BLeach

The Launch

Weekend Rewind

Wow, what a great weekend!

After a full day of setup and rehearsal on Saturday at Southfield Lathrup High School, Leah and I went to bed quoting Joshua 3.5.  Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do amazing things among you.

Sunday was a blast!  So cool to see all the hard work come together as our church gathered in the school for the first time.  The auditorium felt like home as God's Presence filled the room.  Many new ministry volunteers got involved to help with the setup and tear down process.  And several new guests joined us from the neighborhoods around the school.  I haven't seen all the final numbers yet, but I'm pretty sure we had our highest attendance day of the year! 

I kicked off the Future of America series with a message about immigration.  This is a topic that impacts life in Metro Detroit on a daily basis.  I also interviewed Samuel Amanor, a 32 year old friend who moved to the US from Ghana.  He has since started his own business and has a dream to move back to Ghana and work toward rebuilding the country.  You can check out the message here.

Thanks to everyone who prayed for us this weekend.  I'll get some pictures up soon!

Setting up the Tabernacle

      

Ready, Set, Go!

Today was a long, exhausting, exciting, memorable, hopeful day of setup at Southfield Lathrup High School.  So proud of our volunteers and leaders!

The sound system is hooked up.  The screen looks great.  The banners are in place.  Kidzopolis is colorful and ready to fill up with kids.  And we've dedicated the facility to Jesus. 

Now we're depending on Him...

• To fill it with His Presence
• Transform lives
• Heal the sick
• Save the sinner
• Fill the hungry
• Transform lives
• Build His Church
• And glorify His Name!

We'd love to have you join us at Church of the King tomorrow to share the inaugural experience!

After a Week of Discussing Evangelism in our Culture...

If I speak eloquently of the cultural intricacies of postmodernity, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.

If I can explain the postmodern's tendency toward juxtaposition and relative truth, and understand these mysteries, but have not love, I am nothing.

If I have faith that another Jesus Movement is possible, and give away all I have in hopes of inspiring it, but have not love, I gain nothing.

Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

Love never ends. As for philosophies, another one will probably come along eventually. And as for people, we all still have the same cravings in our souls.

So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

Seven Years

   

 

 

 

  

Launching Out

Just over seven years ago I graduated from Bible College and moved to Metro Detroit with six of my friends.  Together we built a core group of about 25 people and launched Church of the King the Sunday after 9.11.  Today we have several mile markers that commemmorate what God has done in our journey.

• Our first public service
• The first 9 people we baptized in water
• Our first service in our current building (the one God graciously gave us)
• Our first missionary (Phil and Lisa Dimusto)
• The week we launched our small group ministry
• The day we blessed and sent the core group for our first church plant (The Oaks)

Every time God leads us to take a step of faith, we change, and hopefully so does our city.

This Sunday will be another mile marker as we gather for the first time at Southfield Lathrup High Scool.  The auditorium will give us the capacity to reach twice as many people each week as we do right now.  And it will give us a fresh platform from which to continue to launch a movement to serve and transform our city.

If you think of us, please say a prayer on our behalf.  It's all about connecting our city to Christ. 

What an honor!

Robert Will Rule the Digital Age

 

Leah bought Robert a remote controlled car last week for his first birthday. When she asked me what I thought I said, "It's sweet, but there's no way he'll be able to operate it."  But I forgot one important thing.

My nephew's a genius.

The Future of America

 

We'll be kicking off a new series this weekend.  I'm not interested in being political.  We've got plenty of that going on right now.  But I am passionate about helping the church develop a biblical worldview in all areas of life.  That's what this series is about.  We'll be talking about four hot topics that are radically shaping life in Metro Detroit.

• Immigration
• Pluralism
• Economy
• Terrorism

Here's my conviction.  Each of these issues are introducing changes, challenges, and opportunities that will help the church serve the mission of God.

Can't wait to get started!

In Class to Change a City

I'm back in class this week studying evangelism strategies for the local church. Looking forward to dreaming about inspiring a life-transforming movement in Metro Detroit.

Mark Batterson is teaching our class today and tomorrow. I really respect Mark's passion to pastor one church for life and see Washington DC transformed. He's also the person who inspired me to start blogging. Really appreciate his friendship.

Honestly though, my feelings are mixed. This feels like a tough week for me to be away from home.  I miss my wife!  This is also a big week for our church since we're launching in our new location this coming Sunday.  As tough as it is to feel like I'm away from the action for a few days, I'm really appreciating our solid team of leaders who are back home getting the last minute details nailed down.

I'm also in the home stretch of my Master's Program.  Only two classes left!