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   This has been a long week for me since I had a class at Denver Seminary (my last hopefully) that was designed to assist 40 some Doctoral of Ministry students who are laboring (struggling?) to finish their final project and thesis.  It was helpful but intense—especially that drive through rush hour traffic to south Denver.  My hat is off to all of you daily commuters.

I’m still riding high, though, off last weekend and the joy of seeing 35 people baptized (counting all four services)!  I believe that 25 were planning to be baptized and 10 made the decision on the spot as the Holy Spirit brought conviction.  One of my friends was baptized who was an agnostic Jew when he first came with his wife to Grace Place a number of years ago—convinced that Jesus was not who Christians say he is.  It was such a joy to see he and his wife came forward spontaneously and to hear him say, “I’m fully convinced!”  Every one, young and old, has a story.  We rejoice together in the miracles of conversion!

Last night was a dynamite service at the Berthoud campus.  National financial advisor and Christian, Dave Ramsey, talked live to millions of Americans about how to choose hope in a time of economic recession.  Although there were a few technical glitches—at the broadcast site and at our site, almost as though someone didn’t want this message of hope to get out—the encouraging message and practical tips came through loud and clear.  There are follow up materials on Dave’s website, including a summary of the final and powerful three point challenge: 1) Get up and take action; 2) Stop listening to loser talk; 3) Start giving.  Check it out: www.townhallforhope.com

At all three worship gatherings this Sunday Dave Ramsey will be speaking a follow-up message (video-cast) filled with practical, doable, scriptural wisdom on getting out and staying out of debt.  This message is prepared especially for the church.  It is filled with solution-oriented wisdom, presented with Dave’s characteristic humor and straight-forward no bull style.  Next week we will return to our Acts series, And So It Begins…, but this was great timing to take a pause and get some godly wisdom, practical counsel, and much needed encouragement at this time when many have sunk into fear and discouragement.

I’m working on a message right now called “3000 Newborns.”  It’s based on the last verses of Acts 2 when Peter preached a Christ-centered message and the Holy Spirit brought conviction and 3000 people were baptized that day!  What an experience that must have been.  If the 12 disciples were the only ones baptizing and they took one minute for each one, it would have taken over 4 hours!

This week we are planning a special baptism service at all of our weekend gatherings. I have a fourfold prayer request for you:

 1)       Pray that the people who need to be there will be there at one of our four weekend gatherings.  Maybe they only attend sporadically; maybe they were one of the more than 500 extra folks we had last weekend beyond our regular attendance; maybe they will be invited by you—your friend, neighbor, relative or work associate?

2)       Pray for me and the rest of the worship teams as we seek to create the environment for the Holy Spirit to work. Our good friends Tom Ewing and Jorie Henderson are leading worship at our two campuses and really looking forward to sharing this experience with us.

3)       Pray that many will make a decision to be baptized.  Right now in Berthoud there are 7 scheduled for Thursday @ 6:45; 5 for Sunday @ 8:15; 2 for Sunday @ 10:00; and 12 in Loveland @ 10:30. 3 others are confirmed in Berthoud but haven’t let us know which service.  That’s a total of 29… but it doesn’t not include some who are going to be baptized (I believe) who don’t know it yet!  We are going to open the opportunity for anyone to respond on the spot (Acts 2 style) and I’m really praying that many will respond.  Wouldn’t it be cool if dozens more say yes to Jesus!?

4)       Pray that we will be the same type of welcoming, including, nurturing, supporting, mentoring community that is described in the final verses of Acts 2 so that these new believers will be loved and cared for as they began to grow in their new walk with Christ.

Will you join me in prayer today and throughout this weekend!?

“Why did Jesus need to rise from the grave?”  A friend of mine was asked that this week by a skeptical work associate.  “I understand why you believe he had to die,” said the friend, “but why do you believe the resurrection is so important.”  My friend said he found himself stumbling for words.  I’ve been reflecting on that very question for the last couple months and in my studies I have been challenged and thrilled by deeper insights on the importance of the resurrection, especially by reading a book by renowned New Testament scholar N.T. Wright entitled: Surprised by Hope.  This Easter I will not be talking about reasons to believe that the resurrection actually happened (and there are many good solid reasons), but instead what difference it makes for us now and in the future and how the story of Easter provides hope like nothing else—ultimate hope!

I’ve been earnestly praying with the Grace Place Senior Leadership Team about the future of our church every week since January.  I am convinced that God is preparing to birth something new and fresh and meaningful in our midst.  I’m tired of business as usual; tired of “American Christianity” which is often just a low cost, optional, add on to an otherwise overcrowded secular, materialistic, entertainment-driven, worldly lifestyle that many so-called Christians are living.

I was asked to share here some of the questions that I mentioned in my message last week that I am asking right now: What does it mean to be a true Christ-follower today in this culture in this generation?  What does it mean to lay down my life for Jesus, to deny myself, take up my cross and follow him?  What does it mean to make a difference for him with my one life to live?  What does it mean to love God with all my heart, mind, soul and strength?  What does that look like in this culture?  What does it mean to “seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness” in every area of my life?  What does it mean to love him to point of being willing to be a martyr for him?

What does it mean to quite playing church and build authentic community?  What does it mean to take off masks and become real with each other; to know and be known, to love each other like ourselves, to truly care for each other, support each other, encourage each other, hold each other accountable, to mentor and be mentored?

What does it mean to not just “get saved” but be transformed by the sanctifying power of the Holy Spirit, to live a life that is ever increasingly marked by the fruit of the Spirit, equipped by the gifts of the Spirit, victorious over sin by the power of the Spirit, and witnessing for Christ with courage in the world by the anointing of the Spirit?

What does it mean to unite with other kingdom warriors on a epic adventure where the stakes are high—life and death; to open our hearts and church to the full power of the Holy Spirit, to pray earnestly for and receive holy boldness from on high—to be truly shaken and stirred for him; to give our lives for the mission of Jesus—to seek and save the lost, realizing that every day around us there are people who are facing a Christ-less eternity unless they hear and understand the life changing message of the gospel and surrender their lives to Jesus as Savior and Lord?

These are the type of questions I’m wrestling with personally and with close associates.  If you resonate with these questions, please join me in prayer.  Let’s not be satisfied with status quo!