Some reflections from our Mexico trip…

It’s good to be back!

I would love for you to read some of my thoughts after returning from our trip to Juarez.   You can find them on my blog at:  thepadre10.wordpress.com

On behalf of all the men and kids and youth leaders who went on this trip,  I want to say a huge “thanks” to all of the North Point family for your support, donations, encouragement, concerns and prayers.   You are the best!

Don’t Forget

It’s going to be a great Sunday this weekend, but you don’t want to miss it!   Here are the three things you need to know:

One…there is only one service at 11:15. That means there’s no 10:00 service.

Two…we change to Daylight Savings Time on Saturday night.   So remember to set your clock ahead one hour.   If you don’t and you come at 11:15,  at least you’ll catch the last two songs…

Three…both the men’s group and the youth group will be in Mexico,  so having your body at North Point on Sunday would be an awesome encouragement to all those left behind.

Pray for us while we’re in Mexico

A little (and by “little” I mean “hugemongously gigantorific”) request from your friendly neighborhood youth minister.

I’ve prepared a daily prayer guide for our youth trip to Mexico, with specific prayer points for each day. In the past, I’ve given these prayer guides to parents of kids going on the trips, but I’d love it if North Point as a whole partnered with us in prayer! What we’re going to do is difficult, will push the kids’ (and adults’) limits, and could be a life-changing experience. We need your prayers!

Please visit the youth website (http://youth.npcc.cc/mexico) to download a printable prayer guide. Thanks for supporting us in this!

If you just can’t wait to start praying for us, I’ve made a quick list of things you can start praying for right now:

Pray that:

• God will teach us the lessons he wants each of us to learn.
• God will help us feel his love for the poor.
• We will not think of ourselves as better than those we serve.
• We will be open to God’s teaching.
• We will not be afraid, but will trust God no matter what.
• We will grow closer together as a youth group of friends.
• We will all get along really well.
• We will have lots of energy and would work hard.
• We have a ton of fun as we serve and learn together!
• This trip will change us forever.

Don’t forget to also download the daily prayer guide from the youth website! http://youth.npcc.cc/mexico

Sunday Reflection

I am always convicted by my own sermon preparation.   I can’t imagine just getting up on a Sunday and going through the motions and not being deeply affected by my study of God’s word.

But this week, there was more.   To speak about the nature of the church is a high and holy privilege.   To spend our time considering the greatness of the Body of Christ and our calling to invest fully in our relationships to each other is one of the most important things we could ever do.

Let me remind you of a few things that I said yesterday:

If it’s not drawing you deeper into relationships, it’s not church.

If it’s not drawing you deeper into service, it’s not church.

If it’s not causing you to evaluate and redefine our personal priorities, it’s not church.

If it’s about what you are getting, it’s not church.

If it causes you to extol the virtue or talent of the pastor, it’s not church.

If you are entertained by it, it’s not church.

If you can hide at it, it’s not church…If it creates co-dependency, it’s not church.

If you think you don’t need it, it’s not church.

If you evaluate the church experience by how it makes you feel, it’s not church.

If church is an event you attend, it’s not church…If it’s about sitting and watching, it’s not church.

If we are not inspired to live lives of purity because of it, it’s not church.

How will these truths make a difference in your life this week?   Will you be the church wherever you go?   Will you live as one who is a part of the Body of Christ…as a citizen of the Kingdom…as a member of God’s household…as an integral piece of the God’s building,  his holy Temple?

How?

Some Big News

The next few weeks are huge ones for the North Point family!

Get out your personal calendar and mark it with the following information:

There is only one service at 11:15 on Sunday, March 14.   Because both the men’s group and the youth group will be in Mexico that Sunday,  we’re hoping to have just one big service at North Point on that day.   Be there for the fellowship and the words of encouragement and especially for the time of prayer for our groups on their mission trips.   It will be a great day!

Also,  remember to set your clocks forward one hour on Saturday night, March 13.   It’s Daylight Savings Time and it’s falling on a Sunday where we are changing things up a little.   If you don’t set your clock ahead,  all you’ll get is the closing song…

Make sure you set aside Sunday evening, March 28 at 5:00 for our annual Mexico Banquet. Come for a great dinner and an awesome time of looking back on our two trips…complete with stories, pictures, a video and the yearly awards presentations.  Everyone is welcome…you don’t want to miss it!

Sunday Reflection

We are really starting to roll through our study of the book of Ephesians!   I hope you are staying up with it,  but if you’ve been unable to be at North Point on Sundays,  don’t forget you can listen to every sermon online at  www.npcc.cc …so get busy.

This past Sunday we covered a long section of the letter,  in order to get a real feel for the flow of what Paul is trying to say.   In Ephesians 2: 11-22,  Paul speaks of the hostility and barriers that existed between the Jews and the Gentiles of that day…and the peace that was brought to their relationship through the cross of Christ.

The dividing wall that separated them was gone.   One new community of Christ-followers was created.   The Jews no longer had the corner on a right relationship with God…the Gentiles were no longer outcasts in the family of God.

How does this first-century drama play out in our lives?   What difference does it make to us in 2010?

Do you ever fight feelings of superiority because of your race, nationality or position?

Do you find it difficult to have authentic relationships with people that are really different from you?

Do you hold grudges ?

Do you live at peace?   Do you offer grace?

Live as the adopted child of God you are!

Sunday reflection

Ephesians 2: 1-5 is a difficult passage…

As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins,  in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient.  All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath.  But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy,  made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions–it is by grace you have been saved.   Ephesians 2: 1-5

Unfortunately,  church people have developed quite a reputation for pointing out the sins of others.   But the truth is, we don’t really like to talk about sin…at least not our own!   But that’s what this passage is all about.

We’re all in the same boat.   All of us.   We are all dead in our transgressions (violations of moral standards) and sins (missing the mark…intentionally or unintentionally).   All of us are ruled by the cravings of our sinful nature and the desire to have the world revolve around us…

…until we come in contact with the grace and mercy and love of God…and then everything changes!

Are you guilty of being judgmental…or do you see yourself in the same boat as everyone else?

How are you going to experience the love of God this week?   What difference will the grace of God make?

A personal note of thanks…

I had just settled into a chair to get ready to watch the Superbowl halftime show.   Most of the time, I’m a huge fan when  my rock star heroes of the 70’s reinvent themselves to entertain the masses.   It’s a guilty pleasure.   Needless to say,  I was ready for The Who!

So when the North Point Jumbotron went black and Buzzy got up to speak,  my first reaction was not “cool!”.   Sorry.   And my second reaction was not “sweet!”, but more like “oh, no…”.

Wanda and I have been aware that this month marked our fifteen year anniversary of living in the Great State and had been talking about a way to celebrate it with our family.   Boy were we surprised that our NP family beat us to it!

To all of you who presented us with words of encouragement and gifts of friendship, we say “thanks!”.   Your generosity and partnership mean so much to us.   When we came to Lewisville fifteen years ago, we had no idea of what our future was going to look like.   Texas was a foreign land to this family of Southern California locals.   But North Point quickly became family…and we have never looked back.

I never really envisioned being a “senior” pastor in my life.   Youth ministry was all I had ever done.   I want to thank every one of you for helping me make the transition and continuing to be patient, as God molds me into the leader he wants me to be at North Point.   I really can’t imagine doing this anywhere else…with anybody else!

We can’t wait to see what happens in the next fifteen.   I believe our very best days are still in the future.   We are looking forward to walking the journey with you.

Wanda and Mike

Join us for the “Big Game”

Fun for the whole family!

Big Screen football…food to share…video games…spoons…lots of laughter…

Don’t miss out!

Mexico Work Day…this Saturday!

This is our most important preparation day of the season!

If you’ve got some air in your lungs…and a little energy in your step…we will have a job for you to do.   We need anybody and everybody to join us this Saturday morning at the NP facility, from 8-12.   We have got a bunch of work to do!

• Putting up tents
• Putting up canopies
• Checking cook stoves
• Repairing and securing lanterns
• Taking propane bottles to be filled
• Cleaning the portable barbeque
• Dividing up and securing tools for travel
• Washing and packing cooking utensils
• Preparing wheel barrows for use and travel
• Cleaning and repairing ice chests and igloos
• and more…

Join us.   The more the better.   See you Saturday morning!