For the past two days, I have been waking at 3 AM to open Gold’s Gym at 4. It’s likely that I will grow accustomed to such a wake-up time. It’s possible that I may even return to normal after some time. But for now, like my father (who also wakes at 3 AM to go to work) I can’t sit still for more than 5 minutes at a stretch without falling asleep. Unfortunately, this makes for really lousy blogging patterns.
It’ll get better. It has to. Right now, I’m exhausted.
Just this week, I finished reading Nelson Searcy and Jennifer Henson’s Fusion: Turning First-Time Guests into Fully-Integrated Members of Your Church. Honestly, I found it to be full of good suggestions and practical advice in order to answer the question of, “now that they’ve visited our church, what do we do?”
I have seen elements of this book used by Real Life Fellowship and The Connection Church. I can speak from experience when I say that this is a solid instruction manual for partnering with God to draw first-time visitors back to the church.
Some of my church-planting brethren may not like this book, arguing that coercing guests to returning shouldn’t be the goal of the church. Let me say this: that is not the goal, but it is a goal.
How can we continue to beg God to draw people to himself through the church if we are not willing to do whatever it takes (short of sin) in order to partner with him and create communities that attract them back?
We know this instinctively. We understand the need for follow-up. This book is simply a practical book to help us to that better.
What do you do in order to follow up on your first-time guests?
Emery Brensan Norman
THIS POST HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH RACE. READ BEFORE YOU JUDGE.
Can I just say that I’m not a fan of Obama or McCain? In the past, I’ve gotten very wrapped up in politics, but I’m seriously just tired of it this time around. I can not get excited about either of the candidates no matter how hard I may try.
Obama comes across as an inexperienced, arrogant elitist.
McCain comes across as an old, detached grouch.
I have no doubt that both men have the very best for our country in mind. I have no doubt that both men believe that their direction is the best for our nation. I believe that each of these candidates believe in their party’s stances.
Both men are self-described Christians.
Obama chose a running mate that has experience to make up for his own lack thereof.
McCain chose a running mate that is young to compensate for his lack of youth and excitement.
At least at this debate, both attempt to appear calm and collected while goading the other. Both come across as pompous and rude. Both desire to gain the upper hand, but attempt to do so in undesirable manners.
I have democratic friends that will be upset with this post.
I have republican friends that will be upset with this post.
As simple as it gets, this election is a battle between vanilla and chocolate. Both are staple flavors of ice cream. Both are acceptable alternatives. Both are preferred over most other flavors. But do you really get that excited about either?
Me neither.
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Emery Brensan Norman made her debut at 5:55pm on Thursday September 25th, 2008 in Magnolia, Arkansas at 6 pounds and 11 ounces and 20 inches in length. Clayton says she’s beautifiul like her mama and has dark hair and is getting pinker and pinker by the minute.
I only wish I could have been there today. Krista and I are already trying to determine when we’ll be able to get the kids loaded into the van and make the long drive to Magnolia. You’ll see pictures on this blog as soon as I get some.
I’m an Uncle! Please continue to pray for Clayton (the new daddy), Katie (the new mommy), and Emery.
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Vincent Purvis sent these to me a couple of weeks ago. I wanted to recognize him, give him big props, and show them off. Here they are.
What do you think? Send me an idea.
Before
After
Before
After
5 years ago today, my beautiful wife gave me the prize gift of any father: a baby girl. That’s not to say that love her any more than either of my boys, but there’s something special about a little girl.
Even as a baby, she looked at me differently. Her eyes sparked a little more when she saw me. She cried louder. She smiled at me bigger.
I don’t care who you are, as a father, there’s nothing more precious than to hear your little girl say, “I love you daddy.”
So, today is all about Ally. She’s her daddy’s girl. She’s 5. And I’m going to give her all the attention she can stand today. Because, a girl only turns 5 once. And if I don’t spoil her on her 5th birthday this year, I’ll never have another chance to spoil her on her 5th birthday again.
It’s funny. If you spend enough time in vocational ministry, you come to both dread and expect long meetings. Just this week, several of my friends have either blogged or twittered (tweeted?) about boring staff meetings.
Today, I experienced my own version of “a day of meetings.” While others may dread these times (and honestly, I have before), I loved today. I enjoyed calling several pastors before lunch and catching up with them personally, gathering wisdom, and seeking insight from them.
Then, I ate lunch with another pastor. There’s nothing better than good theological, ecclesiological discussion over chinese food. Okay, I can think of one thing, but that’s another blog post.
After lunch, I went to Starbucks for some coffee and Scripture study where God really spoke to me personally from Job 10-12. But as I pulled into the parking lot, I was able to speak with another pastor (my home-church pastor) who is recovering from some major surgery. It’s so good to hear what God is doing in his life. I only hope to be full of that my love and joy at that age. (Of course, I wish I were that way now too!)
I picked up Micah from school, went home for a family meeting with my kids, with my wife, and finally took another phone call from another pastor. His insight was extremely helpful in regards to some specific issues.
I’m not sure that it is in any way similar to my ministry friends’ day of meetings, but I certainly enjoyed my own version of it.
Hurricane Ike is hitting the Texas coast right now. I’ve really been irritated and exhausted by the insane amount of media coverage to this point, but honestly, something is shifting in me as I write this.
I’ve been praying on and off today for those whose homes, properties, and very lives will be dramatically affected today by this storm. I’ve been told of a family in Galveston whose 10 year old son was killed by a felled tree cut down by his father in order to prevent it from falling on the house.
My heart breaks. Everything in me cries out in anguish at stories like that… and the worst part is that it is only the beginning. The eye is hitting as I write. God put it on my heart tonight to pray for those whose lives will be taken tonight. Some won’t see the sun rise.
And my prayer is simple. It began as this long, drawn out prayer for protection and provision and for the storm to die down. Maybe it’s because the eye is hitting the coast now, but my prayer has shifted.
It is a prayer that has been prayed for a long time. Kyrie Eleison. Lord have mercy. Christe Eleison. Christ have mercy. Pray with me.
UPDATE: Now there are some tornadoes spinning off of the storm affecting Louisiana. The damage is going to keep coming. We need to keep praying.
