JeremyHigdon.com

Weekend Update

- week 8 is in the books for Oasis Church NFL! Can't believe how fast time really flies...

- attendance was over 100 this past week...amazing to see our average continue to hold up

- it was good to bounce back from a lower number the previous week

- for the record, our two lowest weeks since we launched have happened when we had staff pastors from Oasis Church South Florida visit us... the numbers don't lie!

- sorry rest-of-guys-on-staff-who-have-not visited us in Jax.... you are not allowed to join us for worship! Ha!

- (however, everyone else is more then welcome to stop by!!)

- don't know what it is about the weekends... they are always the windiest days of the week!

- why does that matter? Because we put out portable signs each week, getting the word out the we meet in the theater at River City Marketplace!

- I need the signs to keep standing!! Every week people visit as a result of seeing the signs...

- finished up our You Asked For It series this past week... answered the questions of who chose the books in the Bible (how was the decision arrived at) and is God a God of wrath or love? 

- the second question is answered with a 'yes'!

- our kids area is going well... about 25 - 30% of any given Sunday is our Oasis Kidz program... how amazing is that??

- had two new people helping out with our first impressions team...awesome!

- doing my best to remember people's names.... people love it when you call them by name! 

- it actually amazes them a little bit...that is a small thing to add to any first impression!

- although, the last two weeks, I have called people the wrong name... embarrassing but at least I am trying...

- guarantee it won't happen again for those two people... I will remember them for sure!

- afterward, we had our second "Pizza with the Partners" ... a chance to meet 5 new families and have them over to meet the team and get to know them a little better...

- It is a great time to build further connections and learn who God is connecting with our church!

- picked up our free copier/ printer that was donated to Oasis Church... it is sitting in my garage office!

- So excited what God is doing and will do... especially the next two weeks! Really feel that God is going to do something HUGE!

- It will be the biggest Easter weekend EVER at Oasis Church North Florida... woohoo!

- This week is Palm Sunday and our first time observing communion together as a church... can't wait!

- gotta go... bye!

Can you believe this?

I came across this story earlier this evening...

Wow! Miracles still happen...God uses people "in the right place and time"...there are no coincidences!

And I can hear small groups pastors all over the world using this in their promotions... "join an in-home Bible study this week... not only will you connect with God and grow in community with other believers, but you might just save a life..."

Incredible... love coming across a good-ending story in the news... 

Boys and cars...

On Saturday, Jeanine and I took the boys to a mini car show at the River City Marketplace... this is the local shopping area and the same place where the movie theater is...now, they both love cars (and trucks and vans and buses and motorcycles...do I need to go on??) so this was a natural fun trip for them. And the cost of this was FREE so this was a natural fun trip for Jeanine and I!

     

Weekend Update

- had a great weekend...I always say that!

-but when you have the first weekend of March Madness, it is going to be a great weekend!

-Friday, I met Pat and Cindy Roberts, one our teaching pastors at Oasis North Florida, at their hotel. I took them to go pick up their rental car (they had taken the train up the day before).

-after doing that, Pat and I were able to play some golf at a local course called Hyde Park

-my kind of golf course...no tee time, budget-friendly, and WIDE OPEN fairways

- a cool front was coming through so it made it pretty windy...so I had an excuse I could count on!

-another one was the sun kept getting in my eyes...I have to have a lot of excuses...

-hadn't played in a few months, but I shot pretty normal for me...I discovered if I don't think about the putt, that I actually putt better...sunk a couple of long ones!

-had a couple of pars...including the last hole that I chipped in from about 6 yards off the green...hit the green, rolled about ten feet, hit the pin and went in!!

-I even have three witnesses...even better!

-dropped Pat off at his hotel and picked up Chipotle for dinner...hopefully there will be one opening near us soon!

-Saturday was great relaxing, fun, family day...wal-mart, haircuts (Zach and I were way overdue), rest, college b-ball, a mini car show, figuring out how to keep the church signs up in 15 - 20mph wind gusts...stuff like that!

-Sunday was a beautiful day... nice temps and amazing weather

-numbers were down from the week before...maybe it was too nice outside?

-continued our series on "You Asked For It"...discussed the idea of judging others and living authentic Christian life...spent the whole teaching going through Matthew 7... will be on oasisnfl.com later this week

-band and kids ministry and sound went well... we are still learning in every area...everything is still an experiment!

-the team is coming together...amazing how different personalities and opinions can come together for a common goal and purpose!

-began to talk to our church about Easter...it's going to be the BIGGEST EASTER ever at Oasis Church North Florida!!!

- after church....Sunday nap...beautiful words...

Happy Birthday Oasis NoMi!

One year ago today... Oasis NoMi officially launched!

What else is this like?

Chaplain at Hospice by the Sea in Boca Raton resigns over ban on word 'God' -- South Florida Sun-Sentinel.com.

What an idiotic policy! This is like a...

-Veterinarian banned from the word "dog".

-Surgeon banned from the word "operate".

-Contractor banned from the word "build".

-President banned from the word "change".

-Fat guy banned from the word "twinkie".

-Soldier banned from the word "sir".

-Comedian banned from the word "joke".

-Teacher banned from the word "book".

-Firemen banned from the word "hose".

All because someone may not believe in God... but look at the list, if I don't believe in dogs, operations, building, or twinkies, that means these people can't even mention the word?? 

Seriously?? 

Weekend Update

-wow...what a great weekend!

-last couple of Saturdays have begun by putting out the Oasis road signs...not always fun, but they work!

-really trying to protect Saturday as a family/ Sabbath day...I am getting better at it!

-Although, I still end up doing more then I want Saturday evening getting ready for Sunday...need to work on this BIG TIME!

-did some house cleaning and bike riding and chilling...nice!

-watched UNC lose to FSU in the ACC tournament...if Ty Lawson can't go in the big dance, my bracket is in T-R-O-U-B-L-E!

-Sunday dawned kinda foggy...but the sun soon broke through

-great to have Jonathan and Charissa back from their honeymoon...we missed them!

-tons of input and trying to tweak what we do and how we go about pulling off portable church... we are still learning!

-had a great group of people join us for worship... over 100 people!

-7 were first time families!

-30 of these were in our kids program...holy cow!!

-great time teaching on 4 questions in our You Asked For It series...covered suicide, culture, and baby baptism...it was a fun time!

-all our messages can be heard at www.oasisnfl.com and go to the teaching series tab...

-afterwards, we had some people over to our house for our first Pizza with the Partners... not sure we will keep calling it this, but that's what we call it now!

-this is a chance for people new to our church to meet us and our families, hear more about Oasis, and then be challenged to partner with us as body of believers...

-we don't have membership...we are a team, partnering for a common goal

-we had about 20 people come and be part of our first meeting!

-so many commented that they are so glad to be part of Oasis Church...we are meeting a need in our area...awesome!

-we have about 20 more coming over on March 29!

-we also had our launch team here for lunch...so about 35 people or so in my house at once...yikes!

-controlled chaos... I love it!

-after our pizza lunch, we had a launch team meeting to discuss Easter...

-some good dialogue but it was obvious we were getting tired...

-long day but felt it was important to combine some things to save on gas and honor our team's time...

-I was drained...but so pumped and amazed at what God has been doing in our short time together

-I love being able to live the dream... we get to do this!! Woohoo!

-

Are you wearing green today?

Happy St. Patricks Day!

I am wearing green and have been talking with an Irish accent all day! I am short so I imagine I am a lephrechaun... ok, maybe not...

But, I did wonder about the man, St. Patrick and being a guy who likes history, I looked him up...found out he was not Irish (neither am I), that he was "called" to Ireland, and that he was a church planter...wow, I didn't realize all that!

You can find out more by googling his name...or check out this site I found...

History of Saint Patrick and St. Patrick's day.

March Madness is nearly here

Staying up late watching a crazy Big East game between Syracuse and UConn...they are in the sixth overtime...unbelieveable! I am looking forward to getting my bracket ready as the Big Dance starts next week!

I have been blogging about the church planting conference I attended last week. It was put on by Mountain Lake Church in Cumming, Ga. The lead pastor and founding planter is Shawn Lovejoy. I have had the privilege of talking to him a little bit over the years (my in-laws attend MLC) and seeing what God had been doing in that area. I was on Facebook and Shawn sent me an im saying "if I can get there, the conference would be free..." Well, that fits my church plant budget perfectly! Thanks Shawn!

He spoke on financing the vision that God has laid on our hearts, in spite of a tough economy/ recession/ whatever we are in...here are some things I wrote from his message...

- finance vision with wisdom and faith... gotta be balanced...

- money and faith are never used side by side in Bible...most of us church planters play the faith card when it comes to money

-Bible almost always mentions prudence and money together... being wise, good steward

-slow down, pay attention, proceed with caution

-use a finance team...provide counsel for leadership

-watch trends...week, month, year

-keep an eye on monthly budget..."cash flow" is crucial

-good, wise idea...minimum 6- 8 weeks of average offerings in savings

- position ourselves to be ready to move when God shows the next step

-10% give, 10% save, live off the rest (80%)

-hang on and keep at it when we make mistakes and fail... where have I heard this? marathon not a sprint!!

- pray, pray, pray!

Church Planters Conference - Part 4

A few weeks ago, I was at a church planting conference in North Georgia... Bob Roberts Jr. led one of the main sessions...here are some notes I took...

when is Jesus going to be enough for me? 

instead of being biggest church in area, I just want to church the area...wow! What an amazing thought!

he has planted 120 churches and 10 within 2- 4 miles of the first church plant...

it’s His kingdom not mine...

I need to repent...sin is acts I am doing and a lifestyle I am living...read sermon on mount...

why do we not grow disciples as quick as the church used to or do today in other parts of world? 

abandonment...when you follow Jesus I am supposed to die! What does it cost me to follow Jesus? 

Discipleship = obey... often means taking risks...

“Balanced living” is not Biblical... Jesus bids us to come and die... 

wherever hell is breaking loose, that is God telling church to get over there... in spite of danger...

what is the worse that can happen to me? Go broke? I can make money anywhere doing anything...compared to other parts of world, we don’t have it bad at all!

we live in one of the most incredible times in human history...but my mind and heart need to grow...and God will have to break both...