Nino's News

Hello world,

Great day today! We had John Turner in today to speak. He did a great job talking about "The Gospel According to Mick Jagger" (this will probably be posted at southlakechurch.org soon.) Remember the song "You can't always get what you want"? That was the jist as it relates to James 4:1-3. I loved our singing time as well today and our time around the table. One of the impacting moments of the morning was the video clip of S.M. Lockeridge's "That's My King." (from IgniterVideos).

I'll have breakfast with John in the morning...he is a candidate in our process of finding a teacher for our church. Hopefully, we'll talk about whatever and do so openly. It's been odd to be on this side of the interviewing process, Ali and I have never been in on this before. And while the oddity of it comes from not experiencing it before, it certainly has been educational and interesting. I know that just as much as we are asking questions to John, he is interviewing just as much right back. That feels goofy because I feel I need to set a good impression. And yet, why do I have the human urge to impress another human. To tell him how great the body at Southlake really is. I think I would much rather impress God with my meager attempts at worshiping him and leading others in that procession. I suppose that was a sidebar confession.

What's wild about this process is the story of Southlake Blvd Church (SBC). The short end of it (I would say that the long story will need to come another day, but I don't feel rather qualified to get all the details down...so we will see) is that SBC has had a few "transitions"...4 to be precise. And to my knowledge, these weren't "planned church plants." One preacher and the worship leader of that time went to start a cell-based ministry and a few people went with them. Skip a few years, then another group takes off (no staff however) to keep the church of Christ name. Shortly after, another preacher and worship leader along with a few folks take off and start a community church. And fairly recently and what leads us today in searching for a new teacher guy, we let the preacher go (this time the worship leader didn't leave) and a few folks follow him and they start church.

I know you will be surprised to tell you that we are healthy. And I use that word in the overall sense. There is no open wound from this last "transition" that we feel the need to keep open. To draw inward and focus on self. I don't believe that is there. Tension about it, yeah, probably! I feel I can be honest in saying that the last group did not leave on good terms. No need to elaborate here, but I will confess that I have done nothing on my part to reconcile my relationship with the preacher prior. I've struggled at times with that. I'm praying about it and for him and his family. I guess I just know more! Anyway, back to health...Our budget has struggled and that's tough...but our staff has been resiliant and committed, our body has not lost vigor, and our gatherings are filled with joy and confession. I think God defines health as a broken spirit and a contrite heart...I guess I'm saying that at SBC, I feel that.