Rumination Additions for 2-3

Hey Element Church!

--- Ummm can you say "Giants are Super Bowl Champs"? If your own team doesn't win there isn't much better than watching Bill Bellachick walk off the field like a big baby after the loss. LOL, that was mean but MAN does that dude bug me. I didn't think the Giants had a chance. That was one of the better Super Bowl games in recent memory.

--- Can't believe we had 313 today. That # doesn't make sense to me. Hard to believe.

--- THANK YOU to everyone who has shifted to 9 AM. AWESOME to have two full services. It has definitely helped enable room to grow. More news on a new venue later this week! VERY excited about the opportunity.

--- I was more open, un-filtered and honest today in a message than I may have ever been. I shared some past, ugly, embarressing mistakes I made as well as talked VERY openly about sex and how God has designed our sex lives to be.

Random statements of the day:

---"When a man and a woman experience sex within the bonds of marriage it is pleasing in the eyes of God." That is WEIRD to say but 100% true.

--- "God blessed Adam and Eve and told them to be fruitful and multiply, and he wasn't talking about eating oranges and doing math."

--- "Honey, I'm praying!" (Had to be there)

--- There are PLENTY more you'll just have to listen to the podcast or watch online.

--- Keenan TOTALLY nailed the role of satan in our video today. We made a video called "Satan Talks Sex" for the sermon transition video. It was done in some direct and intentional humor BUT totally reveals the answers our culture would give about sex based on the lies he gives.

--- I think when people watched the video initially they didn't know if they were allowed to laugh or not. We definitely pushed the line more than we ever have today but I started the sermon by saying "We are not going to push the line JUST to push the line. We will push the line SO we can expose who the devil REALLY is." That's important!

--- The Big Question today was "What are satan's six biggest sex lies?" 1. Sex is no big deal 2. Sex is purely physical 3. God is down on sex. (loved teaching against this lie) 4. I am guilty for what was done to me (abuse) 5. God can't forgive me (HUGE lie of satan) 6. It's impossible to stay pure (I HATE this lie. HATE IT! why? Because I KNOW it's possible)

--- We shared some STARTLING stats today about sex. Many of them dealing with pornography. Absolutely STAGGERING what sex is doing to our lives.

--- We TOTALLY blew the timing of the service today. Adam and I didn't have any time to organize the service together. We completely spaced that communion was today and didn't make the proper adjustments to the service. THUS we didn't get out of first service until well after 10:20. We need to be out NO LATER than 10:15. We took one song out for second service and started 5 minutes late to accommodate. Not a good day on timing.

--- Set up and tear down went GREAT! Great teams today. GoooooOOOOO TEAM! lol (that is 9:49 PM and VERY tired dorkiness right there)

--- My blogging bid to play keys on the praise team is paying off. I had two people say things today about me getting my shot. Adam will cave eventually and you will be AMAZED! I can play "Wherever You Go" by Richard Marx like nobody's business.

--- Had a GREAT time tonight with everyone watching the Super Bowl.

--- Praise Band once again did a great job. Sang an Adam original today. "Come and Rescue" LOVE that song. Adam is continuing to do an AWESOME job guys. MAN we are blessed.

--- Ok, I can't stop talking. Thanks for following. I love leading Element Church. You guys ROCK!

Following Christ,

Jeff