The BUZZ is working!

This past Sunday was one the best experiences FLC has ever had! There were a lot of new faces with 115 people in attendance. 2 people surrendered their lives to Jesus and we baptized 7 people in water. Our band did an amazing job with worship and leading us into God's presence. Every Dream Team member worked extremely hard to make FLC an irresistible environment for people to experience God. We also had a ton of fun during the message as I made a real fruit smoothie to help illustrate the fruit of the Holy Spirit.

The BUZZ is working! People are talking about what happens at FLC. We actually have a group of people talking about coming just to see what goes on in "that middle school." Its exciting to see the vision come alive and literally transform lives for eternity.

Keep talking to your family, friends, co-workers, and strangers about FLC. Invite them to "come and see." Watch what God does with your simple step of sharing your excitement about YOUR church. Eternity will be different because of you and the BUZZ you generate.

BUZZing with you!

Pastor Dan

FLC Getting Some BUZZ!

One of the greatest, well, maybe THE greatest, ways to get the word out and market the church is through word of mouth. How do we get people talking about Family Life Church? How do we create a buzz about FLC so people get curious and come on Sunday? Or, how do we get people so interested in the church that they begin seeking us out to learn more?

Well, I think one of the ways is to have an awesome service EVERY week. We do work very hard to make sure people's experience on Sunday is inspiring and life-changing. But another way is to have the newspaper voluntarily write a feature on the church and put it on the front page!!!

All I can say is, WOW! Check out these LINKS LINKS to read the story and see the pictures. I'm praying this BUZZ will get the attention of people that need Jesus. I'm praying new people start asking their friends if they know anything about FLC. I'm praying FLC members start sharing this story as a tool to invite their friends.

WHY? Because I know if those people will simply step through our doors, they will come face to face with a loving, accepting, forgiving, and saving creator God! Lets keep the BUZZ buzzing and bring people to Jesus!

Access FLC

We have created a "simple" way for new people to understand the vision of Family Life Church and to "quickly" become a part, connecting in meaningful relationships and service.

Yesterday was the second Sunday of the month, which means Access FLC happened! 6 new people came to gain "access" to the vision, DNA & strategy of the church. I love seeing those who have only been to FLC 2 or 3 times taking ownership of the vision. My heart is not that people will help "ME" fulfill "MY" vision. The vision is to help people discover "THEIR" God-given gifts and passions and then to assist "THEM" in fulfilling "THEIR" destiny.

Church (the systems & processes of the church) truly should be simple and as organic as possible. "So easy a caveman can do it." Some processes in churches are so cumbersome and complicated that new people are alienated and disconnected for so long that they just don't get involved. Maybe it is to create job security for leaders? I sure hope not. My friend Matt Keller, lead pastor of Next Level Church in Ft. Meyers, FL says, "We need to put the cookies on the bottom shelf." I like that! Because, "If people don't connect, they will disconnect."

People don't need a semester in seminary to unload a trailer, set-up/tear-down church environments, usher, greet, or brew coffee. They don't need Bible school classes and credits to mix sound, do lighting, love babies or play drums. Certainly, there are some areas of ministry where the process of involvement is a little more detailed. However, our goal as leaders should be to figure out how to simplify not complicate the system. Just remember, you can't "know those who labor among you" if they are just sitting in a class hearing someone speak.

"PLACE" people for faithfulness and then they can be "PLANTED" for fruitfulness.

Servolution Goes Running!

Over 500 participants + 100s observing + 37 FLC team members serving + a lot of water given away = SERVOLUTION!

Last night was one of my proudest moments as the lead pastor of Family Life Church. There were so many FLC team members in their green Servolution shirts. Our team was passionately sharing the love of Jesus through a simple act of kindness and generosity with no strings attached to Roxbury and Morris County. I want to thank each and every person that came, as well as the entire families that were serving together. Your faithful service impacted eternity last night. The seed of the gospel was planted and there will be a harvest.

"And whoever gives one of these little ones only a cup of water in the name of a disciple, assuredly, I say to you, he shall by no means lose his reward.” Matthew 10:42

There is a heavenly reward for serving with a pure heart. I trust God's heart was pleased with the love FLC expressed to the community in the Name of Jesus. I look forward to many more Servolution opportunities individually and as a church.

Impacting Eternity - One Life at a Time,

Pastor Dan

Restoration, Recovery, & Peace

1 Samuel 7:14

S = “Then the cities which the Philistines had taken from Israel were RESTORED to Israel from Ekron to Gath; and Israel RECOVERED its territory from the hands of the Philistines. Also, there was PEACE between Israel and the Amorites.”

O = God is a God of Restoration, Recovery, & Peace! Once Israel repented and returned to the Lord, they positioned themselves in the center of God’s will, provision, and protection. God is always "for us". However, blessings flow when we are "for Him"! Israel stepped out of God's protection and provision because they were no longer "for God" but "for themselves". They wanted to be like the culture that surrounded them. They lost focus in their pursuit of God and started experimenting with the world. Maybe they got bored and curious. Either way, they started living "for themselves".

A = Am I living for myself or for God? Am I in the center of God’s will? If not, GET THERE FAST! If yes, I must keep myself there. I will consume God’s presence and His Word. I will not allow disappointment, pain, lack, or struggle to remove me from God’s presence and will. He restores me. I recover all that was lost. I live in peace. I walk in all these blessings by faith as I live in the center of the will of God.

P = Father, I thank You for being for me. Help me to live for You! I ask for your strength to stay steadfast in You. I live by faith!

What's Your Assignment

Luke 4:1-2, 14-15 NIV

"Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the desert, where for forty days He was tempted by the devil. He ate nothing during those days, and at the end of them He was hungry...Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news about Him spread through the whole countryside. He taught in their synagogues, and everyone praised Him."

Fasting and prayer are essential to receiving a clear vision of God's specific path for our lives. Many times following a season of prayer and fasting we have a more defined understanding of the part that we play in the body of Christ and a greater sense of our particular spiritual giftings. (1 Corinthians 12)

This chapter in the Gospel of Luke describes the circumstances surrounding the beginning of Jesus’ public ministry. Notice that He went into the desert “full of the Holy Spirit.” However, He returned to Galilee, “in the power of the Holy Spirit.” Being full of the Spirit is knowing God and his character; walking in the power of the Spirit is when we know that we have the God-given strength and authority in our lives to walk out His will.

The power of the Spirit is essential for us to accomplish the assignment God has for our lives. God could be leading you to fast so that you can receive His specific instructions for your life. He will empower you, not just to know Him, but to walk in His power to accomplish what He has called you to do.

Are there areas of your life that need more clarity? Are you walking in the power of the Spirit and living in God’s purpose for your life? Write down those things God is speaking to you. As you conclude your fast, pray that God continually reveals His purpose and gives you ever increasing clarity and strength to walk it out.

A New Wine-Skin

Luke 5:37-38 NLT

“And no one puts new wine into old wineskins. For the new wine would burst the wineskins, spilling the wine and ruining the skins. New wine must be stored in new wineskins.”

Two things do not mix: new wine and old wineskins. The reason is simple: old wineskins cannot grow and stretch to hold the new wine. The new wine God wants to fill you with is expansive; it is a picture of God’s Spirit. It always brings an enlargement. A container that is dead, dry, stiff and shrinking back cannot be entrusted as a storehouse for God’s valued treasure. Our vessels must be prepared for the fresh, dynamic, living presence of God – everything we do will flow from it. This preparation comes through prayer and fasting, producing a container that is ready for the new thing God wants to do. God’s new wine always changes us – it expands our faith, enlarges our purpose, and brings renewed vision.

Everything God does is expansive, He is not into shrinking wineskins – it is up to us to shed them. As we seek Him in this season, let’s shed the old wineskin and ask God to fully prepare our hearts for what’s to come.

What has caused you to shrink back in your expectation of what God wants to do in your life? Are you ready to be expanded beyond recognition? That’s what God’s new wine will do in and through you. Pray the Lord will expand your life to glorify Him, giving you boldness to step out and be