Easter.

What an awesome Easter weekend at Living Hope Fishers Landing.  We had over 315 in attendance with families as far away as Klamath Falls checking it out.  We had five people from our campus come to be baptized, with around 20 people making decisions for Christ during the service!  I think one of my favorite stories was to see my friend Mike, who lost his father some years ago come to encounter his heavenly Father, a Father who created him, loves him, and believes in him.  So with the help of Martin we both got to see him baptized, and celebrate this new day in Mike’s life…talk about an “only God” moment and memory.  Without a doubt it was an amazing Easter weekend I won’t soon forget.  Without a doubt God won the day, not without opposition though, as we had to battle with a projector that was overheating and wanting to give out  (Great job Josh keeping that thing going!!), and some campus equipment that got stolen later on in the day.  Still, God won…lives were changed, people found healing, and the destiny for hundreds of people was altered for eternity!

I want to thank the countless volunteers at Fishers Campus that made last weekend possible.  You guys are the ones that make ministry so much fun week in and week out.  I especailly want to thank Dan, Michelle, Diane, Jim, and Elizabeth for an awesome Easter Breakfast…complete with over 300 “Only God” eggs.  To the Kidsworld Team, your guys passion and enthusiasm to see kids encounter Jesus is truly contagoius…may you never  tire or lose that sense of urgency and determination.  To the Tech Team,  way to keep things running, I know there were alot of challenges this weekend but you guys never quit and overcame them…way to go!  Anyway I love you guys, and am so blessed to beable to serve alongside such an unbelievable group of friends who inspire and encourage me and so many others every week!!!!

Grit + Frontier = Lapwai Missions Trip

This morning I met with Rick & Greg who head up Frontier Missions, an organization that helps meet the basic needs of several of the Indian Reservations in the northwest. It’s always such an encouragement to hear the stories, and “Only God” experiences they find in these all too forgotten and overlooked areas. That said, the Men’s Ministry of LHC and the Fishers Landing Campus will be teaming up this year with Frontier to help meet some of the needs. As June 15-20 we will be taking whoever is interested in helping out to the reservation town of Lapwai, Idaho. There is no cost for this trip outside of pitching in for the cost of gas to get there and back. We’re currently looking for those interested to help with either Vacation Bible School for the kids, or in areas of construction as we will be helping to build a community food warehouse. For more information, and orientation dates contact Pastor Seth at sethm@livinghopechurch.com.

March Madness

Oh yes, it’s that great time of the sporting year known as March Madness.  To be honest, I don’t really care much for College Basketball until around this time of year.  I do have a couple of teams I’m cheering for Oklahoma (Boomer Sooner), Baylor, and of course the local teams Portland State, Oregon, and Wazzu.   Anyway, I want to hear from you guys your predictions for the Final Four.  The blogger with the most points at the end of the tourney gets a $10 Starbucks Card.  The point system: 2pts per every team you guess right to make the Final Four, 4 pts. per team you guess right to make the Championship Game, and 8 pts. per team you guess right to win it all.

Seth’s Predictions:

Final Four: Kansas, Memphis, Texas, Tennessee  / Championship Game: Kansas v. Texas  Champion: Texas Longhorns

RISK

Last weekends “Chasing Daylight” Breakfast we focused on RISK. Erwin McManus makes a statement that I think is so very true for our lives…“The most important decisions of our lives will require us to forsake invisibility and risk becoming visible.” In looking at the life of Jonathan and his armorbearer that’s exactly what Jonathan fleshed out for us. Faced with overwhelming odds of a Philistine army at his doorstep, Jonathan chose to make himself visible and confront that which sought to destroy him. Jonathan became visible that the invisible of God could show up. All of us can think of areas of our lives in which we long for God to show up, whether in our relationships, at work, maybe in our ministries. That said, are we willing to have the courage to risk being visible. It’s only when we get visible that the invisible of God has a chance to shine…for some of us that’s stepping out to serve, for others maybe it stepping out and tithing, maybe it’s stepping out with our time, or stepping out boldly in a decision we know is right. What is it for you? Isn’t it about time you took a risk…by stepping out from the routine, the mundane, the ordinary to encounter the extraordinary of God.

Read 1 Samuel 14:6-10