Pastor Jay //

Put this banner on your website so others can hear the three minute story. It’s pretty cool. I know of 19 people that accepted Christ at NCMC in Trenton on Wednesday as a direct result of this video!

Come this Sunday and receive this free booklet.

Discussion Questions: (use these discussion questions to ignite discussion with your family or friends)

• 1.       What are some ways that we can express “love”?
• 2.       What is one reason that love can be emotionally painful?
• 3.       In spite of the pain, why do we still desire to love and be loved?
• 4.       God has made a great sacrifice in His love for you, what sacrifice have you made in your love for Him?

I am still a bit fascinated by this word. It means “hear.” It is the first word of the daily prayer of the Jews “Hear, O Israel! The LORD our God. The LORD is one!” What would it mean to hear? What if the world really heard from God? What if I really heard from God? I must listen more. He is speaking to me and yet there are still times that I ignore Him. If you had five minutes with God what would you say? Why would you say anything at all? Do we really think that we need to tell God anything? Shema!

God, help me to hear! “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” (Revelation 2: 7, 11, 17, 29;  3:6, 13, 22)

Shema in Wikepedia ; An interesting church called Shema Community (not an endorsement)

If you have a google account, you can open this map and add other missionaries to the map. Tell us where they are and give us a link to their blog. If they are in an unknown area, give us their hometown. Join the fun.

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We were at a children’s production of Annie today and I was amazed at how incredibly organized the stage production was. Everyone seemed to have a job and they were doing their jobs like clockwork. Greeters, tickets, programs, seating, clean-up, lights, stage, sound, …. To think: someone organized all that with volunteer help! As we exited the theater, I heard someone comment about their husband’s work with the production. She said, “It’s his passion.” It really made sense. In that theater, everyone was there by choice. Even the children going through the seats after the production with Wal-mart sacks picking up trash before the next performance. They were all there because they had a passion for theater. (Incidentally, many of them also have a passion for Christ. This was a Christian Youth Theater club and they were unashamed of their faith in Christ.)

Passion. I love it when I see people glorifying God passionately with their lives. Don’t fill a position at your church, fulfill your passion serving Christ in your church, work, family, community.

Passion will help us at FBC to - love. serve. grow.

Note: This is the big day! We will be able to celebrate the Master Plan today. We have been anticipating this day for years.

[Pictured: A section of Nehemiah's Wall]

Nehemiah 8 - Begin with the End Vision

1. What techniques do you use to put together a jigsaw puzzle?
2. How would you describe what you believe the perfect day at church would look like?
3. Who should the leader(s) of the church be? Why?
4. Why is “change” such a difficult word for the church? What kinds of change would God want?