The Week In Brief(s) (6/14/09)
Every Sunday I’m sharing a recap on some of what happened that week. It will be quick (in brief) and I’ll write in my underwear (in briefs). Here ya go:
1. I was actually in town last Sunday, so I was able to go to church in Vegas. Went to Destiny Church, which is about a year and a half old. Heard a great sermon by Terry Jimerson.
2. Our Launch Team meeting last Sunday was about being grace wholesalers. We talked about why, what it means, what could keep us from being grace wholesalers…
3. Met with the Vegas team of Youth Works, which is an organization that provides youth groups a chance to do week long mission trips. They have established a site in Vegas this summer, and will have teams of 40 to 70 kids coming in for seven weeks. They offered to make us one of their partners this summer that they have the teens minister with/to. So … we are having them do “prayer drives” for us. Every Tuesday night they will drive through a neighborhood near the Strip, down the Strip, and by the theater where we’ll probably be meeting. There will be three stops along the way where we will do a little teaching/vision casting. I’m pumped about getting 300 to 400 teens praying for us!
4. Robb and I attended a meeting for a new coalition that our Verve Foundation will be a part of. Apparently there are a lot of grants available for coalitions – groups of non-profits working together to improve the community. About a dozen groups will be represented in this coalition.
3. We continue to do our “needs assessment” – where we are interviewing dozens of people to determine unmet needs in Vegas that we might be able to help out with. Robb and Cherie are knocking it out of the park with this! This week one of our interviews was with the guy who owns the Triple A baseball team here in Vegas.
4. Read a booklet called “On the American Frontier,” which is the report from another group that did a needs assessment series of interviews. You may ask, “Wait, if someone has already done this, why are you?” Answer, or at least part of the answer: Relationships!
5. Met with my friend Devin, who is the pastor of a great church up in North Vegas. He said several things that caught my attention and have me thinking…
6. Robb and I met to plan out … comedy. CIY and Canyon Ridge Christian Church are partnering together to put on a big youth event this week, and have asked us to do an hour of fun entertainment for the kids. We have very little time to pull it together, but still I think it’s going to be great.
7. Had yet another church planter come to me to ask for some direction. It’s like a couple a week. That’s cool.
8. Still looking for a building we can lease for 24/7 space, so we can do multiple services and support groups throughout the week.
9. Worked a lot on our “ministry” (volunteerism) system/book. I am not a systems guy, but I want our church to have a great and consistent way we do things (and which we can tweak as necessary). That will help people grow, and our church to grow. But, man, putting these things together is kicking my butt.
10. Jud Wilhite, pastor of Central Christian Church here in Vegas, mentioned our church plant in his message this weekend. So great to have their support! He called me a “great guy.” He obviously hasn’t gotten to know me too well yet!!!
TO PRAY ABOUT THIS WEEK:
1. This week is crazy – all kinds of people in town, extra things I need to do and speak at, plus all the normal things I need to get done. Please pray for extra energy and passion for me. Thanks!
2. I’ll be speaking at Gateway Church in Austin on Sunday. This is my fourth time preaching there, and other than Forefront, it’s probably my favorite church.
3. Please pray that if God wants us to have a building to lease, we’ll find it soon. The clock is ticking…