Trip to Atlanta

Last weekend I attended an event at North Point Community Church in Alpharetta, GA for Starting Point leaders and directors. The guest speaker for the day was Andy Crouch, who has authored several books discussing faith and culture. In my opinion, it’s a good thing to get away from home and routine from time to time to recharge our batteries and get a fresh perspective.

I definitely left Atlanta encouraged and excited about what God is doing at NewSpring and around the world. While the news is filled with depressing statistics and gloomy predictions, God is busy doing astounding things in the lives of people.

I’m very excited to get back with my current Starting Point and Next Step groups this weekend. By the way, there are currently nine SP and NS groups meeting each weekend at NewSpring. We are scheduled to begin additional groups in March as we continue to create new spaces to meet in.

In just a couple of weeks, on February 14, we will enjoy a great SP Leader Event with Jason Malec. Jason has been on staff at North Point since 2002, but is now helping to start a brand new church in Denver, CO. We are looking forward to a day of insight, inspiration and challenge.

As I watch the years of my life whiz past at an alarming rate of speed, I’m very thankful that God has allowed me to be part of what He is doing with what I have to give. I’m also very thankful for all the forever friends I am making along the way.

 

What a Phenomenal Weekend!

I keep thinking I’ve seen what God can do, then he blows my mind again. It was just a little over a year ago that we began to consistently reach the 2000 mark in attendance. In late November of ‘08, we saw 3000 the first time on an ordinary weekend (I don’t know, do we ever have an ordinary weekend?)

Anyway, when we hit 3000, we were in some deep trouble with overcrowding especially in the 11 a.m. service, and I asked who would be willing to move to Saturday night. (The Saturday service was the newest, and there was still room.) Special thanks go out to Kidzworld leaders and team, because in order to make Saturday night a complete service, they stepped up and made sacrifices that were huge.

This last weekend, we had four new things going on. A new series, Change; a new service time for the early service (15 minutes earlier); a whole new Sunday service at 12:30 p.m.; and Clayhouse (our high school experience) moving to coincide with the new service time.

It was great! First of all, thanks to all of you who were willing to move to Saturday night. If you were there, I don ‘t need to say anything. Nearly a thousand people worshipped in the Saturday XL service. That represents at least a doubling of that service. So you can imagine what I was thinking. “Great, 500 people moved from the 11:00 service to Saturday night, now we’ll have more room at 11. Not hardly, we had to bring in chairs. Total attendance for the weekend was almost 3700!

Hey, I’m not being Pollyannaish about this, but I have to tell you what it looks like to me. It seems when we do something bold to make room for more people, God fills up the space with people looking for Him!

And hey, this isn’t just about big numbers, remember every single one of those 3700 people is someone God loved enough to send his son to die for! Many people accepted Jesus this weekend in all of our environments.

To all of you who volunteer, every one who has altered your schedule to help us, you have my heartfelt gratitude. I’m sure Jesus will thank you properly someday! Wonder what God’s cooking up next.

Have a great Tuesday,

Mark

 

This is winter?

I don’t want to say it too loudly, because I realize that blizzards could be in our near future, but the weather is beautiful! Who would have predicted that the day after Christmas, it would be warm enough (in Kansas) for a game of backyard football?

Jared, Jonathan & Stephen Hoover

As they were growing up, all three of our sons enjoyed playing a little football outside with their dad. I guess somethings don’t change — well, except the cheerleading section!

Cheyenne Hoover & Ellie Cummins

We had a great time of celebration with friends and family — and good weather too!

The Hoover Family

 

Crossing the Finish Line

I never was much of a runner, but I do know that running a race can be sometimes exhilarating and sometimes exhausting — maybe even simultaneously. However the race goes, crossing the finish line is an accomplishment!

Many of you have gone with us on Odyssey ’08 — a journey through the Bible. Even though I’ve heard from some of you along the way, I am anxious to hear and read your reflections now that we are approaching the finish line.

Was it a good trip? Did you learn anything new? Did God speak to you through what you read?

If you’ve been on Odyssey ’08 — even only part of the way, please add your comment to this post and give us your reflections.

 

Dressed for Snowy Weather

Here’s Fred, our family pet, dressed for the frigid weather.

Fred in his winter coat

 

Getting in gear

I’m still enjoying my reflections on a wonderful Thanksgiving celebration. All of our family was able to be together here at our house for turkey and last Monday I was able to briefly visit with my parents in Texas as well. I am so thankful for the blessing of family and the love we share.

Now that Christmas season is upon us, we’re gearing up for the next big holiday. Although my decorating skills leave much to be desired, I’ve tried to set aside my insecurities and start getting our Christmas decorations up. One of my struggles though is that at my age time flies by so fast that it seems like I just finish getting everthing in place when it’s time to take it all down again!

I am really looking forward to the new message series that starts this week.  Mark usually shares his thoughts with me, so I get some great previews of what’s coming. I also got to see the stage decorations as they were going up during the week. It’s amazing! Dale Poore and his team always manage to top their last project with more creative genius!

I’m also excited to get back with my Starting Point groups after our break for Thanksgiving. I get to know so many people through SP and I love that!

 

Who Am I?

Have you ever awakened from a deep sleep and felt the need to ask the nearest person what your name was? Although I haven’t been sleeping deeply (thanks to a head cold), I have been spinning with excitement over all things going on in my life and I’m a little dizzy.

What does it take to make me dizzy? Some major milestone events, lots of new friends, a family holiday and a head cold.

Our Discovery Reception on November 16 was absolutely packed with over 100 people attending. We had to abandon our usual arrangement of beautifully decorated tables and set up rows of chairs, which were all taken and we had to add more during the morning.

Last weekend, four new Starting Point groups launched (which is a record for number of new groups beginning on one weekend). I am leading two of the four and it is a thrill to get to know all of the group members and hear their stories. I love taking the Starting Point journey again with brand new friends!

I’m thrilled that last weekend we had almost 3,100 people at NewSpring, although we are now facing some serious logistical challenges. Everyone in the 11 o’clock service was so kind to move in close and help everyone find a seat. The traffic is also a challenge as we dismiss the 9:30 service and welcome those coming to the 11 o’clock service.

After a couple of days of long staff meetings, we prepared for company to arrive at our house for the holiday. Jonathan, Wendy & Cheyenne arrived on Wednesday and I’ve had so much fun cooking with and playing with Cheyenne. Of course everyone else was great to visit with as well, but being Nana is the most fun!

I hope everyone has had a lovely Thanksgiving and returns safely home from their travels. We have such an exciting future together here at NewSpring!

Mary Alice

 

My List

With Thanksgiving coming up this week, I’m reminded of many things I’m thankful for:

• I’m not trying to pack and move over the holiday weekend like we did last year
• All of our family is planning to be together for the holiday
• All of our family is safe and healthy and we are looking forward to the newest additions to be added in 2009 — one by birth and one by marriage
• I have met MANY new friends at NewSpring during the last 12 months
• Over 100 people came to Discovery last Sunday
• 43 people are signed up to begin Starting Point this weekend
• Most of all, I’m thankful for the wonderful memories of the past, the delicious blessings of the present and the indescribable future life God has in store for me along with all those in His family

I pray that each of you will have a wonderful Thanksgiving!!

 

Unexpected guest at the door

Our little dog, Fred having now recovered from his frightening experience with the ducks last spring, has now settled into a regular routine. He goes out the front door for short breaks and when he’s ready to come back in, he sits in front of the sidelight window beside the front door. He sits patiently, peering in as he waits for the door to be opened to allow him back inside.

A couple of nights ago, I was about to let Fred out for a break, but as I stepped toward the front door, I thought I saw a little animal sitting in front of that side window by the front door. As I got closer, I could see that a very small, but brave and hopeful little mouse was standing (not sitting) on the ledge of the side window. His little pointed nose was held high and his tail stretched out behind him, as if he were imitating the dog he saw standing there many times each day. Maybe he was hopeful that I would open the door and let him in just as I did for Fred.

On the other hand, maybe he had observed the neighborhood kids receiving candy when they came to the door a few nights ago. In any event, I was very curious what would cause this little otherwise shy animal to be brave enough to step up to the front door.

Even when I came up to the door with Fred beside me looking out, the mouse seemed unafraid and stood there expectantly. After a couple of minutes, I tapped on the window and he scampered away, but I’ll not soon forget our little unexpected visitor.

 

What in the world’s going on?

This morning about 5:00, I started watching the news. I checked out the cable news channels, surfed over to CNBC for a little business to see what went on overseas during the night, and sure enough, it wasn’t long before I got the obligatory sour stomach.  Do you get the idea that the talking heads (experts in their minds) don’t have a clue?  I was told, years ago, that all you have to do to be an expert, is travel three-hundred miles away from home and carry a fancy leather briefcase. Today you only need to get yourself on cable news and yell louder than the other experts.

No kidding, though. I get the feeling that the media types who are trying to explain it all to Joe the Plumber are foggier than we are.  On one channel I caught this expert selling the idea that Iran is really our friend. That behind all that death to America rhetoric and nuclear proliferation, they’re really crazy about the USA, and can’t wait to sit down and discuss with us how to help create a stable Iraq. He added that despite the saber rattling, Iran was just fine with Israel. How about a verse of Won’t You Be My Neighbor?

If that’s not enough to get you woozy, check out the expert spinmeisters weighing in on what a McCain or Obama administration would look like.  If I were a betting man, with all the craziness going on, I’d bet not even McCain or Obama know what their administrations are going to look like.

What’ll really get you talking to yourself is watching business news. Bulls and bears have been replaced by calves in hailstorms. The expert guys and gals stare into the camera and give us their opinions, but being a longtime communicator, I recognize that look. It says, I don’t have the foggiest notion what’s going to happen, but the camera is on me and I have to say something.

After about a half-hour of that, I came up for air, and went into the living room where Mary Alice was working on tonight’s talk.  For the last few weeks at Powerlines, (Bible discussion that she and I host Wednesday nights at 6:30) we’ve been looking at prophecy and things that are going to happen at the end of this age.  Tonight, we’re planning a discussion on the last battle, Armegeddon, and the millennial reign of Jesus on the earth.  Heavy but extremely exciting stuff!

Juxtaposing my news surfing against what she had been doing recalibrated my thinking. I’d been listening to people, who although smart, really have no idea what’s going to happen. Mary Alice was reading the Word of Someone who not only KNOWS what’s going to happen but CONTROLS outcomes!  Suddenly I remembered the words of a very old song, one of the first my dad taught me.  The chorus goes like this:

Many things, about the future
I don’t seem to understand
But I know who holds tomorrow
And I know who holds my hand

Mark