Week 13 - Henderson Hills Baptist Church

Today we visited Henderson Hills Baptist Church in Edmond. You could feel the energy of this place when you walk through the door. The foyer is inviting and actually is the kind of place I could hang out in all day. With a bookstore and a coffee lounge, who would want to leave? We attended the 2nd service and it was packed. Worship was led by a full band and choir. Preparing for Easter, the message was about atonement. A familiar topic, but with new insights. As is often the case, God frequently gives new perspectives on the same scripture each time we read it. What God showed me today is that whether it’s from the Old Testament or the New Testament, whether it’s an unfamiliar passage or an old favorite, or for that matter whether it’s in a church I’ve attended for 20 years or a new one each week, He’s always there with something new to show me. I just have to pay attention.

Week12 - New Covenant United Methodist Edmond

This week we visited New Covenant United Methodist Church in Edmond. This is a church we’ve been to many times. It was Danae’s church throughout high school and is attended by many people who are special to us. It is a “mid-sized” church compared to others we’ve visited. Normally conducting two services every Sunday, today was filled for a combined service due to our first day of spring snowstorm. Today’s worship was led by a fabulous praise band, complete with horn section accompanied by a choir composed of church members. They did a nice job of leading the worship without overpowering it. The pastor, Adrian Cole, always makes you feel like you’re in the living room of an old friend and today was no exception. The title of the sermon was “The Blindside.” Tying it to the movie, the sermon focused on Peter’s experience of denying Christ three times before the rooster crowed just as He predicted. Peter was blindsided by the realization of his betrayal. What occurred to me is that sometimes the surprise, or blindside, is something that happens to us and sometimes it’s our own behavior. We are blindsided by life regularly. However, God is never blindsided. He knows what’s coming and never leaves us. He’s not surprised by anything we do or anything that happens to us, but if we could look into his eyes afterwards, what we would see is His unconditional love. That thought, to me, is simultaneously convicting and comforting. I think Peter would agree.

Week 11 - Victory Church

Victory Church in Oklahoma City was our choice for this Sunday morning. God provides on some Sunday mornings, dear, longtime friends (Angie Klutts) to sit alongside us in this journey. This was one of those weeks and it was really a blessing. Familiar faces and routine have definitely not been in our vocabulary this year. Sometimes we miss that. But, as always, God stands in the gap for those things missing in our lives. And did I mention we went to church with Angie. I’m sure getting mentioned in the blog wasn’t the only reason she came ;-). I suspect this was really out of her comfort zone and cannot express how much we appreciate her being there. Danae was home for spring break and was with us also. It is always a blessing to hear her perspective and just have her there.
Victory is a large congregation with three Sunday morning services. The worship incorporates a powerful, full volume worship band/praise team, high tech sound and lighting and meaningful videos. In addition to being televised on local TV, the sermon is broadcast to multiple worship locations and as far away as Afghanistan. They are also very involved in the arts and in the community. Everyone was invited to participate in communion, which was somewhat self-directed. For us, the most outstanding part of the morning was the sermon. I’ve listened to Mark Crowe on TV and actually know the family through the school our kids used to go to. I expected to hear a meaningful, well-delivered sermon and I wasn’t disappointed. Mark was inspirational, humble and convicting. The topic was miracles and while everyone’s definition of a miracle is different, the lesson was applicable on many fronts. His main points were 1) expect God to do something great every day; 2) participate in God’s plan; and 3) show appreciation to God for His work in your life. He made more good points than I could keep up with in my notes. I will be revisiting this sermon on their website. I specifically walked away with a new appreciation for my family. Sometimes God’s miracles are right in front of us. Thanks God!

Week 10 - Edmond Church of Christ

Sometimes we spend a good amount of time deciding which church to attend each Sunday and sometimes it’s decided for us when our kids are involved. This week Danae and the college students she’s going to Africa with were down for the weekend. Edmond Church of Christ is the home church for one of those kids, so we went with them this morning. It’s just a blessing to be around these young people and watch their faith in action. Edmond is a fairly large, very traditional Church of Christ. We were blessed with traditional hymns and communion that we don’t always have the opportunity to participate in. What stood out to me more than the sermon topic, was the “pre-sermon” discussion leading up to communion. The leader of that segment asked the question “can there be love without sacrifice.” The obvious scripture that was pointed out was “God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son…” Great love equals great sacrifice. He discussed the sacrifices we make for our kids, our family, etc. What I believe God was saying to me specifically is “do you lead a sacrificial life.” Are my interactions with my kids selfish or self-serving? Do my dealings with co-workers emphasize serving or being served? If Christ himself said that he came not to serve but to be served, then I can certainly do no less. I must confess, I’m not always in a servant frame of mind. But, if the way people know I am a follower of God is by the way I love others, then it has to start at putting myself out of the center and putting others first. I don’t always have to have my way. I don’t always have to be right (even if I am!). I need frequent reminders that I am not the center of the universe. In a society that emphasizes the philosophy of “taking care of #1” God calls us to put other’s feelings and needs ahead of our own. These college students that came down this weekend are a perfect example of serving others ahead of themselves. They are giving up their summer to serve others in Africa in a town where there is poverty, disease, sketchy electricity, and most importantly very little cell phone and internet access. If that’s not sacrificial for a teenager I don’t know what is! Sometimes teenagers teach you more than you teach them.