Element Church Insider

Another great Sunday at Element Church is in the books.  I LOVE hangin’ out with the awesome people of Element EVERY week.  Can’t imagine spending my Sunday’s doing anything different.  Here are my ruminations on the day.

—  Loved seeing 2nd and 3rd service start filling back up with people.  But HOLY COW…first service peeps where you at?  First service was Element Light today.  lol

—  Had a bunch of first time guests today.  Love seeing new people come to church and feel welcomed, loved, accepted and find a place they can call “home”.  Our prayer for every guest is NOT that they would keep attending here, but that they would find a church where they can fit and flourish in ministry.

—  A few weeks ago we started something new when it comes to me meeting new people at Element, and its been PRICELESS.  We designated a special spot in the worship center, so that following each service ,I invite anyone who is a first time guest or who is new to Element who I have not had the privilege of meeting yet, to come and introduce themselves to me.  Not only have I got to connect with tons of our new people, but I’ve had some AMAZING conversations with people about their lives.  So cool!  Definitely wish we would have done something like that sooner.

—  Today I was able to meet three out of town guests who were visiting family who attend Element.  To hear the words of encouragement and affirmation about how glad they are that their family members here had found a church home like us is amazing.  One family from Tennessee, one from Texas and I believe the other from Florida.  I may not have had that opportunity otherwise were it not for opening it up to meet them.  Very cool.

—  Today we concluded our series on prayer called The Frayed.  I don’t know about anyone else, but this series was great for ME.  Definitely a timely one for my life and where God has me.  Here are some excerpts from the message:

• We asked the question today “What should my prayer life look like?”.  I had said every week leading up to this Sunday, that my prayer for today was to offer the most practical message on prayer we could be a part of.  I hope it came across as practical and applicable.
• I shared specific things from my own prayer life that I felt applied to ALL levels of spiritual maturity.  Essentials to a powerful and effective prayer life if you will.  (#1 being YOU NEED TO KNOW JESUS)
• The four essentials (which were our four main points today) that an effective and powerful prayer life needs is: A Time, A Place, An Order and An Openness. (You can watch or listen to the sermon online on Tuesday.  elementweb.net
• I believe we often underestimate the power of prayer IN our lives, while we overestimate our prayers power to convince God to CHANGE our lives.
• Until your prayer life becomes a priority, it will never become a practice.
• The reason so many of us are uncomfortable in our prayer lives, not knowing what to say or not being able to talk with God for extended periods of time, is because when we DO come to Him in prayer it’s like getting re-acquainted with an old friend instead spending daily time with a close friend.
• It’s not about giving God enough time, there is NEVER enough, it’s about giving Him the appropriate time from my day.
• Prayer is not going to work FOR you until you’re willing to work AT it.
• In order to have a powerful and effective prayer life, you need to MAKE time, GIVE it some time, and do it more than ONE time.
• (Speaking on a place to pray)  A lot of people say “I can pray anywhere”, and while that’s true, it’s often said by someone who is not praying SOMEWHERE!
• “Pray anywhere” prayers are a great supplement to our prayer lives, but should never become a substitute for a time and a place to pray.
• Eventually in my prayer life I had to choose an uncomfortable place to pray so I wouldn’t fall asleep.  The reality is, I didn’t want to be comfortable, I wanted to be in communion, and my comfort level was affecting my communion.
• Praying creates opportunities by opening our eyes to see the possibilities.  Sometimes we don’t see the possibilities because we aren’t praying for the opportunities.
• All too often I want all the stuff God can give me while He’s waiting and wanting to give me HIM.  I wonder if we’ve grown too content seeking the gifts, instead of the giver?

— Like I said, this series couldn’t come at a better time in my life.  I hope it’s been valuable to others as well.  “Lord, may you make us a PEOPLE of prayer.”

— ALL the supply lists have been taken for our backpack outreach.  WOO HOO!  Here is the thing…NOW WE NEED THEM BACK!  Ha ha.  If you took a supply list (or more) THANK YOU so much.  Please be sure to bring back your lists with the purchased supplies by THIS Sunday, August 1st. You can either bring them Sunday, or to the office between 9 AM  & 5 PM,  Monday – Friday.

—  The outreach team and Fusion Student Ministries are going to be organizing and packing all the backpacks next week!

— Be praying for each family that will receive a backpack, that the LIFE of Christ would be sent with their supplies and that this could IMPACT their lives in a significant way.

—  We announced our next sermon series which begins in 2 weeks.  SUPER stoked about this series.  I believe God is going to RESCUE people from things that have been holding them back for a long time.  Make sure and invite someone to come with you to church, use some invite cards & check out the promo video below:

— And can I just say that Jeremiah stinkin’ KNOCKED IT OUT with that promo video. Great job bro!

—  My wife gets back tomorrow from being gone for TWENTY SIX DAYS!  I can’t wait to see her again!  Missed her IMMENSELY.  My kids don’t get back till next Sunday.  MAN I love my family so much!

—  Alright, can’t wait to get into this week.  I love what I do!  Element, as always, thank you SO MUCH for letting me be a part of your lives.  I count it a HIGH honor and GREAT responsibility and privilege to lead you!  You guys ROCK!

Till the end,

Jeff

Hey Element Church!  WOW!  Loved what happened at Element Church today.  Thanks to EVERYONE who makes Sunday morning happen.  Our volunteers are AMAZING!  Here are my ruminations on the day.

—  16 people stood to acknowledge Jesus Christ as their Savior today.  11 in 2nd service and 5 in 3rd service. WOO HOO!  If only for the ONE!

—  I had a completely different ending to my message planned, and yesterday God shredded it.  We’re doing this series on prayer and through the week, I had been feeling like God was asking me to end with a  salvation response.  I told him “But we’re doing a message on prayer.  We’re in the middle of the summer slump.  What if no one responds?”  Yesterday, as I was studying I just felt Him speak to my heart “Jeffrey, what’s one prayer that I’ll ALWAYS respond to?”  Salvation…Forgiveness, was the answer.

• Romans 10:9 “If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart God raised him from the dead you will be SAVED.”
• 1 John 1:9 “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”

—  So I scratched what I had planned and changed up the whole ending.  I text Adam so he’d be ready for the closing and emailed our staff and leadership team telling them essentially “I have no idea if anyone will respond, but If I don’t do this I’ll be disobeying God.” Just pray!

—  I’m SO GLAD I listened to God’s voice.  Second service, I even asked (with heads bowed and eyes closed), if anyone knew they needed to receive Christ as Savior.  NO ONE raised their hand.  I felt God just saying “Still lead them in a prayer of salvation.”  So I did.  And then ELEVEN people acknowledged they prayed to receive Christ by standing publicly.  AWESOME!

—  Seeing people experience LIFE in Christ NEVER gets old.

—  2nd and 3rd service were pretty packed today.  Great to see the uptick in attendance beginning again.

—  SO GLAD we are offering prayer after each service.  We have an amazing group of people volunteering as prayer warriors following every service.  We invite anyone to stay and receive prayer for ANYTHING they need in their life.  Have seen some AMAZING moments of prayer for people.  Thanks prayer team for making that happen.  You guys ROCK.

—  The power and presence of God during worship today was SO HEAVY.  Can’t even explain what I felt third service.  God was just speaking directly to my heart.  I had to kneel at the altar and just praise Him.

— GREAT job by Adam and the team.  Adam even wrote a bridge for I Exalt Thee, leading into One Thing.  SO GOOD!

—  Adam has received 6 songs back (not fully mixed) from The Bakery Studio.  Element worship album should be completed this Fall.  I hear it is AMAZING!

— Continued our series called The Frayed today.  I was VERY uneasy and unsettled heading into today, but just trusted God to speak through me.  Got a SUPER COOL email from my brother on Friday that I’ll share next Sunday how it played into today.  Here are some excerpts from the sermon:

• I must fully grasp what prayer really is before I will ever get from it what I really need to receive.
• What I’m learning about prayer is “impaired vision impedes progress”.  Many of us stumble through our prayer lives because our vision FOR it and OF it is off!
• Drunk Goggles (You’ll have to watch the video)
• Working definition of prayer for our series “Prayer is more communion and less coercion.  It is not about getting God to move, but allowing Him to move me.
• The Big Question was “What in the world do I pray for?”  Preached from the text of Luke 11:9-10
• Ask for ANYTHING, but expect the same in return.  I can ask God for anything, but He can give me ANYTHING in return.
• “But what if God doesn’t answer?”  The truth is He always answers, it just may not be with what we requested.
• The goal of “keep on asking” is not to get my original request, but to get ME to the RIGHT one.
• The more I ask, the more He’s able to refine what I’m asking for.
• Ask for the ultimate goal, not the deceptively good.
• Thanks to Pastor Pete Wilson for this next one:  Our greatest danger is not in chasing the ridiculously evil but the deceptively good.  We are great at taking the deceptively good, and making it our ultimate goal.  (that is SO STINKIN’ good)
• Our personal desires must be released before God’s desires can be embraced.
• Ask for ears to hear.  Listening is the missing element of prayer.
• To ask according to His will is to ask according to His Word.  We cannot know His will outside of His Word.

—  As of right now, only SEVEN school supply lists remain for our backpack outreach.  Don’t forget, we have adopted Rossman Elementary school and are providing ALL kids in that school with backpacks and supplies for their year.  Bring back your list AND supplies by August 1st so we can get the backpacks stuffed.  THANK YOU ELEMENT FAMILIES for helping to offer LIFE and IMPACT.

—  We had a youth missions group here serving at Element all last week.  Each student had $5 to spend this week on anything (a soda here or there, cheap souvenir, etc).  They were in church last Sunday and after the service, they all pooled their money and bought school supplies for the backpack ministry.

—  THEN the students mowed a HUGE lawn for a lady whose tractor had broke down (LOL, I said in every service her leg was broke.  I was given faulty information).  The lady was so moved by their servanthood and generosity that she gave them $100.  What did the students do with it?  Bought MORE STINKIN’ SCHOOL SUPPLIES.  So cool.  Expanding IMPACT!

—  Don’t forget Wednesday prayer from noon to 1 PM here in the worship center.

—  Also if you want to sign up for 96 hours of Bible and prayer call the office.  Check out the info HERE.

— Alright, bout time for me to head home and CRASH.  Element Church, I LOVE you guys so much.  Thanks for letting me be real, honest and transparent with you.  You guys are the BEST!  Couldn’t imagine leading anyone else.

Till the end,

Jeff