So we’ve got to make time for what’s most important. We have invited marriage ministry leaders, Justin & Trish Davis, all the way from Nashville, to be with us next weekend, April 12 & 13, to challenge us to take our marriage to the next level. They’ve got an incredible story that you’re going to want to hear.

I know it’s going to be amazing. But here’s the deal, you will miss it if you don’t register very, very soon.

Register by April 7th and pay for the conference online. Registration is $50 per couple, and childcare is available for $5 (1 child) or $10 (multiple children).

Click here to register.

Click here to pay.

Online Payment instructions:

1. Set up a user ID using the “Get Started” button.
2. Click on “Get Connected” at the top of the page.
3. Click on “Events”
4. “Refine Your Marriage” is the only choice you have from there, and the site will walk you through the rest of the procedure.

Let’s do this!

Connexion Students relaunched on Wednesday night with Fuze. Our students did an amazing job of getting the word out and there were nearly double the number of people there, busting well over the 100 mark. There were tons of first time guests who got to experience it firsthand. We had a dj (Jon the Revalaytor) dropping fresh beats, inflatable bouncers (courtesy of Awesome Jumps) in the lobby, and I’ve never seen so many Chick-fil-a nuggets flowing freely like the land of milk and honey. (It was hard to resist those tasty morsels of heaven.) The student worship band rocked it out (thanks Rene!) and it was inspiring to be a part of the worship at full volume. Our Student Minister, Bobby Fraumann, brought the Word and 5 students took the step to trust in Jesus and give Him their lives! This was a huge night of victory for our Student Team. I’m so incredibly proud of Bobby’s leadership and all the work that the team did to make this happen. If you know of any students (grades 7-12), let them know that Fuze Students is the place to be on Wednesday nights.

Get Ready to Grow:
Here’s an online daily devotional that you can use as a guide to draw closer to God during this season: Crosswalk Easter Devos
Also, make plans to attend the Good Friday service on March 29 to remember and reflect on Jesus sacrifice on the cross.

Get Ready to Invite:
Stats consistently show that 9 out of 10 people would attend a church if they were invited. God has placed people in your life for a reason. So, step up and invite them to be with you on Easter Sunday.

Get Ready to Serve:
Our service strategy is very simple: Attend a service and serve a service. (Of course, it would be great if the service you attend is the 9 or Noon to make more room at the 10:30.) If you’re not already on a ministry team, you can go here to let us know you want to serve on Easter Sunday: Volunteer . Just fill out the form at the bottom of the page and we’ll get in touch with you soon.

Get Ready to Give:
We’ll be receiving a special Easter Offering to fund 2 specific opportunities: expanding our current facilities and caring for those in our own community. Be praying about what God would have you give over and above your regular tithe to invest in our shared mission. If you want to give online, you can do that here.

As we get ready together, I know we’ll make a huge impact this Easter.

“Or! What is it good for? Absolutely Nothing!” The Coke Zero commercial nails it! Why do people think “or” when we should be thinking “and“? If you’re not careful, people will try to back you into a corner, making you choose between two alternatives, when both options are true. Of course, the result is that you end up with only half of something that’s meant to be an incredible whole.

Paul dealt with this very issue in Galatians 3:28 where he wrote, “There is no longer Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male or female. For you are all one in Christ Jesus.”

Why choose between one or the other, when God says yes to both?

One example that really hits home for me is Quality or Quantity. Some people think when it comes to a church, you have to choose one or the other. They ask, “Do you want a lot of people to be a part of your church, or do you want to have just a few, but those few are spiritually mature?” That’s a Stupid Separation! Why not both? Those aren’t mutually exclusive.

Do you want the church to be Deep or Wide? Why not both?

At The Connection Church, we want to see as many people come to know Jesus as Savior and Lord and we want them to grow to become fully devoted followers of Jesus.

Another Stupid Separation is between Attractional or Missional. This is a question of whether or not we invite people into the church to tell them about Jesus or send people out into the world to tell them about Jesus.

I say, “Why not both?” In the Gospels, you hear both of these statements: “Come and see.” AND “Go and tell.” So at The Connection Church, we do both. We bring ‘em in and send ‘em out.

We have zero tolerance for divisiveness. Why make a Stupid Separation when God says it’s both? I’m done with “or.” Say it again!

We’ve been planning and praying for The Presence Christmas Offering that is happening this Sunday, December 16th. Now, it’s finally here!

We’re so excited to be the hands and feet of Jesus in our world by showing His love to the people of Agua Zarca, Guatemala.

Through this offering, we will:

• Throw a big Christmas party in the village, complete with delicious & nutritious food & Christmas cake, Christmas gifts, and needed supplies
• Feed the 45 children in the village every day at school
• Establish a mission base where we can go and share the Good News of Jesus
• Be positioned to take the next steps God leads us to during 2013

I know it’s a busy time of year and some people may not be with us this weekend. We want to make it as easy as possible for you to be a part of the offering even if you’re not here. To make your donation now, click the link below and follow the instructions on the page.

You can give by clicking here today.

Please join us in prayer for this offering, as it’s a BIG step of faith that will make a BIG difference in our lives and the lives of those in another part of the world.

Last weekend, Kenzie’s volleyball team, the Hill Country Lady Rams, played in the state finals for the championship. Needless to say, I was excited. This was the game of the year, equivalent to the Super Bowl fur us. We got there early, carefully chose our seats on our team’s side, and as the game started I stood there and began to clap and cheer for the Rams, along with the other fans.

• Him: “You’ve got a problem with your Windows PC.
• Me: “Oh no! What kind of problem is it?”
• Him: “Well, we can fix it.”
• Me: “How do you know there’s a problem?”
• Him: “We can see it when you get on the internet.”
• Me: “Really, you can see my computer?”
• Him: “Yes. But we can fix it.”
• Me: “How can you see my computer?”
• Him: “When you get on the internet.”

I just kept asking questions and was actually nowhere near any computer as he was giving me instructions that would have allowed him to not only see my computer, but make changes to it as well. That’s a really bad idea. At that point, he’d have complete access to any info on my computer or install whatever software he wanted.

I eventually just told him I knew it was a scam and that he was a criminal and should be charged for this scam and then I hung up.

But as I thought about it, I realized that I do have a kind of windows problem. 1 Corinthians 13:12 says, “For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God now knows me completely.”

My windows problem is that right now, I can’t see completely clearly. My vision is a little blurred and I don’t understand nearly as much as I would like to. Whenever I think I’ve got it all figured out, I find out that I don’t know as much as I need to know.

But the promise of God is that one day, I will see Him face to face. And one day, all my questions will be answered. And I will finally understand the answer to the all-encompassing question, “Why?” And I think at that point, some of my questions won’t be as important as the fact that all the answers will be found in Him.

And the best news in that verse is that God does know me completely right now. He knows all the dark corners of my life that I try to hide and yet He still loves me just as I am. It’s mind-blowing that the One who knows me the best, loves me the most!

So, every weekend at The Connection Church, we have many, many guests. We refer to them as guests and we treat them like guests. What’s the big deal and what difference does it make if we call people “visitors” or “guests”?

Think about it this way: a visitor is someone who shows up at your house, usually uninvited. They are out of place. They are somewhat uncomfortable. That’s best case scenario. The worst case scenario is that they are secretly aliens who look like lizards and are here to take over the earth and maybe have us for dinner.

A guest, on the other hand, is invited, expected, and welcome. At The Connection Church, we’re “a family expecting guests.” We love our guests. We address them respectfully in our services. We give them each a special gift with some fun stuff and helpful info. We follow up with them in non-intrusive ways. We listen to their opinions. And we look for them to return the next week or soon.

So, it cuts to the core of the way we interact with those who are checking out our churches on the weekends. And it makes a huge difference in connecting with people. So, if you’re thinking about checking out The Connection Church this weekend, BE OUR GUEST!

I’m am always blown away by the number of people who are stepping out in faith to trust in Jesus and following Him in baptism. Check out the video to see what happened on July 22nd at Five Mile Dam when 21 people took the plunge!

If you haven’t gone public with your faith in Christ through baptism, I want to invite you to do it on August 12th. We’re going back out the river that afternoon for the last splash of summer. I can’t wait to see you there!

1. In Philippians 3:12-14, Paul says, “…I focus on this one thing, forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize…” How would you complete this statement for your life, “This one thing my life is most focused on is…”
2. Read Ephesians 4:31-32. Who are you holding a grudge against? A former boyfriend or girlfriend? An ex-spouse? An employer? A parent? A brother or sister? A teacher? A pastor? Who do you need to offer forgiveness?
3. Is there something in your past that you wish you could go back and change? Will you accept what happened and release your grief?
4. Take an inventory of your life. What do you have now that God can use in your future? (examples: your life, your freedom, your education, your finances, your gifts and talents, a relationship, your church family)
5. Are you carrying around baggage from sins in your past? How have you tried to pay for your own sin? Will you confess that sin to God and let Him remove it? Remember Psalm 103:12 says, “He has removed our sins as far from us as the east is from the west.”