Really proud of all of you!

You know, i am so proud of the part body of Christ named hyde park.

Not in a gloating, "look at us" type of way... i would say it's more in a humble, "look what GOD is doing" type of way. JESUS is changing lives. Read on because this probably won't go where you think it will.

We've been through a lot together - seen a lot of changes happen all in the name of reaching people who are unconnected to JESUS (lost) or disconnected from JESUS (used to be churched). We want everyone within driving distance of hp to know that JESUS came from them and that they are incomplete without Him.

As we've changed we didn't get "lighter" on the issues, if anything we dove deeper into the issues that affect our little corner of the earth. We might tackle those issues in ways different than many would but we deal with them. Truth is, we tackle subjects that affect our society that most churches today don't touch.

We tackle sin because to live a life of sin grieves the heart of God - we challenge you to live lives that please God. We also tackle sin because to live IN your sin means you live below the level God created you to live...

We talk about relationships because God put us here to serve Him together... broken relationships have fragmented and weakend the body of Christ in an unimaginable way.

We talk about marriage and parenting because the home is the place where we raise champions for Christ - not at church, not at school, not government programs. JESUS has given us the highest priority to lead them to Him.

We talk about sex because God's plan for sex has been broken by this world... the world has misused and abused it in such a way that something that God designed to be beautiful has literally become a plague on our society. You have no idea how many broken lives in our region were broken by misplaced, abused sexuality.

Lastly, we talk about money because it's not ours anyway - it ALL belongs to Him - and most of us use it like it all belongs to us and many won't even give Him the base requirement. In all of these subjects the message of salvation is weaved in because in everyone of these issues SURRENDER is the root issue.

When I go to a Sunday afternoon meeting and 40% of our morning adult attendance shows up and says, "I want to handle my finances in a way that pleases JESUS" i think to myself, "thank You, JESUS, for a group of people who truly "get it"'. We will continue to deal with the issues that rock "our world" in a way that has the potential to reach those who have not been reached.

I am proud that you put "them" before yourself - when we do this we are never more like JESUS.

(Oh, and just in case you didn't know...At the end of this weekend's "Last Will" service we're gonna do something that will have a "ripple effect" that will shake throughout this region! I'd tell you what it is, but then i'd have to kill you )