I’m very pleased with the way our What’s Your Story campaign has begun. The past two weeks we have had great services, great crowds, and great responses from many of you. Thank you for being willing to look past a worship center in the midst of a massive “face-lift” and focus on what the Holy Spirit is doing as He moves in us and among us.

This past week we talked about Nicodemus and the dangers of legalism. While researching that message I ran across the following story:

One afternoon a man named John, dressed in blue jeans, walked into a bank to finalize a business transaction. The teller told him that the officer he needed to see wasn’t in, and he would have to come back the next day. John said that would be fine and asked the teller to validate his parking ticket. The teller informed him that, according to bank policy, she couldn’t validate his parking ticket because he had not completed a financial transaction. John asked for an exception, since he had come to the bank intending to do business, but was unable to because the appropriate officer wasn’t in. The teller didn’t budge. She said, “I’m sorry, that’s our policy. Rules are rules.”

So John decided to make a business transaction. He decided to close his account. John’s last name was Akers. He was the chairman of IBM, and the account he closed had a balance of one-and-a-half million dollars. This qualified as a financial transaction, and the teller was required to validate the parking ticket.

One of the signs of legalism is when rules and regulations become more important than people. Now I’m not saying that there’s no place for rules and regulations because that would be foolish. But one of the things Jesus taught us with the example of his life is that people come first…people are a priority. My prayer is that we would always be a church that models the ministry strategy that people come first!

On another note, our new video venue has gotten off the ground. On Sunday, September 13, we began a new video simulcast service in the Student Ministries Center at 10:45am. Each week there is a Host Pastor, Worship Team, Greeters, and Guest Gathering folks to make you feel welcome and to help with the overall worship experience. The worship, special, and message, along with any special elements, are seen from a live feed to the Worship Center while the decision time as well as the communion and offering are handled live by the Host Pastor. During the service the SMC is set up with tables and chairs and those attending are able to enjoy some morning refreshments as they worship. Our hope and prayer for this service is two-fold. First, that we might reach some folks who would feel more comfortable in a setting like this. And, second, that this would help free up some space in the main service. If you’ve ever attended our 10:45 service, then you know that it can sometimes get pretty crowded.

So pray for this new service. Pray for God’s blessing on all of the technical details. And pray that God might use it to reach even more folks in our community and on the south side of Indianapolis. You might even want to give it a try. Who knows, you might like it.
Jesus cares,

Pastor Chris

This weekend begins a very special new sermon series called, “What’s Your Story.” I can honestly say I am more excited about this sermon series than any other I have preached in the past. Over the course of the next six weeks, we will look at six people who had personal encounters with Jesus (A Samaritan woman – Nicodemus – A blind man – A paralytic – John the Baptist – Peter), and we’ll see how Jesus changed their lives/stories in powerful and dramatic ways. At the same time, we’ll be hearing from some very special people in our church family who have stories that are very similar to each of these characters. I can’t tell you how much respect and appreciation I have for these people who have been willing to open up their lives in ways that are rarely seen in church. Along with all of this, we will be experiencing Spirit-led worship, heart-stirring specials, and a very powerful element on the final week that you will remember for the rest of your life. I hope you won’t miss a single week and that you will be inviting your family, friends, co-workers, and neighbors to come and experience church the way it’s supposed to be…honest and real.

While I’m on the subject of church, I read a very thought-provoking article in the Christian Standard written by a man named Paul Williams. He wrote about a recent evening when he was flipping through the television channels and happened upon five comedians (O’ Brien, David Letterman, Jimmy Fallon, Jimmy Kimmel, and Craig Ferguson) all with one thing in common – every one of them was wearing a suit and tie. He went on to say that the next week he traveled to Louisville to attend the North American Christian Convention. While he was there, he attended five of the main sessions where the speakers/preachers all wore polo shirts or, as he called them, “hide the fat Hawaiian shirts.” Williams went on to talk about the progression he’s experienced in his own ministry of shifting from preaching in a suit and tie to blue jeans. Then he wrote these words:

Some day archeologists will discover evidence dating back to the early 21st century. They will gather behind closed doors and puzzle together about the early days of the third millennium. What fascinating conclusions will they reach? I can see the headline: “Clothing Unlocks Secrets – Ancient Civilization Worshiped Comedy – Laughed at Religion.”I am not a curmudgeon. Really. I’m not. You can ask my kids. I am pretty sure there is no right or wrong here. But you have to admit, it is fascinating. How did we get here? How did David Letterman end up doing his monologue in a suit, while I quote Scripture in a pair of Levi’s?

It’s something to think about.

Finally, this weekend when you come to church, you’ll find the Worship Center in the midst of a pretty extensive facelift. That means for about three weeks we’ll have to sit on folding chairs and deal with floors in various stages of stain and carpet as well as walls that are going through their own transformations. I hope it won’t be a distraction to you and that you’ll remember to focus on the end result. I guarantee it will be well worth the inconvenience. But in the meantime, you might want to bring your own seat and/or back cushion if you think folding chairs will be difficult to endure. Please join with me in praying that the setting will in no way detract from what God is doing in the service.


Jesus cares,

Pastor Chris