Excited, scared and pumped!

Just got back from our first official meeting with the set up/tear down team as well as the tech and praise team. All those areas are involved in the set up and tear down portions of Sunday morning. I've been handling all the set up of the sound system and computer stuff so am so excited that we have a guy that may be able to step in and fill some sound tech issues. Curtis has been running sound during the service, with really no prior experience. I have been managing all of the set up of sound and then setting monitoring it all during praise team practice. With all the other pressures of Sunday morning, I am excited to be able to train someone else how I do that so they can begin serving there. Adam did a great job setting up the meeting and leading tonight. We are moving set up to 6:30 AM on Sundays. We've got set up pretty much down to an art. We don't do a set design for every series but we definitely are for Christmas so there will be a few things added this week that aren't normal.

I am very nervous (scared is more accurate) about two services. Just being honest. This week has felt like a launch week. We did a 10,000 piece mailer to the community for our "Believe" series in which we're launching the 2 services. We also put a large full color ad in the newspaper on three days this week for the "Believe" series. There feels to me more variables in this launch than there were in the beginning. Oct. 7th launch feelings were who will show up? Now they are "I hope they don't all show up for 2nd service." Oct. 7th "Will we get everything set up?" Now "Will we get out before people watch us as the pre-movie entertainment." or "Will we get out before Enchanted begins playing on the screen."

I am pumped about our new opportunity. Even though my nerves rise, they are nerves because I know the gravity of what we do. We hold THE MOST IMPORTANT MESSAGE known to man and I don't want to screw that up. We want to create the most ideal experience for someone to meet Christ or grow closer to Him. We want to allow ourselves to get more people to that experience so two services is what we are doing. I have said a lot recently "I don't know how to prove God to you. I can only hope to bring you to a place where you and God might meet." That's what we do.

I am nervous every time I preach. Why? Because I don't trust God. NO! But the thought that God trusts ME with HIS message floors me. I don't want to screw it up. It is of utmost importance to me to present the Gospel clearly. To be intentional, relevant and practical so that I can be effective.

I told you I had some blogging in me. I can't wait for Sunday. Nervous? YES! Scared? Out of my mind! (Ok, maybe not that bad) But I trust completely that God, once again, will see us through. The comforting thing is that REGARDLESS of how I feel, God is in control. God will rule the day. God will bring the harvest.

Ok, I gotta stop. Elementers, I'll see you Sunday!

Following Christ,

Jeff