GTKY Volume ???

Wednesdays Bible Study gave me an idea for a get to know you:

What is your favorite smell?

and

What is your least favorite smell?

Post a comment and let us know!

Remembering MFuge '06

We had a great week ministering in Greenville, SC last week. Everyone that went did a great job on ministry site stepping up to the challenge of social, childrens, and games ministry.

Our main focus in worship for the week involved the following statement:

Obedience is not a sacrifice, it is the BETTER CHOICE!

You can be sure you'll hear that again, and again, and again. What a great way to view what God wants us to do with our lives. Regardless of what we think, his way is ALWAYS the better choice!

Here are just a few memories from our week at MFUGE:

AM show, Jan & Jan, dead car batteries, a naturally HUGE fro, literally ice-cold rooms for the girls, rancid smelling room for the guys, socks out the window, "don't be a chicken, be bold today", a MEGA victory by the Flashback, Carter the Office Assistant, Dollar Thrills, Worship with over 800 people, "obedience is the better choice", camp pastor in capris, Chris eating a napkin, showing the puppy some love, ultimate frisbee, crusty ravioli, a church group room that was just a "little" too big, late night tag in the dining hall, falling in the creek, roaches, acoustic cafe, kickball, sand castles, the bread of life, the light of the world, the good shepherd, the resurrection and the life, "sweet breath of spring that was a hot fire", dancing in the aisles, steak & shake, smooth meat sandwiches...

I'm sure there is sooo much more, so post your memories here, and also what God taught you during the week.

Remember to trust God and take those steps of obedience THIS WEEK!

Remembering Momentum '06

I don't know about the rest of the people that went, but I had a BLAST helping lead Momentum '06, the FAR COUNTRY!

Smore's for breakfast, intense games of MAO, three legged soccer, soggy bananas being passed around, the grim reaper, paddling a raft across the inlet at 12:30 in the morning, ultimate frisbee, four square, a bruise (that I still have and is still growing) from intense 2-on-2 soccer, noodle fencing, walk and talks, surprise flowers for Christie and candy for me, apple skee ball, really bright flash lights (3 million candles bright!), mass "murders", black roses, MO, MO and mo' MO bursting into flames, great small group leaders, Ryan McGann asking us to close our eyes and contemplate while he...relieves himself..., Napoleon Dynamite reenactments, writing praises to God, great food, the crystal lites, farting preacher, the destruction of blow up dolls (who knew their heads came off so easily?), countdowns, and so much more to remember!

I'm glad so many of ya'll were able to go, and I hope God taught you a TON. Of course, it never is easy hearing God tell you things that need to change in your life, so, have courage, take a step of faith, and give a try to this whole "dying to self" thing!

The only way that Momentum will be a success for the long run is if you daily die to yourself and allow God to ruin YOUR life and give you an even better, ridiculously awesome life in HIM!

Take some time to think back to those memorable moments when God smacked you at Momentum and ask yourself...what am I doing about this challenge from God now? Have I already given up the fight? Am I already picking up the apple again and heading down the spiral of a sinful life again? Have I started trusting myself instead of the Spirit again? Have I quit on the commitment to push forward so that more people can experience the captivating beauty of God? What difference did a week in the presence of God really make on my life?

If you couldn't go with us, grab somebody who went and ask them what they learned, then challenge them to stick with it and hold the line...fight through the apathy and get movin' for the Kingdom!

Praise God for an awesome week! Is Momentum '07 in our future??? Pray about it!

Let everybody else know what it was like...post your best memory from the week and what God taught you!

How Do You Smell?

Wednesday Night Recap
July 26, 2006
2 Corinthians 2:12-16

Take just a moment and lift your hands high in the air. Now lean your head either to the left or right and down a little bit and take a big whiff. How do you smell?

Ok, so now you know how you smell physically, but how do you smell spiritually.

2 corinthians 2:14-16 tell us that the knowledge of God is a fragrant aroma, and that we are the ones who carry that aroma around the world as we march along in the Jesus victory parade. This passage also tells us that the aroma should be sweet to those who are being saved, but unpleasant to those who are perishing. The aroma of the knowledge of God smells like life to those who are coming to Christ, but death to those that are rejecting him.

The problem is that sometimes our lives stink and we actually start smelling good to those that are rejecting God. So, what about you? Is the smell of your life pleasing to God, or is it pleasing to the world?

How do you smell?

Here are some truths we learned from 2 Corinthians 2:12-16 Wednesday night:

Truth 1: God is at work and wants us to work with him. (v12)
Truth 2: Working with God's Spirit may involve leaving. (v13)
Truth 3: The Jesus victory parade keeps on rolling. (v14)
Truth 4: The knowledge of God makes us smelly. (v14)
Truth 5: The knowledge of God smells like death to some and life to others. (v15-16)

Attitude of Accountability

Wednesday Night Recap
2 Corinthians 1:23-2:11
Step By Step Through 2 Corinthians Part III

Truths From 2 Corinthians 1:23-2:11

1. A confident testimony still needs to be examined regularly. (v23-24)
2. Mutual encouragement is key among believers. (v1-3)
3. Loving rebuke comes from a heart of brokenness. (v4)
4. Our mistakes affect our whole sphere of influence. (v5)
5. Loving rebuke must eventually be followed by encouragement. (v6-8)
6. Those who rebuke together should forgive together. (v9-10)
7. An imporper attitude of accountability gives Satan an advantage. (v11)

Stairway to Heaven

Sunday Night Recap
The O.T. Part VIII
July 9, 2006
Genesis 28:1-5, 10-22

So the story of Jacob continues with this interesting recounting of a night spend sleeping on a rock, a strange dream, a reminded promise, and foreshadowing of the nation of Israel.

One point of Sunday night's time together was to talk about the point of bible study. This is what was determined to be the point of studying the bible:

1. To know God better so we can better worship him (have a better response to him).
2. To know God better so we can be more like Christ, therefore being able to better worship him.
3. To know God better so we can better serve him, therefore being able to better worship him.

See, the point of Bible study is worship. It ultimately isn't about us, what we can "get out of it" but more about what we can learn about God so we can respond to him more appropriately. In the mean time, if we get personal daily application...which we should definately look for...then cool. That's just a bonus.

That being said, what can we learn about God from this story? What themes about God recur in this passage that are in other parts of Scripture? We'll call these God Themes-a recurring appearanc eof God's character in the events/activities of humanity.

Here are a few God Theme's form the Jacob's Ladder story:
God's faithfulnees
God's Timing is perfect
God's ownership
God's Presence
God's Generosity
God's Authority

We can learn more about God through studying scripture...specific things about God from specific passages if we look to see how God is working in those stories. Even though the stories are thousands of years old, God is the same and still works in our lives in the same way!

So, what about Practical Life Application? Yep, it's there too!
1. God's promises are big promises (v15-16)
2. God's presence and working are not based on our "feeling" (v17)
3. The faithfullness of God draws people to him. (v20-22)
4. Gving back to God is not to be out of oblication, but worship...in this case for his faithfulness. (v22)

Here is the challenge:

What about in your life? What "God Themes" do you see continuing to play out in the world around you? How can recognizing God in our everyday lives lead us to know him better and worship him better? When you study the bible are you more worried about you or learning more about the character of God? Start looking for "God Themes" all around you and you will be amazed at what you can learn about God. Then, draw near to him and worship him with your life for who he is!!!

Cool Web Sites

Looking for something to Surf while wasting time on the internet???

Got an idea of a funny, cool, or interesting site for the rest of H2O to check out???

Post it here (keep it clean) and we'll all have a good laugh, an "aha" moment, or a good long "oooooooh cooooooool"!

On a side note-who has the coolest My Space?

Lynchburg Daily Bread Ministry

On June 21 several of us headed up to Lynchburg, VA to prepare and serve a meal at Lynchburg Daily Bread, a place that many homeless and unfortunate people in Lynchburg come daily for a hot meal.

Along with a couple of guys for Encounter (Charlie Gielow's group) we spent the morning preparing and serving a meal of spaghetti with meat sauce, a salad with everything in it but the kitchen sink, bread, green beans and dessert. We also got to wear cool aprons (Dennis wanted to buy one). We also learned that they have a lot of reefer in the basement (now, don't freak out...that's a military term for refrigerator...)

That afternoon we did a little shopping, played a little guitar hero, read some funny stories and then it was off to a Lynchburg Hillcats baseball game (which was an incredibally amazing BLOWOUT!!!-see first inning scoreboard pic). While at the mall we learned something new about Ethan. The "love tester" in the food court rated him a "10" and dubbed him Ethan "Hot Lips" Clark (I'm sure he's getting ready to throw something at me if he could). Charlie, on the other hand, was rated a "3"...(insert hysterical laughter here). Well Ethan, I guess what happens in Lynchburg DOESN'T stay in Lynchburg!!!

What a fun day of fellowship and ministry. Thanks Caroline, Dennis, Ethan, Brandi, Serena, John, Mike, and Charlie for helping out with this ministry!