To Go or Not To Go

We have just launched our new series called "Dilemma". I'm really excited about unpacking I Corinthians 8-9 over the next few weeks. This past Sunday I did an introduction of the series by looking at Mark and the Great Commission. You can listen at http://vintagenola.org/2011/09/18/dilemma-%E2%80%93-to-go-or-not-to-go-%E2%80%93-91811/. God is calling our Vintage Church family to become all things to all so that all might come to know Jesus. I broke down the book of Acts proving this point and promised that I would post it online.

Here it is:

Summary of the Book of Acts:
Acts 1 - Jesus Prepares the Disciples to “GO”
Acts 2 - The Spirit launches the Church to “GO”
Acts 3 - Peter & John “GO” around Jerusalem
Acts 4-5 - Persecution hits those who “GO”
Acts 6 - The Disciples “GO” to different people groups
Acts 7 - Stephen is killed and the church is forced to “GO”
Acts 8 - Philip “GOES” to a Magician & Eunich
Acts 9 - Jesus “GOES” to Saul
Acts 10 - Peter “GOES” with the men from Cornelius
Acts 11 - Paul “GOES” to Antioch
Acts 12 - Peter “GOES” to Jail
Acts 13-14 - Paul “GOES” on his first missionary journey to Cyprus, Pisidian Antioch, Iconium, Lycaonia, Lystra and Derbe.
Acts 15-18 - Paul “GOES” on his second missionary journey to Syria, Cilicia, Galatia, Traos, Phillipi, Thessalonica, Berea, Athens, Corinth and Ephesus.
Acts 18-21 Paul “GOES” on his third missionary journey to Galatia, Phyrgia, Ephesus, Greece and Caesarea.
Acts 21-23 - Paul “GOES” to Jerusalem
Acts 23-26 - Paul “GOES” to Caesarea
Acts 27-28 - Paul “GOES” to Rome

Tears of Thanks

This past Sunday we officially launched our Metairie Campus. It was an amazing display of the grace of God upon our young church. There were so many amazing people who stepped up to make this day possible. Thank you everyone who served Jesus in a major way!

It is so hard for me to set aside any moment from this past weekend that I'll take into the future. Around 400 showed up (a lot of whom were first time guests), the band was the best I've ever heard, we witnessed people respond to the Gospel, 5 people were baptized (one was our Theology & Training Pastor's wife), etc, etc, etc. But probably the one moment that will always stick out to me was a real private moment between me and God. After we opened with U2's "Beautiful Day", we showed the packed house a video of our Vintage history. I was standing behind our media booth. Here was my point of view.



In the first part of the video I'm at my home sharing my testimony and the beginning story of Vintage Church. Honestly, I was more aggravated at this point because I really don't like listening to my voice. When I wrapped up sharing this story, the video transitioned into a picture journey of our last 3 years. It was at this point that I became overwhelmed by God's grace upon my life. I saw a few pictures from our early days, scanned the faces in the crowd, and then went deeper into the media room blubbering like a baby. I couldn't say or think anything except, "Thank you Jesus for letting me be on this ride."

Here is the video:



http://vimeo.com/28898947

God is so good and I believe that the best is yet to come!