Sunday Setlist

Old Rugged Cross (rearranged)
How Deep the Father’s Love for Us (rearranged with added chorus)
Come Thou Fount (rearranged)
Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus (rearranged)

Sermon Notes in Brief – Listen or Download Here - iTunes

This is the second trip of Paul to Lystra, he’s checking up on the church he started 2-3 years earlier. Timothy, a disciple, loves Jesus and the Church, and Paul recruits him for mission.

The life of the Christian is one of sacrifice. Your life is no longer yours. The length to which you go to spread the Gospel is evidence of your understanding of what Jesus has done for you.

Jesus. Is. Enough.

We don’t fight over non-essentials. (1 Corinthians 9:19-21)

How were the churches “strengthened in the faith”? Because the all-sufficiency of Christ was preached.

Just like Paul was led by the Spirit to Troas, we have been led to Greenville by divine providence. You are not here on accident. You are here on purpose.

The Holy Spirit = the Spirit of Jesus.

Cities are important = Philippi was a leading city and a Roman colony. Crucial to the spread of the Gospel. Just as Philippi was the jump-off point to reaching Macedonia, so Greenville is the jump-off point to reaching Eastern NC.

The Lord opened Lydia’s heart. He wants to open ours as well. To who He is, and what He’s done.

We give our all because Jesus gave His all.

Will Davis is a Greenville, NC native who currently studies at East Carolina University, and will be joining us at Harmony Church as our first ever Artist in Residence intern. Having played drums for over 11 years and being a member of Eastern North Carolina-based Crimson Refuge has prepared him to step in this cultural ambassador role at Harmony Church. With musical influences ranging from Blink 182 and Relient K to Underoath and The Police, Will also brings a variety of musical taste to the table. Will loves to attend Greenville cultural events with his girlfriend, Danielle Griffin, and also enjoys a great piece of bacon and an occasional Duck Rabbit beverage. Above all, Will yearns to make Jesus known in Uptown Greenville, and looks forward to partnering with and serving at Harmony Church to increase the influence of Christ in our city.

Here are each of the seven domains, along with a brief definition of the domain and how it reflects a characteristic of the God we serve, and why we should renew it.

Government

Government is the organization through which the political unit exercises authority. It is what creates and enforces law in our society, and is usually made of up city officials and assistants. In Greenville, we have a mayor-council form of government, and our city is led by publicly elected council-members and subcommittees.

Government reflects God’s sovereignty. Just as the Trinitarian God we serve is sovereign over the affairs of man, so He gave us government and the rule of law to protect us from harm, from others, and often from ourselves. But government, like every other domain in society, has been corrupted by sin and sinful people, and should be renewed by the Gospel of Christ. The difference between the government of our city and the government of the Kingdom of God is that our city’s government is publicly elected and democratic while Christ is a self-appointed, yet perfectly benevolent, monarch.

Business

If government is the domain of society through which the political arm functions, business is the domain of society through which the economic arm functions. It is made up of corporations, entrepreneurs, small businesses, sole proprietorships and everything in between. Greenville hosts all kinds and any kind of business ranging from PCMH to Dyneema to DataGroup to Tupperware consultants.

Business reflects God’s providence. Just as the God we serve is infinitely providential, giving to (and taking from) His people as He deems necessary, so He gave us the ability to enact commerce to do the same amongst ourselves. Our economy, unlike the economy of Heaven, is corrupted by greed and consumerism and should be renewed by the Gospel of Jesus. The difference between our economy and the economy of Christ is that our economy is based on merit while the economy of Christ is based on grace.

Family

Family is the domain of society that functions as the fundamental relational arm. It brings people together in the building block of neighborhoods, which are the building block of the city. Comprised of immediate family members, step-family members, and extended family members, each family in Greenville is diverse and varying in size and shape.

Family reflects the Fatherhood of God through the Father and the Brotherhood of God through the Son. Just as the Trinitarian God we serve acts as both our Loving Father and Gracious Brother, so He gave us family as a picture of that relationship. As many of you may know, family is just as corrupt as any other domain. From missing parents (men & women) to spoiled, undisciplined children to broken marriages, the familial unit in our society is often severely in disarray. The difference between an earthly family and the family with God as the Father is that the family we know is one that we had no choice in; the Father in His everlasting kindness and love has adopted and chosen us.

Education

Education is the domain of society that facilitates the pursuit of knowledge and wisdom. Bringing people together in communities of learning in schools, homes, and universities across our city, education is a major part of our city and dovetails with many other domains.

Education reflects God’s omniscience. The God that rules and reigns over our universe is not only all-knowing, but He is also all-wise. He not only knows the answers…but how best to live them out. Our educational system is perverse with pride and selfish motives, needing the Gospel of Christ to work itself from the inside out. In addition to the corruption, a major difference between our knowledge and the knowledge of Christ is that the finite nature of our minds and understanding will only lead to more questions. The infinite mind of God captures everything – bringing perfection to an imperfect, but worthy, pursuit of knowledge.

Religion

Religion is the organization through which the spiritual arm of society is exercised. People gather in homage to one god or another, engaging in spiritual disciplines, and worshiping something. Religion in Greenville is widespread and rampant…almost to an epidemic proportion.

Religion reflects God’s doxological (worthy of worship) nature. The Creator is awe-inspiring and there is something within us that used to connect with Him on a very intimate level that is now missing. Religion, in its corrupted state, is a method and a means to get to God. The Gospel of Christ, however, turns that upside down and tells us the true story of how God came to us. The difference between our ‘religion’ and true religion is that our religion depends on the works of man to elicit God’s response, whereas Christianity tells of the works of God that expects man’s response.

Media

Media is the organization through which the communication of society occurs. Usually in the form of technology-disseminated information, media connects people with ideas on a regular basis through the widespread availability of knowledge.

Media reflects God’s love of proclamation. God gave us mouths to speak and ears to hear not only to communicate with one another, but to communicate with Him as well. From the living, speaking Word of God (Jesus) to the written Word of God (Bible) to our communication with Him (prayer), we are to communicate with the Ruler of All Things! But media in our society is corrupted by agendas, false information, and shady dealings. The proclamation of Christianity has a perfect agenda (that of God’s) full of true information (Jesus is Lord) accomplished through the most public dealing of all-time (the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus).

Culture

Culture is the organization through which the arts and entertainment areas of society are exhibited. Thought to be recreational, the arts and entertainment actually bring much to society, including forms of communication and stability that no other domain offers.

Culture reflects God’s creativity. We are a creative people because we were made in the image of a creative God. God sings, leads His people to dance, and brings beauty into existence for our enjoyment and utility. Culture in our world, however, is a broken version of this. From poorly crafted music (made only for the sake of selfish monetary gain) to perverse movies to meaningless literature, culture is not the way it was intended to be. The Gospel of Christ renews culture, bringing an injection of much-needed life.

So that’s all seven domains, all reflective of the glory of Christ and all in need of renewal by the power of the Gospel through the work of the Church.

The entire book is worth reading, but there’s one thing that stuck out to me that really made it worth the admission price: Figure 18 in Chapter 7. It’s a chart, a tangible way to measure how the redemption of the city is moving along. It includes seven domains/categories of city life along with 4 ‘phases’ per domain. Here’s my version:

This is a picture of the seven primary domains, or areas, of a city. You can see that these seven categories pretty much covers the entire workings of the city, from what goes on in the home to what happens at City Hall. But what do we do with them? Tweaking it a bit, here’s my takeaway: working from the inner circle outwards, you find out and establish the theology of the domain (from Scripture), establish a vision for that domain, raise leaders within that domain to execute the vision, and then work towards examples of success in that domain.

Here is a PDF of this chart, along with a color-coded key and brief definition of the steps to redeeming and renewing a city.

But why is tackling all seven domains so important? Why can’t the Church just stick to redeeming the spirituality/religion of the city? The answer is two-fold. First of all, the Gospel is not just to renew the individual (justification/sanctification), but it’s also meant to simultaneously renew the community (Kingdom-inbreaking).

Secondly, and this will be explained in part two of this post, the domains of the city each represent a characteristic of God that should be reflected in a Gospel-centered, Kingdom-reflecting culture.

Best Place for a Date:
Atlantic Grill – This place is one of the better restaurants in Greenville period. From the atmosphere to the service to the food, Atlantic Grill is quickly climbing our charts. Also, don’t forget about their Sunday morning brunch!

Best Place for Family Dinner:
Uncle Yammy’s Rib Shack – Barbecue done well. Great family atmosphere, decent beer selection for mom & dad, and wonderful southern BBQ that feeds the soul.

Best Place for Drinking Craft Beer:
Winslow’s – Winslow’s in Uptown has a wonderful beer selection and recently they’ve made major strides in their food and service as well. Also check out the back “store” for great bottles to take home!

Best Place for Dessert:
Daily Grind – From cookies to pies to cakes to creme brulees, the Daily Grind on Firetower covers dessert just fine. Dinner here is great as well.

Best Place for an Appetizer:
Cafe Duo – Hands down, Cafe Duo has the best bruschetta in eastern NC. Combining the tomato salad with capers over freshly toasted bread..yum! We’re also a big fan of the mussels.

Best Brunch Buffet:
Tipsy Teapot – Tipsy Teapot (Harmony’s current gathering home) in Uptown Greenville has an incredible brunch buffet that includes your beverage, crepes cooked to order, and a buffet of quiche, grits, meat, and other yummy sides.

Best Place for Coffee:
Coffee Shack – The local coffeehouse in Greenville. Great music on Thursday nights, great coffee the rest of the times, be sure to check out some of their pastries as well. Say hello to Stacy (the owner) for us.

Best Place to Watch the Game:
BW3 – TVs. Wings. Great crowds. If you’re not watching at home, check out BW3s.

Best Place for a Glass of Wine:
Dolce Vita Wine & Beer – Also a great place to purchase (but not imbibe) craft beer, Dolce Vita has regular wine tastings during the week and also carries a great selection of wine as well. Drop in, buy a bottle, and sign up for their mailing list to be notified about upcoming events.

Best Place for Wings:
Wings Over Greenville – Real chicken. Big pieces of chicken. Serious sauces. Avoid the sides, just order chicken. Yum yum in our tum tum.

Best Pizza Place:
Boli’s – Massive Meat for the win. Take every meat imaginable and throw it on a pie with Boli’s awesome pizza sauce and cheeses, and you’ll see why Boli’s wins the pizza place in our hearts.

Best Value:
Taco Bell – No question here. It’s the only place Pastor Derek can get full for under $4.

Best Sushi:
Wasabi 88 – Fresh ingredients, creative rolls, and great service make this the best sushi bar in town. Here’s hoping they open a Uptown location.

Best Indian:
Dale’s Indian Cuisine – The lunch buffet is to die for. If you like Indian food, or if you don’t know if you like Indian food (you do), check out Dale’s located Uptown on Evans Street.

Best Thai:
Thai Kitchen – You have to look for this place to find it, but when you do you’ll be glad you did. Incredible curry, wonderful sushi appetizers, and a spicy noodle dish to write home about, Thai Kitchen is a great asian restaurant in the Greenville scene.

Best Pie at Fresh Market:
Wildberry – Just buy it. Trust us. Leave the apple, strawberry rhubarb, and others on the shelf. Take home a Wildberry pie.

Best Music Venue:
Live – Filling a local music black hole after the closing of Unk’s (our former home), Live has begun hosting some great shows in the Bells Fork area of the city.

Best Art Gallery:
Emerge – Located Uptown, Emerge art gallery has, ahem, emerged as the artists’ haven here in the city. GMA, Art Encounters, and the ECU art gallery are close runners-up as well. Greenville has a thriving art scene.

Most Promising Cultural Center:
Uptown Art Avenue – Run by Claire Edwards and friends, they are still in the infant stages, but Harmony looks forward to seeing how this upstart gallery blossoms into a cultural mainstay in Uptown.

Best Wi-Fi Hotspot:
Sit at Panera, Use Starbucks Internet – Panera limits your usage, but Starbucks is too uppity…and their coffee is bad.

Best Annual Cultural Event:
ECU’s Youth Arts Festival (Don’t Cut the Budget!) – This event for the public, held on ECU’s mall, features art booths and activities for the youth of Greenville. It’s a great event that is being threatened by budget cuts. Upotwn Greenville’s Freeboot Friday is a wonderful event as well.

Best Booth at the Uptown Umbrella Market:
Locavore Market – Bringing great local food to the masses, the Locavore Market had the best booth, and we look forward to seeing them year after year.

Best Band No Longer Touring:
Gospel Years – Sadly, the Gospel Years are no longer touring with Josh Humphries moving to Tennessee. But they are still an incredible band.

Best Local Favorite:
Charming Youngsters – The perennial, fun-loving favorite band that never fails to put on a great show. Check ‘em out if you haven’t seen them yet. But avoid their Christmas album. Worst idea Nolan and Eric ever had.

Local Band Most Likely to Get Signed:
The Ethnographers – These guys are set to blow up with a rock-pop sound that is catchy and meaningful. They also put on one heck of a show.

Best Children’s Clothing:
Once Upon a Child – With babies everywhere at Harmony, OUAC seems to be the mommies’ favorite place to shop.

Best Women’s Clothing:
Victoria’s Secret - The guys had to veto any other suggestion. This is the best place in Greenville for ladies to shop.

Best Local Indie Jeweler:
Clay Vick of Heart Art - Slightly biased here. Just check his stuff out. And if you’re lucky, he’ll give you a free pair.

Best Men’s Clothing:
Old Navy – Either here or Kohl’s. Great stuff at great prices…especially if there’s a sale going on.

Best Grocery Store:
Harris Teeter – Great produce, international, and beer selections. You pay a bit more, but with coupons that’s not a problem!

Best Pub:
Christy’s – Can’t wait to start God & Guinness at the one true pub left in Greenville.

Best Photographer:
Todd Cook – So many great photographers in Greenville (Ginny Corbett and Michael Wells come to mind), but Todd’s recent work in documenting Lonnie Walker’s own Justin Flythe’s battle with cancer is moving and phenomenally shot.

Best Underground Music Venue:
Tipsy Teapot – The Spazzatorium Galleria’s mainstream underground spot. (You read that right) I’ve seen some incredible acts here (Photo Atlas, Fang Island, Deleted Scenes, the list goes on and on). Jeff: keep it up.

Most Promising Restaurant:
Copper & Vine – So excited to see Chef Lofton’s creations come out of Copper and Vine. Slightly expensive for a regular lunch or dinner budget, but should be a staple in the date night scene here soon.

Improvements

1. Increased Artist Participation in First Friday – More businesses should be involved in this monthly event. I’m not just talking about random involvement, either. I’m talking having artists come in and talk about their work. We want to see more artists…more involved.
2. Increased Green Space – We need more trees! We don’t know where…but the plans to revitalize the Town Commons are a great start.
3. Better Wi-Fi Downtown – The “City of Greenville” wireless system sucks. Period.
4. More Cooperative Ventures Between Churches – This past month’s “Christmas in Greenville” event was wonderful…and I look forward to working with more churches in the near future.
5. Expedited Community Theater Solution – The White’s Theater project needs to happen soon. We’d love to see a Children’s Theater (similar to what Ayden currently has) in the Uptown district…and White’s would be the perfect place for it.

Wish List

1. Legitimate Music Venue – This is the primary need for Greenville’s culture. Live, Unk’s, and Tipsy Teapot are great, but Greenville does not have it’s own Cat’s Cradle/Norva/Orange Peel. The Attic is simply a distant memory now.
2. Co-working Space – Carrboro Coworking does this well, and it’d be a great use of some of the empty spaces on Dickinson Avenue, or a revitalized warehouse in the Tobacco District.
3. Tapas Bar – Tapas are Spanish-style small plates. A Tapas bar serves them. Greenville needs one Uptown (or period).
4. Brewpub - Greenville needs it’s own brewery and brewpub. Ham’s was close, but still a chain. Carolina Ale House (rumored on moving into the former Ham’s spot) is the same kind of deal. I wish Duck Rabbit Brewery would man-up and open one somewhere in the Uptown District.
5. Local Coffeehouse in Uptown - Tipsy Teapot is great…but doesn’t quite have the same feel as a coffeehouse. I don’t think they’d be in competition. We need a second Coffee Shack location in Uptown. How ’bout it Stacy?

Here’s a more specific breakdown of our finances, that you may have already read: How Our Finances Work.

If you have a gift above and beyond your normal sacrificial and cheerful offering, you can give online here, through PayPal.

As a continuation of this mission, the Artist-in-Residence at Harmony Church residency is a paid Residency that will run for four months, consist of an average of 25 hours of work each week, and will provide both a monthly stipend of $400 and a place of residence in Greenville, NC. The Residency is designed to allow for an average school or work schedule. The primary duties of the resident will be to both create culture and coordinate cultural events with local organizations and businesses in Uptown Greenville. A secondary duty of the resident will be to lead worship for Sunday morning gatherings.

The application process is outlined below, and will allow us to consider the following characteristics:

• Character
• Christianity
• Compatibility
• Competency
• Creativity

The applicant will submit an eight-page application. If the application is accepted and the applicant is a potential candidate for the Residency, recommendation letters will be accepted and a personal interview will be conducted. After all potential candidates are interviewed, a selection will be made.

The first Residency will begin on February 1st, 2011. All applications should be submitted to derek@harmonydc.com on or before January 23rd, 2011.

Download the application here.

If you have any questions, please email Pastor Derek at derek@harmonydc.com

Freeboot Friday (October 22nd, November 5th)

Celebrate ECU’s Homecoming at a special Freeboot Friday.  You’ll see the cheerleaders, marching pirates and more as we celebrate Homecoming at Freeboot Friday.  All are welcome (no affiliation to ECU required) for this fun, free, live music outdoor festival. Enjoy live music by The Main Event Band and opening music from the Usta B’s (Oct 22nd), and the Artimus Pyle Band (Nov. 5th), along with activities for all ages. Volunteers are needed to help before, during, and after the event, in two-hour shifts.  To volunteer sign-up here.

Uptown Planting Project (Tuesday, October 19th)

Uptown Greenville, The Pitt County Extension Master Gardeners and the Uptown Garden Club have recently adopted available planter beds along Evans St. We are seeking volunteers to assist with planting flowers.Volunteers are needed starting at 2pm  through 7pm. We invite you to bring your garden tools and gloves (if you have them) and spend a little (or a lot) of time with us. No experience is needed, just a willingness to work!  To volunteer sign-up here.

You don’t need me to organize it…you and your Home Group, class or friends can just do it.

• Grill out for the employees of a company or business.
• Set up a party trailer, which includes a grill, moonwalk, helium tank and balloons, video games, chairs, etc. at any community events.
• Dress up like a Star Wars character wherever there are people and take pictures with kids and families.  Give them a special invite card with the location they can download the picture.  You will have a blast and invite a bunch of people to church.
• Tailgate at high school football games.  Give away hot dogs and invite people.
• Set up a moonwalk at a local park while events are happening.
• Volunteer at community runs and bike races
• Hand out beverages  at an Uptown Greenville event
• Give out hand warmers with the Harmony logo (email hello@harmonydc.com) at winter events like the Christmas parade
• Do a free oil change or car inspection in a public parking lot
• Hang out with people at the UFC fights shown on every TV in town
• Host a block party for your neighborhood.
• Provide “full service” at a local gas station – wash windows and leave a car freshener
• Show free family movies at a park or your backyard
• Help local schools with their fall festivals.  Instead of re-creating the wheel, just help a school make their event better.
• Take professional pictures at local school talent shows
• Visit a nursing home
• Take a couple of hours and put out door hangers in your neighborhood or apartment complex.
• Go put invite cards on car windshields.  Try not to get arrested…that keeps it fun.
• Be intentional about coaching a kids sports team.
• You and your kids set up a lemonade stand.
• Have a free garage sale…give away things and invite people to church
• Do a free car wash
• Walk around a neighborhood and collect canned food.  Invite people to church while asking for food.
• Hand out helium balloons at special events
• Get a truck, ladder and a bunch of light bulbs and walk around and ask people if they need light bulbs changed.
• Set up a bounce house at the movie theater when a big kids movie premiers.  Or in front of another store.  Managers are often open to anything that draws attention to their store.
• Put out road signs on the weekend
• Put a giant leaf sign in the back of your truck.  Politicians do it – our cause is way more important!
• Custom order Harmony Church silly bandz
• Enter a float in one of the parades.  Walk along side it and give away candy and invites.
• Take breakfast to school teachers.  Simply email the principal and ask if you can do it, set a day, and make it happen.
• Get a giant backpack sprayer and offer to spray for bugs in people’s homes.  It might seem strange, but what a great way to talk to someone and invite them to church.
• Salt driveways when it ices during the winter.
• Help with field days at a local elementary school.  What school wouldn’t appreciate volunteers?
• Take food to fire stations.  Let them know you appreciate them and that they are always welcome at your church.
• Valet cars when a school has an open house.
• Provide childcare for high school graduations.
• Cook team meals before home games at local sporting events
• Pass out candy and invites at your own house on Halloween for actual kids, or downtown where hundreds of “children” come to “trick or treat” every year.
• Start a BBQ Cookoff

Better yet…come up with your own idea, get your friends or group involved, and make it happen.  Let us know how we can help.

1. Know non-Christians

It seems like common sense, but too many campus ministries are set up to babysit nice, moralistic, hypocritical youth group kids and create a bubble around them. As Christians, we have to be outwardly focused. As the Father sent Jesus, Jesus sends us into the culture. It’s so much easier to share the gospel if you belong before you ask people to believe (John 20:21).

2. Think about where you will live

Make your living situation missional: meet new friends and build relationships to see students meet Jesus instead of secluding yourself with people who all act and think the same way you do. Grab a Christian friend and move into the wildest apartment complex in the neighborhood. Don’t conform, but be a movement of change in an area where it’s desperately needed.

3. Join the Greek system

There’s instant community established by living in the Greek system, and people in sororities and fraternities know everyone. Once you’re in, you become really well connected and are able to be on mission in an extreme environment. Yeah, I know: they sin a lot. So does everyone else in college (1 Cor. 9:19–23).

4. Get involved (not just at church)

Join a club related to your major, hobby, or interest. Stop saying yes to every church obligation and begin seeking how the gospel can apply to all areas of life. Build relationships by playing intramural sports on a team without all your Christian friends.

5. Start a small group!

Instead of meeting in a house or apartment, start gathering in a coffee shop or the study hall of your dorm. This will not only allow you to support the local community, but it might also allow somebody else to eavesdrop on a worthwhile conversation.

6. Serve the community

Get involved with a local non-profit or service center. By serving the community alongside non-believers, you’re doing the work that Jesus calls us to do by being missional not only to the populations you’re serving, but also to the people you’re serving alongside.

7. Practice radical hospitality

College students aren’t known for being the most financially well-off or generous people around. Buying a classmate coffee or lunch is a small sacrifice that can speak volumes and make a huge statement in demonstrating grace. This could also mean driving the drunks home from a party and sharing the gospel with them the next day as you take them to get their car.

You have a few short years to reach people who will scatter throughout the world and live for something or someone. The key to being a missionary on a university campus is believing Jesus is worthy of every student’s worship, for his glory and our friends’ eternal joy!