Remember When?

This morning on Twitter I started posting some things about our early church experience at Crosspoint begining with Remember When….

• remember when we had service in the hotel and the band got up to lead worship and the only people left were me and jack the sound guy?
• remember when we got a new guy 2 join our worship team & he was so self concious he brought a guitar w/no pick ups so no one would hear him?
• remember our first public service when 45 people came? and the next week we were back in the 20’s?
• remember when we found a small building to rent for $2300+utilities and our offerings were $2000 and we rented it anyway?

So let’s continue

• Remember how 35 people looked in the pews in that building?
• Remember when we didn’t have any money so we all bought chairs for our family and one for our friends?
• Remember when THIS was our Light Controller?
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• Remember the time I tried to use a microwave as an illustration but it had a pressurized can of PAM or something in it and I blew it up in the service?
• Remember that time I tried to hire a children’s pastor.  The only person who fit the bill was some lady that was sort of interested but actually needed to get paid so she moved to a church in Kentucky….
• Remember our first video? – Man it was cheesy.
• Remember how crappy great the stage looked after we painted it and got some lights?
• Remember when we we had this crazy idea to move to the theater because we were stuck at 120 people and the building sucked?
• Remember when we said we’d need $35,000 to make the move and we raised $17K in cash and pledges?
• Remember when we got the notice that the mall wouldn’t sign the contract so we couldnt move to the theater?
• Remember when we spent most of the money upgrading our children’s ministry area with Wii’s and Kidmo, upgraded the lobby, and put a new 60″ plasma on stage and wood flooring?
• Remember when I quit my job to focus on growing the church right there on Spring Ave?
• Remember when I got the call the next day saying we COULD move to the theater?
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• Remember how we didnt have much money cuz we spent it on upgrading the building but we bought a trailer, a stage, some lights and LOTS of cables?
• Remember the first Sunday in the theater TWO YEARS AGO THIS WEEKEND when we got there and HOPED we could set everything up in time to have a 10:00 service – and we did!
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• Remember when I said that Sunday – look at all the empty seats and imagine what it would be like to fill them up at least two times?
• Remember when we put out 10,000 door hangers in AUGUST and it was 100 degrees outside?
• Remember when we “relaunched” in August 07 and 168 people came?
• Remember how crappy GREAT the stage looked with our lights and iLife Background Elements?
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• Remember when we put up the Pure Sex billboard hoping to attract people who didn’t go to church?
• Remember when attendance declined steadily in August and September?
• Remember when my colon exploded the week after we started Pure Sex?
• Remember how I almost died from it and attendance kept dropping till Christmas 07 it was back to 95 or so?
• Remember how I almost gave up and quit?
• Remember how I reorganized our staff and preached a message called Simple Church in Jan 08 and we narrowed our focus to Celebrate, Connect, Contribute and we put someone in charge of the systems to do that?
• Remember when I got a call from that lady that moved to Kentucky and she wanted to talk to me about our children’s ministry but we didn’t have any money to pay her?
• Remember how I said I was going to go back to work and do nothing but teach and cast vision and let people use their gifts
• Remember how me not getting paid freed up money to pay Becky to come be our Children’s pastor and invest more money in our programming?
• Remember how I found out my job was 50-60% travel and I was gone most of the time?
• Remember the MONSTER SERIES at Easter 08 and I drove a NASCAR? and we spent hundreds of dollars on videos and Monster Energy drinks?
• Remember when I blew the tire in Turn 4 at Talledega? (and a few seconds earlier and I might have hit the wall – and even died?)
• Remember when 170 people were at the service on Easter Sunday?
• Remember when we started One Prayer and the church kept growing?
• Remember when we did Hot Topics and I told you if 200 people came I’d wear a grass skirt and a coconut bra?
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• Remember when we had to go to two services last fall and the church kept growing?
• Remember when we had 300 people at Christmas?
• Remember when we stayed above 300 beginning in 09 and I was still traveling?
• Remember when we started REVOLT Student ministry a couple months ago?
• Remember when hired Charles Hill to consult with us for a few months and we started prepping for Easter 09 and ROCKSTAR?
• Remember how there were 580 people at Crosspoint that Sunday
• Remember how AMAZING the stage looked?

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• Remember that someone has decided to follow Jesus EVERY WEEKEND since Easter?
• Remember how have been averaging about 400 every week since Easter?
• Remember when someone said they would buy land and build us a building to meet in so we can reach even more people for Jesus?
• Remember how I said it was going to take a half million dollars to equip the building and we dont have 10% of that?
• Remember when REVOLT took 55 people to the beach and 7 kids decided to follow Jesus for the first time and 20+ made recommitment decisions for Christ?
• Remember this weekend when some of them came up on stage eager to let the world know they are following Jesus?
• Remember when they ALL came up on stage at the 10:15 service and there was still a huge crowd of people watching them worship and there wasn’t a dry eye in the house?

What will we be remembering this time next year I wonder?  God has been so faithful to bless beyond measure.  I am humbled to look back where we’ve been and crazy excited and scared about where we are heading.

Psalm 111: ³ Everything he does reveals his glory and majesty.  His righteousness never fails. ⁴ He causes us to remember his  wonderful works. How gracious and merciful is our Lord!