Archive for May, 2008
Five Months into 2008
Five months into 2008, you have contributed 2,200 hours of community service through the Intersect Project. That’s 275 8-hour workdays already!
Five months in, 15 teams have traveled internationally to serve our church partners from Cambodia to Spain and places in between.
Five months in, 276 people have taken Starting Point.
Five months in, 3,598 adults are experiencing the value of community groups. A 25% increase.
Five months in, Buckhead Church is off to a really good start this year.
Five months in, I’m reminded we have a long way to go.
Because, five months in, 294,000 people within a 10-mile radius are still unchurched. Many of them don’t know Jesus.
Five months in, many Buckhead Church attendees aren’t in a community group.
Five months in, I’m committed more than ever to being a part of what God is doing through each of you. We’ve come a long way but we still have a long way to go.
Enjoying our journey,
Jeff
PS. This photo helps capture the spirit of what you’re doing in this community. On Saturday mornings, Buckhead Church small groups join men in transitional housing at The Carpenter’s House to paint these murals. The murals are then sent to the Hospital Art Foundation to decorate the walls of hospitals around the country.
Faith, Luck, Hope and Farewell
Before we bid farewell to the Faith series, I thought we would re-live a cool moment. This was the opener for Week 3.
Any thoughts?
Jeff
I Belong to God
You’ve heard us say on countless occasions that our goal for attendees at Buckhead Church is to be in a community group. But what exactly happens in a group? Well, recently, one of our community groups had some great discussions around our last series, “Faith, Hope and Luck.” It led one member of the group to invite his boss, Tony Tristani, to speak. Tony is battling Stage 4 cancer but his faith is more solid than ever. The following is Katie Douglas’ account on what happened that night in their small group.
This will not only give you the proper perspective on life, it will reinforce the power and beauty of community.
Jeff
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I belong to God. I am His. My life is meant to glorify the one true God.
Hmmm . . . do I live like that? Do I truly put ALL my trust and faith and hope in Him, every day? Do I wake up each morning thinking about how I can influence lives in order to further the kingdom of heaven? The answer is no, but why? I mean, I try to live like this and I want to, but just like so many people, I let regular life get in the way. No harm in just loving the Lord while I live, but how much more full would my life be if it were completely given over to the Lord? God has blessed me with amazing relationships. Some of these relationships are just beginning, as my husband and I started a new community group a few months ago. Tonight we had a guest speaker, Tony Tristani. Tony is the boss of one of the men in our group. He was diagnosed with Stage 4 cancer in December and was given less than a year to live.
As I watched and listened to Tony speak for an hour-and-a-half last night, he did not look sick. He did not sound sick. But the truth is . . . his body is hurting. It would take a miracle for him to make it through this disease. I do believe in miracles, but I am also learning that the Lord does in fact say no sometimes. And He can work through these trying and very difficult times. You can feel sorry for Tony if you want, but the truth is, this is one of the first times in his life he is really living. I mean, truly living each and every moment for the glory of God.
His story is amazing, and he has many illustrations of how God is working through his illness. As Tony was given the news about his life expectancy, a calm feeling came over him. He was feeling, maybe for the first time, that he belonged to God. He remembered Philippians 4:6-7: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.” Tony belongs to the Lord. God is with him and God loves him.
When Tony spoke, he would kind of laugh and say, “If only I had figured this out without having to battle cancer.” Now Tony is living every day to glorify the Lord. He goes to chemo treatments and makes the rounds to each person who is in there with him. For eight hours, he talks to other cancer patients and loves and encourages them. He has given out over 50 prayer crosses to individuals as the Holy Spirit tugs at his heart. He looks at this time in his life as an opportunity to spread Christ’s love. How amazing! God is good. Tony knows it. His faith is strong. I want to be like him.
What will it take to get me to lean hard into God every single day? After meeting Tony, I know this is how I want to live. Now I just need to get there! “Lord, make me an instrument to be used by you. And God, thank you for Tony. Please watch over Tony, his wife, and his daughters and show your love and strength to them every day.”
Katie Douglas
From Buckhead to Baghdad
Late last year, Buckhead Church responded to a request from a U.S. Army chaplain stationed in Baghdad. He asked if we could help collect and send school supplies and clothes to children in Iraq. We simply conveyed his request one Sunday morning and put it on the blog. The response was nothing short of overwhelming.
Last week, we received this slide show from the Army showing your supplies being delivered to schools and homes in Baghdad. There’s nothing fancy about this video. No music or cool camera work. And yet, in the silence, I think you will see the powerful, unmistakable proof that God used you, Buckhead Church, to bring smiles to the faces of people on the other side of the world.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/v/LEmYB4hCyIE 425 350]
Also, perhaps watching this would be a small way to celebrate the Memorial Day weekend. As you watch it, say a prayer of thanks for those who have given their lives in service to our country and for those who put their lives on the line every day.
And remember, it’s not about Buckhead Church. It’s about Buckhead, Baghdad, and the rest of the world. May they know the love, grace, and forgiveness of the Savior!
Jeff
KidStuf in Mexico
This past Sunday was an exciting day for Horizonte Church in Queretaro, Mexico. A team from Buckhead Church went over to help launch their first Cosas de Ninos (Kidstuf). The team worked really hard with the local Horizonte team to build the set leading up to the launch on Sunday. Many long, tireless hours were spent building, painting, decorating, rehearsing, practicing etc. It was really a great week for Buckhead Church and Horizonte Church to come together to accomplish something great! The launch was HUGE! There were over 100 kids and 200 adults. The place was packed out! The kids and parents loved it!! Please pray for Horizonte, as they prepare to have their second one next month. It is a lot of work but so worth it!!!
Jenny Strange
Director of Short-term Trips
