Living Proof

COC wraps up the "F-Bomb" series this weekend. I can't remember a series we've done that has had more impact than this one. It seems everyone has someone or something to forgive. Hopefully we've helped shed a little light on how to go about it. It's actually relatively easy to learn seeing as how the New Testament gives us the ultimate model/teacher.

This Sunday we'll do something completely different. We'll invite you to a kitchen table to discuss some real life forgiveness scenarios. I can absolutely guarantee that this Sunday will be different than anything we've ever done at COC. We'll be very transparent with some personal stories and victories involving forgiveness.

Everybody needs forgiveness....isn't there a song that says that?

Jury Duty

Have you ever been selected for jury duty? I had my first experience with it yesterday. There wasn't much to it. I sat in a room with a couple hundred other Denton County residents and waited for my name to be called. Once the lady called my name she gave me a court assignment. I get to go back tomorrow afternoon to a "Justice of the Peace" court near my house. I'm not exactly sure what that means but from what I've gathered it's basically traffic court. Who knew that traffic court could require a jury? I certainly didn't, but I actually am looking forward to it so I can see how this process works. I'm fascinated by it.

I'm not a big fan of sitting in judgment of anyone mainly because I don't want some person to judge me. But I am a big fan of our judicial system allowing a trial by jury. It's a team effort. They say "two heads are better than one" when it comes to problem solving. And that's what a trial is at its core, a problem between two or more entities. So I and my fellow jurors will put our heads together to solve the problem.

Of course on our ultimate judgment day there's just one guy waiting to solve our problem. Our issue isn't that we were speeding, driving recklessly or some other traffic citation. No, our problem is much greater. We've sinned which is punishable by death! Dang! One silly little sin and we're automatically on death row. That's why Jesus is SO IMPORTANT! He took that punishment. So we were basically given a "get out of jail free" card. On our judgment day God simply asks us "Did you accept the card?" If the answer is "YES" then your verdict is NOT GUILTY. If the answer is "NO" then your verdict is GUILTY.

Pretty simple stuff folks. It took me several hours yesterday and potentially several more tomorrow to get to a point to help judge a traffic ticket. Jesus saves you in an instant if you accept Him. Seems like a no-brainer to me.

COC Metro en Espanol

In case you missed it, we're starting a new ministry at COC Metro called "COC Metro en Espanol"! We've got a few of the details worked out, not all of them. But the main thing we know is that there is a large population right in our own backyard that we can't reach because of a simple language barrier. It's amazing to me that we can get almost any sort of information instantaneously thanks to things like Google or Bing. You want to know what year Krispy Kreme (something dear to my heart) started? Google + 3 words + Enter = 1937. I found that in about 0.18 seconds (at least that's what Google told me I did!).

So if I can find information about any subject in roughly 0.18 seconds, why would I let something like a different language stop our church from reaching people for Christ? I firmly believe "COC Metro en Espanol" will change the landscape of how we do church. There are other Spanish ministries out there...I know that. Yet ours is unique -- we get to figure out how to do it the "COC Way"!

I will personally be part of this ministry in some form or fashion even though I don't speak Spanish. I'd encourage you to do the same no matter what language you speak. Matthew 28:19 says "Go make disciples of ALL NATIONS..." It doesn't say "only make disciples of people that speak the same language as you". So what are you waiting for; let's get busy!