Kids and Invitation

Kids

This morning the church will be blessed with 170 kids leading us at the 10:30 worship experience. To the adults who have made this possible—we are so grateful for you. As a pastor and the parent of a first grade student—I am thankful for all the men and women who invest in our children on Sunday mornings and during the week. Each of you is a blessing to our children, our families, our church, and our city.

Compared to November of last year, our Frog Pond has grown from 129 kids per week to 170 children per week—an increase of 31%. This doesn’t include 100 middle and high school students who gather on Wednesday evenings at the ministry center and in small groups throughout the city to grow and connect. One of the four reasons The Water’s Edge exists is to partner with parents in raising children and to radically invest in the next generation. One of the priorities for our staff in 2014 is to create environments where families can thrive.

 

• My dream is that parents will be equipped by God and supported by others. 
• My dream is that children grow in their love for God and their love for people as together we spiritually, emotionally, and relationally prepare them for life. 
• My dream is that all of us experience community and fun in the process. 

I hope The Water’s Edge has been a big blessing for you and your family in 2013. I pray The Water’s Edge is an even bigger blessing to you and your family in the years to come. 

Invite 

Our Sunday night worship experience reminds me of our early days at Russell Middle School. There were about 60 to 75 of us around on Sunday mornings. We had four small groups and two of them were pretty small! It has been a joy to see so many people added to our church family over the past six years. Every new person makes our family better and more diverse and more like the Kingdom of Heaven: sinner and saints; seekers and skeptics; devotees and disciples; supporters and servants. 

Most of our church family started attending because somebody invited you. We are not an easy church to find. We have met at five locations and don’t have a permanent facility yet. We invite because we believe the Gospel changes lives: grace, power, hospitality, community, children, forgiveness, service, hope, generosity, fun, and eternal life. 

The single time to invite is Christmas Eve. We have three identical Christmas Eve worship experiences in the auditorium at Millard West this year: Sunday, December 22nd at 6:00 and Tuesday, December 24th at 4:00 and 5:30. One invitation can change a life! I look forward to celebrating the birth of Jesus with you next week. 

The best is yet to come… 

Craig

What You Can Do

Dozens of times in the last few months, people have asked me how they can help with The Water’s Edge—especially as we have recently celebrated our 5th Birthday and as we launch into a new season of ministry and mission in Omaha and beyond. Here are some essential practices God wants from the people of His Church.

Hanging out at The Water's Edge at Platte River State Park

Invite. Nothing draws people to Jesus more than you. It takes courage for people to step into a journey towards Christ. It takes courage to walk through the doors of a church. And you can be the courage people need to step out! Honor the people in your life with an invitation to experience God at The Water’s Edge. Tell your friends, family, co-workers, and classmates—share what you love about your church—and invite them to worship with you. 

Serve. We most look like Jesus when we serve. From teaching kids to greeting strangers to setting up chairs to dozens of other ministries – serving is part of God’s plan for our life. You will be a blessing and you will be blessed. Serving is a great way to get to know people as well. 

Speaking of getting to know people, join a small group or commit to the current small group you are in. We currently have about 20 small groups of all shapes and sizes. More will be starting in mid-October and in early January. You will have fun, make friends, learn from and with others, and experience and encounter God. 

Worship regularly. This is a primary way we connect with God. We are comforted and challenged. We experience the things of God: hope, grace, and forgiveness. The Scriptures are applied to our lives. 

Every day do something that invests in your spiritual life and helps you grow as a disciple. Every day participate in our Bible reading plan or read a devotional. Every day do something that serves or benefits someone else. Every day pray for the church. 

Give. The way we handle money is essential for our well-being and for the mission and ministry of the church. Giving frees us from the burden of greed and creates in us a spirit of generosity. Giving also allows us to trust that God can do more with most of our resources than we can do with all of our resources. To do the things God wants The Water’s Edge to do and to serve the people God wants us to serve, additional financial resources will be necessary. 

Live out the Gospel. No substitute exists for Christian character. God will be most powerful in your life and the lives of those around you when you do the things Jesus did, live like Jesus lived, and love like Jesus loved. 

That is how you can help. 

The best is yet to come… 

Craig

Mistakes, Invitations, and Land

Here is my column for Sunday morning.

At the 9:00 worship service last week…I made a mistake. I mentioned the United States budget deficit was about 1.1 billion dollars. And I was correct, according to an economist friend of mine…if the year was 1954. The number is actually 1.1 trillion dollars. I made the mistake intentionally to see if the people at 9:00 were listening. Wait a moment, pastors aren’t supposed to lie, are they? The mistake was three zeros and a few letters of the alphabet, but the point is still the same: It is not a good idea to fund today’s lifestyle with tomorrow’s resources.

Ever wonder what a trillion pennies looks like?

Speaking of inviting people to worship…Here are some easy, non-threatening ways to invite others to worship with us.

• Update your Facebook status that you are worshipping at Millard West High School on Sunday morning. Encourage local people to join you. Type in our web site, http://www.watersedgeomaha.com/, so people can learn a little bit about what to expect before they come.
• Give a CD or a DVD of a recent sermon or our original songs to a friend or co-worker. Encourage them to listen and worship with us.
• Give one of our spiffy invitation postcards (they are at the Connection’s Area) or worship bulletins to people you know. Invite them to worship with you some Sunday morning.
• Now that the ground is soggy again, stick a yard sign in your front yard. I’m always amazed how many people start coming because of yard signs. You can find them at the Connection’s Area.
• Send an eVite (found on the home page of http://www.watersedgeomaha.com/) to friends. They will get a cool email inviting them to worship.

The question I’m asked most often… “Dad, do I have to go to bed?” The second question I get most often is, “When are we going to build a building?” I don’t know the exact answer to that question. The Church Council in January created a team to begin evaluating properties for a permanent facility. The team of leaders has met three times with a commercial real estate company to discuss available properties between Harrison and Pacific Streets and 168th and 204th Streets. We will keep you informed of any developments and welcome any feedback.

The best is yet to come...

Craig