.  You even have an incredible opportunity to invite friends.  People are more receptive to an invitation to Easter services than any other time.

The reason so many will attend Easter as opposed to any other time of year is because of what it represents.  It is the pivotal moment of our faith.  That pivotal moment is not the death of Christ, but HIS RESURRECTION.  What an amazing part of our story!

So let us all prepare for our Easter weekend by doing three things.

1.)  PRAY.  I hope you have already been doing this, but if not...begin NOW.  Pray for those you are inviting to come.  Pray for those who are being invited by other Skyliners.  Pray for God's move in the hearts of everyone there.  Pray for those who serve in ministry (me included) that we may literally be the hands and feet of Jesus to everyone who enters our doors.

2.)  INVITE.  Again, I hope you have already been doing this, but if not...begin NOW.  As I said earlier, people are much more receptive to an invitation on Easter than at any other time during the year.  Leverage that inclination to God's advantage.  Invite your friends.  Invite your family.   Invite your neighbors, your co-workers, your waitress, your grocer, .....you get the picture.  We are having 2 services to make room for them, so let's fill up the OTHS auditorium twice this weekend.

3.)  PARK.  As I just said, we are having 2 services (9:30 & 11:00) to make room for all the new people who will come to Skyline this weekend.  Because of the new people we anticipate, we will need to make room in the parking lot as well.  For those of you who will be present for both services because you are serving in one and worshipping in another...please park in the lot BEHIND THE PANTHER DOME.  Our parking lot greeters will direct you.  There will be another entrance for you. Also, if you are a regular attender who is not going to be present for both services.  You are encouraged to park behind the Dome as well.

The staff and volunteers have been working hard over the last few weeks to prepare for this weekend.  We are ready to serve you and your guests with excellence.  Let's make this Easter the most incredible in our history as a church.

Also, don't forget...I have some INCREDIBLE news to share with you.  Just in case you were wondering, it has nothing to do with our Mission Central property or building.  But I promise that it is some of the greatest news I have ever shared with you.  Don't ask ahead of time because I will not tell.  :)  You will have to remain in suspense until Sunday.  See you then!

The Story Chapter 10 - Giving an Undistorted View of God

Ever since Peter Stuyvesant visited the Palace of Versailles the world has had a distorted view of itself.  

Peter was the governor of New Amsterdam—later to be renamed New York City—beginning in 1647.  He was visiting France to discuss colonial land agreements.  While at Versailles he was awed by the Hall of Mirrors.

Peter was determined to bring a similarly amazing showcase to his city.  In 1651 he founded the Peter Stuyvesant's House of Mirrors.  He charged one Dutch gulden for admission. 

This house of mirrors eventually morphed into what we know as a Fun House of Mirrors seen at many carnivals.  For a few tickets the fun begins by walking into a maze of mirrors, both convex and concave. We amuse ourselves by looking at distorted images of our figure.  

Today you don’t even have to go to the carnival for this experience.  A laptop with a webcam and a silly photo feature will allow you to take a picture of yourself that you can manipulate to look odd.

It’s all fun.  But sometimes distorted pictures can cause trouble.  It did in Israel during the time of the prophet Samuel.  One of the major distortions was found at the Tabernacle, that portable place of praise for God’s people.

It was parked at Shiloh and was meant to be a clear picture of God’s holiness and grace.  A system of sacrifices had been established that foreshadowed the coming sacrifice of the Messiah.  Yet anything but holiness was found there.

Eli the priest had two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, who dishonored God in their treatment of the sacrifices and also engaged in immoral sexual activity with women at the Tabernacle (1 Samuel 2:16, 22).  Because the picture of God they were giving was distorted, these two were killed in battle against the Philistines.  When news of their death reached Eli, he fell over in his chair, broke his neck, and also died.

Imagine a moment when you and your son/daughter are having a conversation about church or the Bible.  Then they ask you the question, "What does God look like?"  I for one would not know how to answer that question, so I might respond with a statement back to them.

"You tell me."  They think for a moment and say, "I think he looks like you Daddy."  Talk about a sobering moment!

Just like Eli and his sons were representatives of God, we represent Jesus to others.  We really are a picture of God to people who know that we are Christians.  The question is, "Are you giving a clear or distorted picture of who God really is?"