Life. Liberty. And the pursuit of God.

We started moving some today. This is our first day to get desks in the office and begin organizing. We are going to be so much more productive now! I’ll post some pictures when we are through. The meeting space is still being updated as well. We have just moved from the mid 70’s to the mid-90’s.

ABOVE: My new office

BELOW: Soon to be resource room

BELOW: Aaron’s office

BELOW: Sharon’s Office (The happiest place on earth)

BELOW: Reception area

When people came to worship this morning, they found out that we moved from our previous theater (#7) to the largest theater (#8) at the Cinema. We were worshipping in the second largest theater, but I have wanted to make the move since the beginning of the year and felt that this was the week to make that call. It was definitely the right call this week. We had 241 people at worship this morning! For us that is amazing. This was our second largest attendance at the movie theater ever (and it was the week after Easter). Our largest attendance was our launch Sunday when we had 261. I don’t expect to have that many next week, but I know we reached a number of new prospects this week. Many had come because they worshipped with us in the park at Easter.

We also got a larger theater for the free showing of “Horton Hears a Who” and were able to invite all of our guests, attendees, and members to stay for a showing.

Moving to a 400-seat theater is a stretch for us and may be uncomfortable for a little while, but how can we fill it up if we don’t worship there? J During the service, we did a kind of silly skit where God called and talked to me, but I really did feel God’s presence in a BIG way this morning.

I am not one to talk about the personification of evil much, but I really felt under attack this last week. There seemed to be an opposing work at force trying to make me question everything I have been doing and everything I am getting ready for. It is sometimes hard to listen to God’s voice in the midst of such confusion, but I am thankful for a God who reassures me of his presence, even when things seem dark.

Now, I am going to go take a nap.

God was really smacking me around this week as I prepared my sermon for Sunday. It really took on a direction that I had not imagined. Tomorrow I am going to speak about appearances using the story of King Saul and the anointing of David. Saul listened to the voice of his people instead of his God and God removed his blessing from him.

I tried to calculate and as best as I can tell Saul reigned for about 15 years after David was anointed king by the priest Samuel. Saul had the position of authority but not the power. God had taken his hand off of him and Saul was powerless in his position. The boy David had no position but had the power of God and we can see how God used him in mighty ways as he was being prepared for the position.

Here is the point: It is our heart, not position that determines our level of influence for God. This is true in our families, our work, our community, our church, and pastors – our pulpits. Because we hold the position does not mean we have the power. And maybe God is raising someone up to take it over for us. I think the scariest thought in the world for me is that I would simply be a placeholder for God. To hold the position, but not the authority is true misery. Look what happened to Saul as he fell into a terrible depression because he had the position but not the power.

This week we start a new series called “God at the Movies.” We know that God is everywhere and certainly in culture. Niebuhr’s famous book “Christ and Culture” deals with how Christianity responds to culture. I believe that we respond by showing people that Christ is in the culture, much as the Apostle Paul did at Mars Hill.

When the apostle Paul stood atop Mars Hill, he proclaimed good news to a diverse people steeped in philosophy, culture, and spirituality. “Paul then stood up in the meeting at the Areopagus (Mars Hill) and said: ‘Men of Athens! I see that in every way you are very religious. For as I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: TO AN UNKNOWN GOD. Now what you worship as something unknown I am going to proclaim to you.’” —Acts 17:22–23

Don’t miss the beginning of our series this week. You might be surprised to discover God at the movies – seriously, I really think he will show up Sunday and you should too.

One of my favorite artists is Albrecht Durer. His work is extraordinary. Much of his art was accomplished through woodcuts. In honor of this Easter week and being that I am too busy to post much this week, I thought I would post a resurrection print of Durer’s. You can read and view more of his works (HERE). While at SMU I got special permission to go into the collections area of Bridwell library and handle one of his prints (I was very careful). Hmmmm, I am thinking that one of his prints would make for a great tattoo, what do you think?

Layron Livingston from KLTV did a fantastic job covering the Easter service. He captured the story and I appreciate him taking the time to understand what we were doing. You can watch the video here (Dayspring Easter News Coverage).

Yes, that is me making announcements with bunny ears on…

The office space is really coming together. We now have shrubs and plants out front (thanks Annette), the doors are being painted today and signs are being made. We also have had it cleaned (thanks Sharla!) and now the inside is being painted (half of it is finished). Next week the painting will be completely finished and I hope that carpet will be installed (thanks Gary). In a couple weeks we will be in some great ministry space.