Unity.  One Body.  Different Backgrounds.  Different Cultures.

When it comes to worship, should we combine our assemblies to worship together, or should we divide by language and cultural barriers?

Together or Separate?

Why?

Just got word that there will be another baptism in the morning!

How many of you make New Year's Resolutions?


I want to lose weight.  I need to exercise more.
What about family time and relationships?
Spending habits?  Self improvements?
Most importantly, how about spiritual goals and disciplines?
How many of you actually stick to your resolutions?

It's far too easy for me to make a resolution and not stick with it.

Here is another song you may recognize:



Thanks to our friend, Carlos Gonzales for sending this. If you need a Spanish a cappella group for your special event, contact Carlos and check out their blog.

Thanks,
Todd (posting this at Keith's request)

At Madison, we began our Sunday morning service with three baptisms.  That makes three weeks in a row!  It is refreshing to be able to place the baptisms at a special time within our assembly, instead of the same, predictable, post-invitation ending.  Our church family is really growing.

Sometimes there is one phrase or one line that jumps out of a hymn or song that grabs your heart and touches you like nothing else.  In many cases, these lines may be more obscure (not the the title or chorus.)

Another tally poll this week.  There were 16 votes, and a lot of really good discussion.  Here's the score.
-JP

More for the church
Votes: 10 (62.5%)

More for outreach
Votes: 2 (12.5%)

50/50
Votes: 4 (25%)

One of the tallest buildings in Nashville is often referred to as "The Bat Building."
Here it is in ice.

Have you ever noticed that sometimes the "tone" of communications don't seem to go along with the actual words themselves?  For example, some preachers have a "yelling" and almost "angry" tonal style.  So much so, that they may say "GOD LOVES YOU!" with words saying one thing (peace and love), while their tone conveys anger.  Have you ever noticed this before?

Last week, I told you how we began and ended the Sunday morning assembly with baptisms.  With a little notice ahead of time, we enjoy planning the order of worship to allow for special placement.

Yesterday, it happened again!  We started our assembly and ended our assembly with baptisms.

It is true that heart-felt worship can be evangelistic.  When God is present in the praise of his people, the assembly can inspire even non-believers to admit that "God is surely in this place!"  Some mega churches gear their entire emphasis on Sunday mornings to outreach and accommodate the body of believers with deeper spiritual nourishment at other meetings.



Do you believe that your Sunday morning assemblies should be geared to be evangelistic?
Should Sunday mornings be primarily for the body of believers?

To make the poll simple, we'll ask the question this way.  (This is your opinion applying to your unique situation.)

Sunday morning assemblies at our congregation should be:
___  More for the church (50% or greater)
___  More for outreach (50% or greater)
___  50/50

What are your thoughts?

This week's poll was a fairly basic statistic.  14 numbers were given, so I averaged them.
-JP

Number of Songs Sung Last Week
Average: 8.3
Mid-Point: 8.5
Most Popular: 6
Minimum: 6
Maximum: 12

You should have heard Allison this weekend at the Speech Tournament!

We have two Sunday morning services at Madison:  8:00 is our traditional service and 10:15 is more blended.  Phil Barnes, our pulpit minister effectively preached on the spirit of giving.  One anonymous brother at the first service immediately went out after the sermon to find the closest bicycle merchant and bought them clean out of stock.  He brought them back to the church building so they could be given to brighten the Christmas of many children.  (Someone said there must have been 40 bicycles and other items like car seats, etc.)



What a blessing to hear of such a heart of giving and being open to God's tugging.
_ _ _ _

On a very sad note, two days ago there was a double homicide at a store across the street from our church building in Madison.  Last night, the CBS television news crew interviewed some of our people about this tragedy and broadcast a portion of our singing on the 10 o'clock News (the snippet was "It's All Right" as we sang in Bixler Chapel.)

Why is it okay for a woman to serve communion east and west, but not north and south?

Sunday, we enjoyed a unique and special assembly.  The service began with four baptisms and ended with two more.  The only thing that would have made it better would have been to have more baptisms in the middle of the service!

It's the time of year to sing songs of Christmas!