TFC's 3rd Birthday

On Sunday, we celebrated TFC's 3rd Birthday! They grow up so fast...
It was a great, but crazy day. We rented the school an hour earlier than usual, so David Brush could hang our lights on the PRMS light rack. It took so long that we were moving the lift out of the auditorium right at 10:30. I decided around 10 that if we had to, we could allow David to keep working during worship. Although it was a ton of work, we now have 6 lights mounted above the stage, meaning we won't have to set them up/ tear them down every week. GOOD WORK, DAVID!!!

The lights wasn't the only crazy thing about Sunday. For some reason, set-up didn't go that smoothly and the band was doing sound check 15 minutes before worship started - not good. Between setting up for the baptism, the picnic and other stuff, it was really crazy before worship. But at 10:30, I was able to shift my focus. Singing the songs, clapping hands and watching my niece dance on the front row helped me take my focus off self and place it upon Christ, which is exactly what worship is all about.

The worship service was powerful on Sunday. The band did the song Handlebars and Caleb Wood nailed the rapper motif and the song nailed home the theme of the Golden Rule. There were tears and applause after the video testimony - link. And of course, there were massive cheers after each of the baptisms. It was also great seeing such a large crowd. If we keep inviting, we'll get that room filled up eventually. We did have a picnic afterwards, but it was a brave few who fought the cold wind.

After we watched Marty and Lindsay's video testimony, I told the congregation, "that's why we started this church." I knew there were people like Marty and Lindsay out there and we needed to start a church that would connect with them. I've stayed with the vision God has given me for this church, even if some people weren't able to share that vision. In fact, there is one thing Marty shares in the video that he says helped bring down his guard on his first Sunday. What he's referring to has caused some families to leave the church because they didn't agree with my philosophy but I'm so glad to see how it helped bring Marty to Christ.

Later on Sunday, due to Lindsay's mom's seizure, I sat in the surgery waiting room at Olathe Med and listened to Marty and Lindsay tell the rest of their family about TFC. They said the reason we showed their video on our 3rd birthday was because, "they started this church for people like us, with hurting marriages and without God. We're still focuses on reaching more people who don't know God yet." Man, I couldn't have been more proud. To listen to the vision God gave me 4 years ago being repeated by a family who has found Christ at our church is beyond amazing.

It's only been 3 years. Imagine what can happen over the next decade? Are you willing to do what it takes for us to live out God's vision for our church?

To see the entire photo album, click here.