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It was an amazing feeling to be able to finally announce a building for the west side site.  As you can imagine, now things will have to kick-in in earnest to make sure we are ready to run efficiently in Henderson and Evansville.

This whole deal will launch us in to a new season of challenges and opportunities.   We will need a wave of new faces doing what you do and have done.

As that thought hit me, I realized something.  While we will need new faces serving and “throwing in” in light of new opportunities, I need to remember those who have been “throwing in” all along.  I need to remember those who serve now.   I need to remember those who have been serving for months on end; some since before 10-10-10.  I need to remember those who make this place go.

From Life Group leaders who rush to clean their houses before the group arrives, to the nursery worker who has to pace the floor with the baby who just can’t seem to settle down; to the guitar player who has to listen to that new worship song. . . again and again and again, to the guest services worker who arrives an hour and a half before anyone else to brew coffee that everyone just takes for granted will be there. . . to the elementary kids worker who has to try (again) to get “that kid” to pay attention. . .you are the heroes of this operation. You really are.

You make time for things when it really feels like there is no time.  Your kids have school activities.  You have work obligations. Your extended family serves you problems and buzz-kill emotional complexities.  I would imagine there are times when it just feels like you cannot imagine how it will all “get in.”  But, it does.

Why?  Somehow, you decided, somewhere back there, in the privacy of your own relationship with the Lord, to make it that way.

I know Christian people enough to know their motivation is a simple sense of guidance from the Lord.  They want to do things because they have the basic conviction that God sees and is using their service to shape them from the inside out. They see something happening beyond mixing sound or dressing silly for the kids.  They love God and they want others to love Him.

“Church” people get criticized a lot in our culture.  And, without a doubt, that criticism is sometimes deserved.   But, I’ve discovered something about “church” people.  The vast majority I have known (and, in my line of work I’ve got to know a lot of them) are stellar, amazing people.  They serve.  They serve with kindness and grace. They are humble and sacrificial.

This is what I have seen in you, the One Life team.  I absolutely love working with you.

I look around and see a giant team, a body, with every single piece critical to the overall effort.   Some of us are on the “platform”.  Others are in rooms people in our church don’t even know exist.  But, no matter what our role, we are a WE.  We are in this together. We have been in this together.   And in life, nothing is better.

Thank you.  Thank you from the bottom of my heart.  Thank you for making this past season of life the greatest, most gratifying and amazing yet.   You are loved, appreciated and your work is not even close to being in vain.

You’re my heroes,

Bret