Connect the Dots...

Sunday Recap

2009-03-08T19:10:00.000-04:00

We had another solid day today at Parkway. Very cool to see two people trust Christ in our services. God continues to amaze me as HE uses this church to reach people that are far from HIM. We wrapped our the Everything that You Wanted to Know series with an interesting (I think.) twist. We answered a ton of questions with a few Lifelines (like Who Wants to Be A Millionarre). The big idea of the day was that if we lack wisdom we should ask God who give it generously to those who ask. It is obvious that people have tons of questions based on the types and volume of questions that were submitted as a part of this series. Here's the deal: you don't have to wait for the church to answer your questions. Go to God. Go to His Word. Go to the people around. Wisdom abounds.

Here are some of the other highlights of the day:

Children's Ministry Xtreme Sunday was a huge success. The kids learned that church is fun and it is cool to invite your friends.

There was still a buzz in the church following our Man Up event on Thursday. Looking forward to seeing what happens as we launch new groups and studies this week.

I am excited that we have three new groups forming right now - 1 for men, 1 mixed group, and 1 for young adults.

Have a great week and we will see you on Sunday as we kick off the new series 3:16 Numbers of Hope.

I Love Small Groups

2009-03-03T06:08:00.001-05:00

Today, I am in San Antonio with the Group Life Advisory Team for the Willow Creek Association. It is a privelege to be a part of this group. This gathering of people probably includes some of the greatest community building leaders in North America. We are talking about issues that we all face and we are working together to build the Willow Group Life Conference for the fall.

I love times like this because I get to see old friends. These times also stretch me to make sure that I am still growing as a leader. I am hoping and praying that God gives me a picture of what it will take for Parkway's small groups to be taken to the next level. We are good. I want to be great.

To get a feel for some of the people that I am hangin' with, check out these videos:

Russ Robinson
What if there is conflict in my group?

Mike Hurt
What if someone in my group asks a diffcult question?

John Burke
What if I can't get my group to talk?

For more group life videos, visit the Leadership Media section of our site and www.smallgroupexchange.com.

Bekah's Turn

2009-03-02T11:30:00.002-05:00

Last Thursday, was Bekah's turn to be in the schools production of Circus, Circus. She did a great job. Enjoy the video.

Circus, Circus from Mike Hurt on Vimeo.

By the way, we are loving the Flip video camera that Santa brought Nick for Christmas.

Sunday Recap

2009-03-02T11:15:00.001-05:00

Sunday was another good day at Parkway Church. It never gets old to see people trust Christ with their lives. Yesterday, I had more action at the couches than we have had in weeks. If you aren't a part of Parkway, let me explain. We invite people to come meet me at the couches in our cafe after the services. Generally, I meet people who are new to the church or who have a prayer request or maybe even a quick question about the day's talk. Yesterday, was a little different. Sure we had new people, prayer requests and more follow-up questions for the talk. On top to this, I also had people just stopping by to tell me how God is at work in their lives. These are men and women who had prayed with and for in previous weeks and months so it was great to catch up on what the Lord has been doing in their lives. The thing that hit me as how excited they were to see God at work in them. They couldn't contain themselves. When you give a talk on discovering God's will for your life, there is nothing better than hearing stories of life-change and God's leadership like I heard yesterday both at the couches and through email. Thanks Parkway for encouraging your pastor yesterday.

This Weekend

2009-02-26T05:26:00.000-05:00

This weekend, we are continuing the Everything You Wanted to Know Series as we answer questions about discovering the will of God. As a part of the talk we will look at:

How do you know when the Lord is speaking to you?

If God’s will is predetermined and perfect, what is the point of prayer? Will my request actually change his plan?

What is the point of praying “Let your will be done” – won’t it be done anyway?

When praying for something, are you supposed to pray over and over and over again?

Want a sneak peak, check out this Wordle.

That's My Sister

2009-02-25T11:14:00.002-05:00

Last night, Leah was a part of her class' production, "Circus, Circus." They did great. She was a lion, of course. She even got a chance to 'roar' on the mic.

"That's My Sister" from Mike Hurt on Vimeo.

2009-02-24T15:16:00.000-05:00

Okay...as we work through the Everything That You Wanted to Know series, I want to answer a question that I have been asked a few times over the last 6 months. The question: "Mike, what do you think about the Shack?" I purchased the book a few months back BUT I have not read it. Honestly, I am not sure that I will. Fiction isn't my favorite reading material. So, how can I answer a question about a book that I haven't read? I can point you to Pastor Mark Driscoll from Mars Hill.Mark's comments here, leave no doubt as to his view on the book. Did he give it a fair analysis? I don't know, but I do know that his thoughts will give you something to think about if you have read or are considering reading The Shack.

Friends

2009-02-18T16:01:00.006-05:00

Last week, I got an email from my best friend from High School. Her name is Aly Calvo. Why am I telling you about Aly? Well, it's because she is one of the most amazing people that I have ever met. She and her twin sister, Andrea, are big time leaders and their story is an inspiration to anyone with a pulse. You can learn more about their story here.

Recently, Aly has added author to her long list of accomplishments. I don't know where she gets the time and energy to do all that she does. She must have a secret that the rest of us don't know yet. Hmmm....maybe that's why she wrote her first eBook.

The 25th Hour: The Ultimate Guide of Juggling for Work at Home Moms
Written for Work-At-Home-Moms (or Dads), the book teaches the art of "getting it all done" by prioritizing family, self, and work in an easy-to-implement style.

http://www.rockstarsrock.com/rockstarsrock.com/eBook.html

Life on Mars?

2009-02-09T18:16:00.002-05:00

Over the weekend, Nick wrapped up a video project for school. It's title - "Life on Mars?" I thought that he did such a great job that I wanted to share it with you.

Life on Mars? from Mike Hurt on Vimeo.

Sunday Recap

2009-02-09T08:54:00.000-05:00

Wow - what a day! We kicked off the new series, Everything that You Wanted to Know...But Were Afraid to Ask. Answered the questions that you submitted and took a straight up look at alcohol, porn, and our continued struggle with sin. Great crowd. Thought everyone really connected with the talk especially in the second service where we had a little uninitiated audience participation not once but twice. (More on that later.) We saw a few people go public with their new faith and pick up a New Believer Kit.

Here is what I know right now about what we are seeing each week. First, it's not normal. Second, we can't take it for granted. We must pray, prepare, and position ourselves in the right place so that we can continue to be used by God like this. Third, I know that God is rebuilding Parkway Church. Month-by-month we are becoming more of who we once were while at the same time becoming who God has called for us to become.

Now for some of the highlights from the day:

Good response from the guys on Man Up. Don't forget the Fish Fry is March 5.

Great new stage design.

Loved Dave's song to close the service. Such a talented, humble guy.

More guys than girls at Student Impact today. What's up with that?

Some of you may still have some lasting questions from this weekend's message. So, here is what I am going to do. This week, I am going to post more content on the topics from Sunday so that you can continue to digest everything that I smacked you with on Sunday.

Today, I want for you to listen in to some thoughts on the alcohol issue from my friend Todd Phillips at Frontline. Enjoy.

Top 5

2009-02-06T15:01:00.005-05:00

I can't wait for Sunday as we kick off the new series, "Everything You Wanted to Know About...But Were Afraid to Ask." You asked the questions. Now, get ready for the answers.
This week, we will tackle questions like these:

What does the Bible say about drinking alcohol? Is wine permissible, drinking an occasional drink with friends, have a glass of eggnog, a beer?
I’d like to know how a Christian can learn to act (and not react) to frightening and often evil world.
Why do Christians seeking righteousness still have evil thoughts and how should they deal with them?
I am active in church, active in Small Group, we tithe and I try and bring people to God that don’t know Him. I try to teach my children to live God’s way. I believe with everything in me that Jesus died fro my sins and I try to live God’s way, yet I sin. Where does that leave me pastor?
My husband thinks there is nothing wrong with looking at pornography. Am I wrong at saying this is a sin to look at pornography? What is Mike's view on this issue?

You don't want to miss a week of this series! Trust me.

Now for the top five things you need to know this week:

Men's Fish Fry
Guys, it’s time to “MAN UP” and go to the next level in our faith together! We are kicking off our ministry to men with a Fish Fry on Thursday, March 5^th from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM. Cost for the event is $5 at the door. Contact Chris (chris@parkwayvictoria.org) for more information.
Honduras Mission Team Information Meeting
Learn more about Honduras 2009 as we go on mission with God by sharing the love of Christ through serving, building relationships, and through sharing the Gospel. Trip dates are June 23-29, 2009. The next informational meeting is February 22^nd at 9:30 in room 204. Contact Julie (julie@parkwayvictoria.org) for more information.
Building Lives 201
Take your relationship with Christ to the new depths through our Building Lives Seminars. On Sunday, February 22^ndfrom 12:30 PM to 2:30 PM, we will discover how we can develop the habits that lead to spiritual maturity. Lunch and childcare are provided. To let us know that you are attending, contact Chris (chris@parkwayvictoria.org).
My Girl and Mom’s Treasure
“My Girl” and “Mom’s Treasure” are two events on February 13^th designed to help dads connect with their daughters and moms with their boys. “My Girl” will feature dinner and dancing and “Mom’s Treasure” will include dinner and a fun-filled adventure. Tickets are $10/adult and $5/child. Stop by the table in the atrium for tickets.
Online Giving
Online Giving is once again fully functional at www.parkwayvictoria.org. If you would like to continue to or begin giving online, click here and set up your new user account.

Have a great weekend! See you Sunday.

Sunday Recap

2009-02-03T19:41:00.001-05:00

Welcome to the Sunday Recap - Tuesday edition. I was (and still am) under the weather so here we go. Sunday was a really good day. We had some tech issues, but everything else was very good. I even liked the talk this week. Here are some of the highlights:

We wrapped up the More Than Enough Series with a look at Profit Sharing. Check out the video here and yes, I was wearing a pink shirt.
6 people trusted Christ in the main services
6 JH students trusted Christ at Student Impact
30 more women signed up for Girl Talk which is THIS Friday at the Soul Cafe (If you want to go and you didn't sign up, just show up.)

We also had a great day on Saturday as a part of the Outdoor Expo. Parkway had a booth where kids did activities that taught them the 7 days of creation. Our teams did a great job putting all of this together. I am always amazed by Sherry and her team's heart to serve and have fun doing it. They had almost 700 kids come through. I see this as a real seed planting event. Pray that the seeds that were planted at the Outdoor Expo will take root and lead people to a relationship with him.

What People Are Saying

2009-01-28T14:59:00.001-05:00

Today, I am going to share some of the feedback that we received about the church at 101 on Sunday. Remember, we had 21 people join. Some have been here a long time others have only been here a few weeks. There comments told me volumes about what we are doing here and how we are on the right track to build lives that honor God.

If you were there, you would have heard people say:

I can understand and relate to the songs at Parkway.
I feel at home at Parkway.
I can apply the messages to my life. It feels like Mike is talking to me.
Parkway is comfortable.
I looked all over town for a church home and found it when I came to Parkway.
I love how things are never the same or boring around here.

There were more just like these. Let's keep working together to see God continue his amazing work among us!

Sunday Recap

2009-01-26T09:39:00.000-05:00

Yesterday was a full day, a really full day. Here was the rundown:

7:15 AM - Sausage and Jalepeno Kalache and a Cream Cheese Danish (It's my free day!)
7:30 AM - Final Sermon and Media Prep
8:30 AM - Meet with Deacons - love these guys
9:00 AM - Meet with FPU Panel - didn't they do great!
9:30 AM - First Service - good responsive crowd - one person trusted Christ
10:35 AM - First Service Baptism - baptized a father and daugher - how cool!
11:00 AM - Second Service - very energetic crowd - five people trusted Christ
12:05 PM - Second Service Baptism - baptized two people
12:30 PM - Building Lives 101 - 21 people plus kids in attendance
2:30 PM - Crash while watching the Practice on TiVo
5:30 PM - Cook pancakes for family (It's our Sunday night routine.)
10:30 PM - Nite, Nite Time

The highlight of the day for me was 101. Eating lunch and talking about the vision and the direction of our church with 21 people was great. There were people there that had been coming for 2 weeks and for 6 years. Their common point was their love for this church. (I will post more on their thoughts and comments regarding Parkway tomorrow.)

Looking forward to Sunday as we wrap up More than Enough and gear up for Everything You Wanted to Know...But Were Afraid to Ask.

Worship

2009-01-22T12:44:00.002-05:00

Enjoy week two of worship Thursday. If you are struggling today, take heart in the depth of the Father's love today. If you are worried today, never let go of God. If you are doing great today, thank God for the foundation that his love has provided for you.

The Gift of a Bible

2009-01-21T09:48:00.001-05:00

If you ever needed a reason to share your faith or bring someone to church...check out this amazing video.

Via Bil's blog.

You will never believe who...

2009-01-20T13:57:00.003-05:00

You will never believe who showed up to our Inauguration Party.

When I invited him back in the summer, he said he had plans but late this fall, his schedule opened up. :-)

Big Day

2009-01-20T10:34:00.001-05:00

Today is a big day for our country. I guess that goes without saying, though. Having been in Washington for both of W's inaugurations, I amazed by what I am seeing on TV and hearing through friends regarding today's events. Such a different level of expectation. Such a different level of hope. Such a since of history.

What are you going to do to mark this historic moment? We are going to gather as a staff team to watch the swearing in and pray for President Obama and his administration. Want to pray too and need a little direction? Here are some requests from The Presidential Prayer Team.

Worship

2009-01-15T10:08:00.002-05:00

If you are like me, you need a little almost end of the week encouragement so the next weeks, that is exactly what you are going to get. Each Thursday, I am going to post segments of worship services from my friends at Frontline. Enjoy.

If you want to check out more clips from Frontline including teaching segments by Todd Phillips and more worship led by Steph Cuomo, click here.

I have a new favorite football team...

2009-01-13T10:42:00.002-05:00

You read that headline right. I am shifting my allegiances to a new team. Who are they? Who will replace the Boys? It's the Denver Broncos. Why? You ask. It's pretty simple. They took a risk by hiring a young leader to become their next coach. While I know very little about Josh McDaniels what I do know is that he is 32 years old. What a bold move to higher a young coach to lead one of the premier franchises in the NFL! Hopefully it will be a genius move. Only time will tell. The Broncos aren't the only ones in the NFL who are into young leaders. The Browns have a new young coach. The Ravens have a young coach. The Steelers have a young coach. The Raiders had a young coach. If McDaniels is more like Tomlin with the Steelers and less like Kiffin with the Raiders then the trend should continue.

I am passionate about young leaders getting their shot at leadership while they are still young because I have seen the fruit of it in my own life. Every step of the way, someone has taken a shot with me stepping up to serve in places and in ways that the calendar says I probably shouldn't. I did Student Ministry when I was 18. I was played a key role in the launch of Parkway Church at 23. I became the Small Groups Pastor at Mclean Bible Church before I was 30 and I led the church's dream to launch ten Community Campuses at the age of 32. Now, at 36, I am leading Parkway Church to become a growing, thriving, healthy church that takes big risks for God.

The church needs to wake up like the NFL seems to be and continue to give young leaders a chance to lead in significant ways. I think that it is happening. Look at Todd Phillips, Steven Furtick, Bil Cornelius, Perry Noble, and dozens of others. God, through his church, is trusting the next generation to lead.

Sunday Recap

2009-01-12T09:18:00.002-05:00

Wow! What do you say after a day like yesterday? Great crowds. Great spirit. Great move of God. Well, that sums it up. I guess that is what you say after a day like yesterday. My message focused on the state of the church. While it was nothing earth shattering and there were few surprises for those who have been around Parkway for long, there seemed to be a real excitement about what God is calling us to be and do in 2009. People were locked in and listening with their hearts the whole message. Then at the end of the talk, I gave people a chance to trust Christ, like I always do and you will never believe what happened next. During the first service, three people raised their hands. Between the services, I told God that I couldn't believe what just happened and told Him that if that was it for the day, I would be more than OK. But He wasn't done yet. At the invitation in the second service, hands went up all over the auditorium. So many that I couldn't count. I was blown away by this and almost brought to tears and if you know me, you know that is saying something!

It hit me hard because I know how this decision changes a life. The decision to trust Christ is the most important decision that you can make. It also hit be because it was a continued affirmation that GOD is bringing people to us who need to hear about Jesus. He is calling men, women, and children to Parkway every week because He knows that we (to the best of our ability) will be faithful with his message and will be dependant on Him. Let this attitude and let his trust never go away!

On top of this, here are some of the other amazing things that happened yesterday:

Had a solid Group Link event.
Had a gentlemen stop me after the second service and say that he wanted to help launch a group for those struggling with additions.
Had a ton of young adults both married and single in the crowd. We need to get creative on how to reach and connect more young adults. They are here and no one else in town is reaching them like we are.
Had an amazing response both services to the financial update that I gave. I didn't think that the second service was going to let me get through it. They kept interuppting with their applause.
Got a good laugh with the little podium gag. I still don't see the humor in it, but you did so there you go.

Yea God for all of these things and for the things that only He knows about that happened yesterday in the church.

Body for Life Challenge

2009-01-08T10:17:00.004-05:00

For the last couple of weeks, I have been following a pretty intense workout and eating plan - Body for Life. I have been keeping a lid on this in case it didn't take hold in my life. Well, it has. And I have learned a couple of things in the process. First, I need a system to get healthy. If I eat like I want and workout like I want, I stay the same, but if I have a system to follow, things change. Second, it is virtually impossible to keep a lid on something in Victoria. Through our network of friends, word spread of what I was doing and believe it or not others are following my lead on this and taking the Body for Life challenge themselves. I think I should get a cut on all of the protein powder sales and the new gym memberships!

Through all of this, I have also learned another huge lesson. People follow even the smallest parts of my life. A casual mention on my workout plan starts a mini-movement among friends that could revolutionize a life or two including mine. The same is true of you. You have people - friends, coworkers, family members - that are watching the smallest parts of your life and matching their lives up to yours. Does this freak you out like it freaks me out? It should.

Core Values

2009-01-07T09:48:00.001-05:00

Check out my message from Sunday - the Core. I love vision casting. I love talking about the future of the church and where God is taking us. I love Parkway. Sunday was fun.

The Core from Parkway Church on Vimeo.

I love www.youversion.com

2009-01-07T09:44:00.000-05:00

I love www.youversion.com. I got hooked on www.youversion.com as I was looking for a Bible reading plan for this year. I had heard about it before since it was developed by Terry Storch and some other friends at LifeChurch.tv, but I had never given the site a real test drive late last year. A quick Bible search on my phone and then a quick visit on my laptop and I knew that I had my tool that would pull me through the Bible this year.

If you have never been to www.youversion.com, let me tell you a little about it. It is an amazing site where you can read the Bible in a easy to use, eye friendly reader. You can choose your translation. (My fav is NIV. I know that some have moved away from NIV, but I still like it.) Also, on www.youversion.com, you can post your thoughts on passages sort of like an electronic margins in your Bible. I am recording my thoughts as I read through the Bible this year. I will share some of the thoughts online which you can easily keep up with if you follow me online at www.youversion.com. You can access the Bible and the reading plan from your phone as well? Very cool.

If you haven't taken me up on The Bible Challenge for 2009, then make today your day to start. Spend 20 minutes in God's Word everyday this year and do it with hundreds of others from Parkway Church and see how your walk with Christ goes up a notch or two.

What I've Learned...

2009-01-06T07:25:00.001-05:00

My former Pastor, Lon Solomon, was featured in Esquire magazine recently in a section that they call "What I've Learned." They talk to movers and shakers from around the county to get they best advice and life lessons. You can read Lon's here.

Love the article. Classic Lon. It inspired me to think of some of the things that I have learned from Lon:

Integrity in leadership is possible but not always easy.
Never get ahead of Jesus.
God is never early. He is never late. He is right on time.
Speed of the leader....speed of the team.
Prayer works.

Hello 2009!

2009-01-05T09:32:00.001-05:00

We had a solid day yesterday at Parkway. It felt good to get back into life's normal routines with people I love so much. Plus, I got to preach through our Core Values. Yes, I am more than passionate about this church and what it's purpose is in Victoria. And yes, I am blown away by all that God is doing among us. We saw more people go public with their faith yesterday - very cool.

Here are a few things that are still rolling through my mind from yesterday:

The church that is close to Jesus can do anything. The church that is far from Jesus can do nothing.
We need the daily discipline of drawing close to Jesus. For me this year, I am going to use, www.youversion.com, as a tool to help.
I am still looking for people that will take me up on the Bible in a year challenge. Email me to let me know that you are in.
Didn't mean to take a shot at Mr. Osteen...kinda just fell our of my mouth (twice) but I stand behind our value of the Bible directing life-change.
If you aren't connected in a Small Group, you need to get plugged in. GroupLink is on Sunday. Don't miss it.
My little "don't you put me on a pedestal that God never intended" was an on the spot thing during the second service but I am sure glad that God put it those words in my mouth. None of us should be on a pedestal. There is level ground at the cross and God has called all of us just as clearly as he has called me to impact the world.

I love Parkway Church. I love you. I love our mission. I love getting to see lives changed by Christ. Let's take this thing to the next level in 2009.

Facebook

2008-12-18T13:52:00.001-05:00

Just launched into the Facebook world. If you are on Facebook, come and find me so that we can be friends. Isn't that special. :-)

Unity

2008-12-11T11:29:00.002-05:00

Unity in a church is a beautiful thing. Unity shows that we trust each other. Unity shows that we love each other. Unity shows that we are going in the same direction and have the same purpose. Unity shows the watching world that the church of Jesus is different than the very divided world around us.

Why am I so charged about unity today?

It's because I saw an amazing display of unity last night at our Annual Business Meeting. Yes, you read that correctly. Unity was on full display at a business meeting. Here is what we accomplished last night together: 1. We made an amendment to our bylaws. 2. We voted to approve the 2009 budget. 3. We affirmed God's call on Anne and Linda as our church treasurer and church secretary. All of this was done with unanimous votes and a common sense of God's activity among us.

Unity is a beautiful thing.

Family Christmas

2008-12-03T13:09:00.000-05:00

The Hurt family doesn't have a ton of traditions. I like to change things too much to have traditions, but there is one tradition that we hold to that I want to share with you. We do family activities everynight as we prepare for Christmas. We read Scripture, do an activity, and pray togehter each night. Kristi came up with whole thing a few years back. Being the spiritual leader in my home, I know when I should do exactly what she says and this is one of those times. These short times (about 10 minutes), keep us focused on what Christmas is all about.

Click here to check out what we do. Feel free to do it with your family as well. If you are hestitant to get started because you are already behind, get over it. You can merge a couple of the activities and get caught up in no time.

God's Word is SOOOOOOO Right

2008-11-20T11:37:00.000-05:00

I have received more feedback from Sunday's talk than any other that I have given at Parkway. Apparently, the loyalty conflict is one we all have issues with from time to time. It's a good thing that God's Word has the solution mapped out for us when it comes to removing parasites from our relationships. Read this passage and tell me that the Bible isn't relevant to today's world.

Proverbs 5
Warning Against Adultery
1 My son, pay attention to my wisdom,
listen well to my words of insight,
2 that you may maintain discretion
and your lips may preserve knowledge.

3 For the lips of an adulteress drip honey,
and her speech is smoother than oil;

4 but in the end she is bitter as gall,
sharp as a double-edged sword.

5 Her feet go down to death;
her steps lead straight to the grave. [a]

6 She gives no thought to the way of life;
her paths are crooked, but she knows it not.

7 Now then, my sons, listen to me;
do not turn aside from what I say.

8 Keep to a path far from her,
do not go near the door of her house,

9 lest you give your best strength to others
and your years to one who is cruel,

10 lest strangers feast on your wealth
and your toil enrich another man's house.

11 At the end of your life you will groan,
when your flesh and body are spent.

12 You will say, "How I hated discipline!
How my heart spurned correction!

13 I would not obey my teachers
or listen to my instructors.

14 I have come to the brink of utter ruin
in the midst of the whole assembly."

15 Drink water from your own cistern,
running water from your own well.

16 Should your springs overflow in the streets,
your streams of water in the public squares?

17 Let them be yours alone,
never to be shared with strangers.

18 May your fountain be blessed,
and may you rejoice in the wife of your youth.

19 A loving doe, a graceful deer—
may her breasts satisfy you always,
may you ever be captivated by her love.

20 Why be captivated, my son, by an adulteress?
Why embrace the bosom of another man's wife?

21 For a man's ways are in full view of the LORD,
and he examines all his paths.

22 The evil deeds of a wicked man ensnare him;
the cords of his sin hold him fast.

23 He will die for lack of discipline,
led astray by his own great folly.

Sunday Recap

2008-11-17T12:45:00.000-05:00

Wow...what a day. We had our largest crowd in the last 8 months yesterday. November is usually a time that attendance dips as we head toward the holidays, but this year we are growing. Very cool. This growth represents life-change and how God is using our church. I am hearing countless stories about relationships being restored and challenged through this series. We are also seeing people come to Christ each week. This week, we had six people pick up New Believer Packets with more people raising their hand in the service. God is ambushing people all over the place right now at Parkway.

Here are some of my quick thoughts on the day:

We had 84 kids at Student Impact on Sunday. Couldn't be prouder of Becky and the team. This is just the beginning of what God will do with and through our students.

Loved ending the service with a country song. It was a needed change of pace after a very challenging talk.

Dave, Steve and the worship teams are doing a great job. We are getting closer to the worship environment that I am praying for and dreaming about.

The feel in the atrium is electric before and after the services. The vibe in the building is one of love and excitement. It is drawing people in and pushing them closer to Christ.

The How to Study the Bible class is finishing strong. Looks like we struck a chord with this one.

Dare to Care

2008-11-10T16:34:00.000-05:00

Dare to Care from Parkway Church on Vimeo.

Really Smart Guys

2008-11-04T06:25:00.000-05:00

Throughout the Love Dare series, I am going to post some great content from a couple of relational experts that I love. Who are they? Well, they are John Townsend and Henry Cloud. I met Henry a few years back when he was the speaker at our Small Groups Conference at MBC. He is an amazing guy. He is scary smart and yet down to earth. I could really relate to him except for being scary smart. His partner in ministry, John Townsend, over the years has played a significant role in some of my friends lives. Check out these quick videos:

Is it a problem if one person in a marriage is a brand new Christian and the other has walked with the Lord their whole life?

Do you think men are more interested in women who are inaccessible? If so, should I try to play hard to get?

I'm dating someone who doesn't like to deal with any conflict. When a disagreement arises or something happens that results in hurt feelings, he doesn't want to talk about it at all and he shuts down. What do I do?

The two secret weapons for any argument.

Thoughts from Sunday

2008-11-03T11:09:00.001-05:00

Wow...what a day. Yesterday, was another strong day at Parkway Church. We kicked off the "Love Dare" series. Through this series, we are going to look at how we can take our relationships to the next level. Each week, I will throw down a love dare and walk through how we can live it out. Yesterday, my double dog dare was "Dare to Fight." Most couples don't need to be dared to fight. They do that just fine on their own, so let me clarify it. I dared couples to fight for the relationship that they are in. Don't get beat up by conflict, but grow through it. It was a good talk even if I do say so myself.

Yesterday was also week one in our worship experiment as we tweaked the first service a bit. It was very cool. It's amazing how a little change can go a long way. We are going to make a few more changes based on this week's learnings.

On top of all of this, we had 13 people pick up new believer packs! 11 of those at the first service. Amazing.

Thoughts from Sunday

2008-10-27T12:12:00.001-04:00

We had another great weekend at Parkway Church. The highlight of the services for me was my interview with Kim Woodhouse. She told her family's story and how God as used Extreme Makeover Home Edition to change their lives and give her a platform to share Christ. If you missed it, you will definitely want to check out the video which should be up later today. Yesterday, we also baptized a ton of folks at the Patio Party. It is so cool to see people go public with their faith through baptism. We should have a ton more baptisms soon with all of the adults that are accepting Christ in our services. This weekend, seven more people prayed to trust Christ.

Next week, we launch The Love Dare series. Looking forward to that one. I am also very interested to see what happens with our worship experiment in November. If you missed the news, we are going to tweak the worship style a bit during the first service for the month of November. We will do the exact same songs during both services, but the first service will be more acoustic driven with a little less volume which I am hoping will create a very intimate worship experience. Spread the word.

My Son, The Star

2008-10-23T20:45:00.002-04:00

On Sunday, I interviewed Nick as a part of our Generations series at Parkway. He stole the show - at least that is what everyone told me. I will let you be the judge.

The Next Generation from Parkway Church on Vimeo.

Who is Jesus?

2008-10-23T07:37:00.000-04:00

My friends at Frontline are launching into a new series on who Jesus is. Check out the video that they created by talking to young adults from around DC.

When you talk to people about Jesus, who do they say that he is?

Willow Stuff

2008-10-22T14:57:00.002-04:00

As promised...ENJOY!

What If?

2008-10-22T14:38:00.002-04:00

I spent the last couple of days in Nashville with a group of leaders at LifeWay. It was a cool event. Here is what went down: research results were presented on what it takes to reach boomers and young adults. Then after the data guys were done, a couple of us shared how it works in our church. I spoke on how we reached young adults and MBC and Frontline. I had a blast retelling the FL story and sharing what God taught me while leading at that amazing church.

Wish you were there? Then, check out my PowerPoint here.

The Prayer Dare Continues

2008-10-21T11:06:00.003-04:00

The Prayer Dare continues....pray along here: www.parkwayblog.org.

A Man of His Word

2008-10-20T09:05:00.003-04:00

Willow friends...I have hit a time crunch when it comes to posting all of the promised resources. I am not going to leave you completely hanging, though. Today, for your leadership pleasure, I am posting the PowerPoint that I used in my breakouts. The rest of the resources will be posted on Wednesday. If you would like the original PP file, email mike at parkwayvictoria.org.

Equipping Leaders PowerPoint

Coaching Models PowerPoint

In the Air Again

2008-10-20T08:42:00.003-04:00

This morning, I rolled out of bed at 5:15 to make a 6:20 flight to Nashville. If you aren't from Victoria, you are thinking how in the world did you make a flight on this timetable? Well, one of the benefits of life in Victoria is very quick access to the airport. Free parking at the airport and you don't have to show up two hours before your flight. In fact, if you do show up that early, you will be the first one at the airport.

Today, I am going to do a quick conference with LifeWay. I am very excited about this one. They are presenting the results from research that they have been doing for the past couple of years about what it takes to reach different generations. The format is cool. After the research is presented, they will have people like me share their real world experience that either confirms or flies in the face of the research. I will be sharing on how we reached young adults at McLean Bible Church and Frontline.

My trip is shorter than originally planned so that I can be back in Victoria to care for the York family. Pray for my energy. Pray for my travel. Pray for my ability to communicate clearly. Pray for the York family as they grieve the loss of Jesse.

It feels like my last two weeks have been spent on planes. Thankfully, this is my last trip until January.

Home from Willow

2008-10-18T19:10:00.002-04:00

Late last night we got back from Willow. It was a community packed two days in Chicago. I will post more on my takeaways later, but I wanted to make sure my new friends from my breakouts will know that I am man who keeps his promises. If you are visiting Connect the Dots to find all of the free resources that I promised, check back on Monday and you can download to your heart's desire.

If you can't wait until then and you need to get your leadership fix, visit our group life resources section of www.parkwayvictoria.org and check out the podcasts that I did with Threads Media.

Willow and Prayer Dare 18

2008-10-16T13:08:00.000-04:00

Today, I want for you to pray for everyone who is connected to a Small Group, a Bible Study, or another form of community connection through a church in and around Victoria. Jesus says that our love for each other will show that we are his disciples so we need to pray for the loving relationships that are formed in community. We also need to pray that as relationships deepen spiritual growth happens. Pray that the community found in churches will cause people to follow Jesus more and more on a daily basis. Pray that these groups would meet one another's needs and enjoy doing life together.

You may be thinking, what about all of the people who aren't connected. Shouldn't we be praying for them too? Yep...that comes tomorrow.

35By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another. John 13:35

You can also pray for me and for Kim. We are at the Small Groups Conference at Willow today and tomorrow. After a day full of travel challenges, we finally made it to our rooms by 2:00 AM! As I went to sleep, I prayed that the Lord would multiply the four hours of sleep that I was about to enjoy. So far so good, I just led as a part of a very engaging coaching forum with a couple of other guys who really know what they are doing. I must sleep tonight. Tomorrow, I am teaching for 4.5 hours. As a general rule, I need to sleep as much as I am teaching the next day. :-)

Off to Willow

2008-10-14T20:08:00.004-04:00

Tomorrow, I jump on a plane to speak at the Willow Creek Small Groups Conference on Thursday and Friday. I just came across this promo video and got really excited about the trip. Looking forward to equip leaders and connect with friends from around the country.

Quoting Tony Morgan Quoting Jim Collins

2008-10-09T12:59:00.002-04:00

Tony has a great post on Collins' talk at Catalyst. Here are my favorite quotes from Tony Morgan:

"It make take 30 years to build a reputation. Never forget it only takes 30 seconds to destroy it."

"Most overnight success stories are about 20 years in the making."

"Good is the enemy of great."

"Good to Great has sold over 3 million copies. (My books haven't sold that well.)" Neither have mine.

"What was the signature characteristic of these (Level 5) leaders? Humility."

Man, I wish I was a Catalyst.

Can You Relate?

2008-10-07T12:23:00.002-04:00

Yesterday, I came across this blog posting from Tim Ferriss. In it, he talks about the emotional phases that entrepreneurs face:

* Stage 1: The first stage of the concept is called “Uninformed Optimism”. At this stage on a roller coaster, just getting to the top of the roller coaster, you experience feelings of an adrenalin rush, characterized by excitement and nervous energy.
* Stage 2: The second stage is called “Informed Pessimism”. As you ride over the top of the curve you now have a bit more information. Feelings of fear, nervousness, and frustration begin to set in. Perhaps you even want to get off of it.

* Stage 3 – The third stage is called “Crisis of Meaning”. You’re past scared. You feel despair. It’s as if you’re standing on the edge of a cliff ready to jump, and you begin to think “Today the roller coaster’s going off the bottom of the track for the very first time.” You feel helpless and you’re both terrified and frozen.

* At this point, you face a critical juncture. You can come off the bottom of the curve and crash and burn, which is when your business goes bankrupt, you lose your marriage, you start drinking, or you end up in a doctor’s office because of stress. Or you can come around the corner because you’re getting support at “Crisis of Meaning” and you can enter an upward swing call “Informed Optimism”.

* Stage 4 – Informed Optimism. You’re calm. You’re informed. You might even say you are cautiously optimistic.

I don't think that these emotional phases are limited to entrepreneurs. I think pastors who are leading through significant change experience this. I think that church planters experience this. I know that I can relate. I love his advice of what to do and what not to do in each phase.

Prayer Dare | Day Eight

2008-10-06T16:59:00.000-04:00

Today, I had the privilege of praying at an event to remember those who have been impacted by domestic violence. As a part of this event, two things hit me. First, the sheriff said that the majority of their calls are related to domestic violence. Second, the names of those lost to domestic violence in the last year were read. This reading hit me like a mac truck. With this in mind, I am calling us to pray for families that are experiencing the pain and destruction brought by domestic violence. Pray for the ones being abused. Pray that they have the courage to get help and get to safety. Pray for the abuser. Pray that God would change their hearts and convict them of their sins. Pray that peace would become the new rule in homes.

Prayer Dare | Day Six

2008-10-04T08:22:00.000-04:00

Today, we need to pray for the families of Victoria. Saturdays used to be filled with cartoons and projects around the house. Now, they are filled with soccer games, football games, and everthing else that life throws our way. So today, pray for the pace of life that families are living. Pray that their pace doesn't keep them from loving and honoring each other.

New Website

2008-10-03T17:13:00.002-04:00

Take a look at the new Parkway Church website. It launched on Wednesday. We are pretty fired up about it.

Prayer Dare | Day Five

2008-10-03T17:12:00.000-04:00

Today, we are going to pray for all of the wives in and around Victoria. Pray that they can love their husbands when it is easy and when it is hard. Pray that they can communicate clearly with their husband. Pray that they can follow his leadership. Pray that they can set a Godly example for their husband if he doesn't know Christ.

Wives, in the same way be submissive to your husbands so that, if any of them do not believe the word, they may be won over without words by the behavior of their wives, 1 Peter 3:1

Prayer Dare | Day Four

2008-10-02T12:59:00.000-04:00

Today, I want for you to pray for all of the husbands that are in and around Victoria. Pray that they can love their wives as God has called them to love their wives. Pray that they can lead their families as they should. Pray that they can have the right priorities. Pray that can be the men that God has designed them to be.

¹⁹Husbands, love your wives and do not be harsh with them. Colossians 3:19

Prayer Dare | Day 4

2008-10-02T12:16:00.000-04:00

19Husbands, love your wives and do not be harsh with them. Colossians 3:19

Prayer Dare | Day 3

2008-10-01T16:13:00.001-04:00

Today, I want for you to pray for the relationships that you are in. If you are married, pray for your spouse. If you aren't married, pray for your family. Pray that God's love would be expressed in your relationships and that you could be an encouragement to those with whom you are in relationship.

12No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us. 1 John 4:12

Prayer Dare | Day Three

2008-10-01T12:58:00.000-04:00

¹²No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us. 1 John 4:12

Prayer Dare | Day 2

2008-09-30T14:22:00.005-04:00

Today, I ask you to pray that love and respect could be known in our relationships. According to Scripture, it takes both for our relationships to be what God wants them to be. Pray that husbands would know how to love their wife and that wives would know how to respect their husband.

22Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord. 23For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. 24Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything. 25Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her 26to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, 27and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. 28In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. 29After all, no one ever hated his own body, but he feeds and cares for it, just as Christ does the church— 30for we are members of his body. 31"For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh." 32This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church. 33However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.

For more on this love and respect idea, click here.

The Prayer Dare | Day 1

2008-09-29T10:28:00.002-04:00

Yesterday in the services, I challenged Parkway Church to join my in a 40 Day Prayer Dare for the relationships in our town. As a church, we will be praying for the marriages, families, dating relationships, work relationships, and friendships. We will be lifting up these relationships because we know two things:

1. We know that relationships make life rich. We need each other if we are going to get the most out of life.

2. Relationships pull people toward Jesus. We need to pray for those that are struggling in their relationships so that these struggles may pull them toward Jesus - the only solution to their relational problem.

So, will you join me in the Prayer Dare?

If so, today, pray for the families in our community who are on the brink of divorce. Ask God to give them hope in their relationship. Ask Him to pull people toward Jesus as they work through these relational difficulties. Ask God to give them a desire to not give up on the relationship.

Things I Wish I Said...

2008-09-29T10:17:00.002-04:00

Yesterday was a strong day at Parkway Church. I felt really good about the whole day. Probably the most exciting thing was seeing people in the atrium making the ask and starting new mentoring relationships. Now that I think about it, these weren't the most exciting moments of the day. The most exciting moments where when 4 people (2 in each service) raised their hand to let me know that they had trusted Christ. It is amazing to see God call people to trust him every week at the end of the services. We also had a ton of new people and registrations for 101.

Now on to the things I wish that I said:

1. Paul and Timothy get most of the pub for mentoring relationships in the church but there are many other role models that we should look to in addition to them. Think Jethro/Moses, Jonathan/David, and probably my favorite Barnabas/Paul.

2. Mentoring relationships don't have to consume all of our time. Sure it's about being together but it's more about intentionality in these relationships. We are doing life together on purpose.

3. You can find these relationships everywhere. The first place that I would look is in my small group since you are already connecting regularly. Now you take a relationship from that group to the next level.

4. Mentors can be up close and personal. They can also be found through reading and listening. Next week, I will share with you who some of my major role models have been over the years.

5. You can be in too many relationships. Find a way to focus your relationships so that intentionality is possible.

That's it for now. Have a great week.

Mike's Top 5

2008-09-25T13:15:00.000-04:00

I can’t wait until Sunday when we kick off the new series entitled Generations. Through this series, we will look at what God’s word says to each generation and how we can bridge the gap so that we are all doing life together. If the response to the vision messages is any indication, this series is going to be strong. Can’t wait to see what God does. Today, I want to give you a quick update on the Top 5 things that you need to know about at the church:

Building Lives 101: Discovering Parkway Church will be held on Sunday, October 5 from 12:30 to 2:30. Here, you will discover what it takes to have a relationship with Jesus plus we will look at what it means to be a member of Parkway Church. If you aren’t a member, I encourage you to join me for 101 this month. Email Chris to sign-up.
The Connections Conference will be held on Saturday, October 11. If you are leading or serving on a team, you need to be there. Come be equipped and encouraged. Email Javonna to sign-up.
On Wednesday, October 8, we will have our first Wednesday Worship of the fall. At Wednesday Worship, we experience and extended time of worship and we celebrate communion. Following Wednesday Worship on the 8^th, we will hold a quarterly Business Meeting.
This weekend Fireproof hits the theaters. Join us at the 7 PM show on Friday. Get your tickets early! Also, mark your calendar for the Fireproof Marriage Conference on Saturday, November 1. Much more information to follow on this one.
Get ready for our Patio Party on Sunday, October 26 following the 2^nd service. If you want to help grill the burgers and dogs, email Chris and let her know.

Proud

2008-09-23T10:45:00.001-04:00

Over the weekend, I got word that McLean Bible Church (where I served in DC) experienced the fourth largest numerical gain in the United States last year. How cool is that! While numbers aren't the only thing we should look at when it comes to church health, numbers do matter. Numbers matter because they are evidence of God's activity. Numbers matter because it shows the church's commitment to reach their city. Number matter because they encourage the church to press on through challenging times. (Just so you know, every season of growth brings with it its own set of challenges.) Here is the list:

Top 10 Greatest Numerical Gain

Among Fastest-Growing Churches

New Hope Christian Fellowship, Honolulu, Hawaii +4,500

The Rock Church, San Diego, Calif. +3,778

Church of the Highlands, Birmingham, Ala. +3,418

McLean Bible Church, McLean, Va. +3,399

Fellowship NorthWest Arkansas, Rogers, Ark. +3,000

North Point Community Church, Alpharetta, Ga. +2,975

Harvest Bible Chapel, Rolling Meadows, Ill. +2,688

Community Bible Church, San Antonio, Texas +2,633

Flatirons Community Church, Lafayette, Colo. +2,6001

Destiny Metropolitan Worship Church, Atlanta, Ga. +2.500

Some of you may be wondering, how did MBC grow that much in a year? Well, within the reporting period, the Internet Campus launched and the Loudoun Campus launched. At the same time, the new campus in Arlington held strong and the empty seats at the Tysons Campus created by the Loudoun Campus were filled.

I am so proud of the MBC team. I love what I am doing now, but I do miss them and all that we got to do together. I am grateful to the Lord for honoring Lon's leadership and the elder's leadership as they stepped out with the bold vision to launch 10 campuses in 10 years. In February, they will launch their 6th campus. Look out Prince William MBC is on the way!

Internal IPOD

2008-09-18T06:23:00.000-04:00

Yet another song that I can't get out of my head. Enjoy.

2008-09-17T16:14:00.003-04:00

I am writing to give you a heads up on a great date night opportunity coming up on Friday, September 26th. I want you to join me and Kristi and Bard and Mollie at this life changing movie. We will be at the 7:00 PM show. A couple of weeks ago, we got a sneak peak of the film. It will challenge everyone who sees it to live a life of love, integrity and faith. The Gospel message is clear through the film so it also provides a great opportunity to share your faith with others. I am going to purchase my tickets early so that Kristi and I have a seat. I encourage you to do the same. You can purchase tickets by clicking the link below.

http://www.cinemark.com/theater_showtimes.asp?theater_id=312&show_date=9/26/2008

Things I Wish I Said (Hurricane Edition)...

2008-09-15T10:53:00.002-04:00

Yesterday was an amazing day. On Wednesday, we ditched our original plan for Sunday due to the fact that it looked like Ike was heading our way. When the storm turned toward Houston, we didn't change our plans because we had so many people who left Victoria for higher ground. I wanted to save my vision talk and the worship service for a weekend when Victoria didn't resemble a ghost town. I sure am glad that I we went with this decision. God ambushed us during both services. The first service was amazing. In the midst of a street flooding storm, hundreds of people showed up to worship, serve, and care for others. As I was talking about the "storms" of life and the difference a little bit of faith makes, we could hear the storm and we could feel the storm. As water came in the building, we could even see the effects of the storm as we worshiped. The worship set was very engaging and then I looked at the 5 times in the New Testament that the phrase "O Ye of Little Faith" was used. (Funny how I drop into King James' English on that phrase.) Then I gave an invitation. During the invitation at the first service, four people gave their lives to Christ. From my perspective, this would be the absolute least likely time for someone who doesn't know Christ to be a church and yet FOUR people prayed with me to trust Christ. Amazing.

Now on to things that I wish I had said:

1. Thanks to all of those who stepped up to serve yesterday. We had a ton of people who weren't scheduled to serve but stepped up. Thanks to all who asked, "What can I do?"

2. If you are in the middle of a storm, you don't see that help is on the way. Think about all of the people in Houston and Galveston who don't have power. They don't know all that others are doing around them for their benefit.

3. Everyone in attendance gets a free car. I meant to use this joke but forgot. Our friends from Port Lavaca used our land as their evacuation lot.

4. We didn't evacuation and neither did our neighbors. They said that as long as the preacher was staying put so were they. Funny how our actions effect others.

5. It was great to have evacuees worship with us yesterday. I was so proud of Julie for stopping by hotels and inviting people to come to Parkway.

I think that is it for now.

Quote of the Day

2008-09-11T20:23:00.002-04:00

While eating dinner and talking about Ike, Nick was a little concerned that your house would be blown away like the houses in Cuba. I told him that he didn't have to worry about anything like that happening here. Now comes the fun...he asked if Cuba was a part of the United States. We said no. He said, "Well, if John McCain becomes President he will take Cuba." Why is that Nick? "He is going to lower gas prices so we will need somewhere to go!"

My Internal IPOD

2008-09-11T11:16:00.003-04:00

Yesterday, as we were preparing for IKE, I couldn't get this song out of my mind. Whatever your storm may be, I hope it encourages you like it did me.

Mike Don't Like Ike

2008-09-10T14:19:00.002-04:00

Okay so I know my grammar is bad, but this is how I feel today. It looks like we are in the cross hairs of the storm so it should be an interesting weekend to say the least. Because of the storm, we have made some changes to the church calendar for this week:

We are canceling Wednesday Worship and WOW for tonight.
The Connections conference on Saturday is canceled and will be rescheduled for a later date.
All events on Sunday except for the services (9:30 and 11:00) are canceled except for All Stars Children and Preschool Ministry.

Please join me in praying for those affected by the storm and for the church’s response to those in need. If you are available to help others prepare for the storm on Wednesday or Thursday, please call the church office and talk with Julie.

Pass the word.

Mike's Top Five

2008-09-03T09:40:00.005-04:00

Later today, an email will hit the inboxes of the Parkway family that I wanted to give you a heads up on. It includes this video:

Parkway's Vision and Mission from Mike Hurt on Vimeo.

I hope that you can make it on Sunday if you are reading this in the Victoria area. Now, here are the top 5 things that you need to know about at Parkway Church:

On September 7 and 14, I am going to be focusing on the vision and mission of our church. Trust me. You don’t want to miss these talks.
On September 7, we have a GroupLink event for those who are looking to connect to a Small Group. If you aren’t in a group, contact Javonna for more information on GroupLink.
On September 10, we will gather at 6:30 for the fall’s first Wednesday Worship. Join us for a time of engaging worship and communion.
On September 10, WOW kicks off for children and Small Groups begin for students.
On September 13, Parkway is hosting the Connections Conference for Small Group Leaders and Ministry Team Leaders. If you lead or serve on a team, this event is for you. Contact Javonna to let her know that you are coming.

Family Time

2008-09-02T10:34:00.002-04:00

Over the weekend, we had some big time family time. Lots of time together. Lots of time in the pool. Lots of time with forks and spoons in hand. It was a good weeekend. My aunt took this picture of me and Kristi. One question: how is it possible that my wife gets more beautiful with every year?

Life Boundaries

2008-09-02T06:44:00.001-04:00

3 This is how we are sure that we have come to know Him: by keeping His commands. 4 The one who says, "I have come to know Him," without keeping His commands, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. 5 But whoever keeps His word, truly in him the love of God is perfected. This is how we know we are in Him: 6 the one who says he remains in Him should walk just as He walked. 1 John 2:3-6

Obedience is difficult no matter your age. The root of obedience is knowing which boundaries you aren’t willing to test. Where is it that you won’t go, no matter what happens? Those are the boundary lives of your life that are formed by your convictions. If you are like the rest of us, there are seasons in your life where you do everything you can to push the limits and test the boundaries. Think about when you learned to walk, when you got your car, when you went to college, and when you turned 21. These were all times that you pushed the limits to see where your freedom would take you.

As you read, 1 John 2:3-6, I want you to see how your walk with Christ affects your desire and my desire to push the limits and test the boundaries. In this passage, we see that once we know Jesus he is the one that sets our boundaries through his commands. No longer do we push to see what we can handle or simply what we enjoy. Instead we look to His Word to find our limits. The passage goes one to say that if we truly love him then we need to be especially sensitive to the portions of our lives where we sin by going beyond the limits set by his commands. We can’t live outside his “obedience box” and say that we are good with Him. Lastly, we are reminded that when we live within the boundaries of his commands then his love is made complete in us. We get to show our love for him by denying ourselves and living the obedient life and we get to experience his love by understanding how even his commands provide what is best for us.

Think through where you are right now. Is there something that you need to take action on so that you can live a more consistently obedient life? Are there boundaries that you are testing right now that you need to back away from?

Pray for New Orleans

2008-08-31T07:22:00.002-04:00

We need to be praying for the people of the Gulf Coast as Gustav comes on shore. This may seem obvious, but I just wanted to give a quick reminder. Our love for people and our love for the Lord should change the way that we watch the news and read the paper. One of those changes is that apathy or sympathy turns to prayer.

D-Town

2008-08-30T07:51:00.002-04:00

Yesterday after the kids got out of school, we jumped in the van and made the 6 hour drive to Dallas. All in all, it wasn't a bad drive. Plenty of movies, games, talk radio, and a little sleep for everyone except for me. On the way, we stopped at a little town called Luling. Luling should be a role model for small town commerce development or at least image development. The streets of Luling are lined with garden centers, farmer's markets and other home grown delicacies. All of these places give you a reason to stop in Luling. We stopped at the main farmer's market and picked up a fresh watermelon for today's family reunion. After we left the fruit's and veggie stand, we caught a glimpse of Luling BBQ. We ate like Texans. At this hole-in-the-wall place, we got some of the best brisket and ribs that I can remember. I think I am going to start to look for excuses to drive through Luling now that I know this place exists!

Today, most of my family is going to gather at my brother's house. It should be fun to see everyone and for them to get to know Nick, Leah, and Bekah.

It's Official

2008-08-28T10:11:00.006-04:00

It's official. Exercising isn't as fun as watching TV. If I have the choice, I will choose TV over a treadmill. Gyms caught on and have TV's hanging over treadmills, but somehow exercising while watching TV takes the fun out of watching TV, too.

So, why am I writing this today?

Well, we joined the HealthPlex that is less than a mile from our house and today was my first day back in the gym. I am committed to making exercise a regular part of my life. My goal right now is 4 times a week. Long term, I would like to see that bump up to 5 or 6 times a week. For this to happen, it needs to become fun for me. So, I need your help. If you are a person who actually enjoys working out, how do you make it fun. What keeps you going? What's your secret?

First Day of School Pic

2008-08-28T05:57:00.000-04:00

As promised, here is a pic from the first day of school. Major props to the coolest mom in the world and her school bus cake creation.

Generation to Generation

2008-08-27T06:32:00.000-04:00

I read the text below on Tony Morgan's blog. Even though I have never met him, I have a ton of respect for Tony's ministry and influence through his blog. What he wrote here really resonates with me. Older generations must be willing to be uncomfortable so that future generations can be reached. Some read this from me and from Tony and say that this will never happen. Well, I disagree. It will happen and does happen when we see God reaching people. We will give up our preference for his presence and activity all day long.

Last Sunday at our Greenville campus, we had
an older couple, probably in their sixties, accept Christ. That’s worth
celebrating. I love to watch life change happen. Here’s what’s amazing about
stories like that. Our services in Greenville aren’t designed for people in
their sixties. Our services are designed for a much younger audience. It’s an
audience that loves loud music. They are comfortable with video teaching,
because video is already a huge part of their lives. They love the coffeehouse
atmosphere. Here’s what we’ve learned. If we design our service experiences for
a younger audience, we’re more likely to reach that younger person and we’ll
also reach older folks. The reverse is not true. If we designed our service
experience for an older audience, the younger crowd would not show up. Now,
here’s the reality. Most churches in America are designed for an older audience.
In fact, the more-seasoned folks in those churches are sitting on committees
telling the students and young adults how they can and can’t do ministry. The
result? Younger people
are leaving churches in droves. Here’s what I know to be true. If the church
is going to continue to reach the next generations: I have to be willing to give
leadership to people younger than me…and let them make mistakes. I have to be
willing to let younger folks lead me in worship…even when it’s not my favorite
style of music. I need to embrace new methods of ministry…even though it makes
me uncomfortable. I need to pray and encourage and finance the next generation
church…and stop trying to make church a place that I like to attend. It’s not
about me. It’s about the people who desperately need to know the hope, love and
forgiveness found only in Jesus Christ. For the ministry of the local church to
remain effective, I need to get comfortable with being uncomfortable.

Cheap Community

2008-08-26T10:48:00.005-04:00

In October, I am going to make my annual trek to the Willow Group Life Conference. I love this event. I love getting to connect with group life pioneers and leaders. I love seeing the church do its best to have everyone connected to community. If you want to join me at the conference, I'd love to spend some time hanging out at Dr. B's - that's their version of Starbucks for all of you Willow rookies.

Now, let me help you save a few bucks. When you register, use the priority code ADV818 when when you register and you will receive the WCA member rate of $245 or the non-member rate of $295. This code will expire on On September 10th and at that time the rate goes up to $325 and $385. So as you can see, this is a significant price break.

Right now, you may be wondering, "Does Hurt get some sort of a kickback on this?" Nope. Just the privilege of seeing life-change happen in community.

Empty Nest

2008-08-25T09:58:00.001-04:00

Today, we took our youngest to kindergarten so we are officially empty nesters. Yep, from 7:30 to 3 on Monday through Friday, all of our chicks are gone. I have to admit that it was a strange feeling leaving Bekah at school. I jokingly told Kristi that I wanted us to rethink our view on homeschooling. I know the kids will have a great day. Kristi did an amazing job getting them ready for this. I am just not sure that I am ready for this...

(For all of our friends that will demand pics. I will post later today or first thing tomorrow. They are precious.)

Smartest Guy in the Room

2008-08-22T09:06:00.003-04:00

I am at an event in Austin today. It is sponsored by Threads. I am here to learn and to help the others "process" what they are learning. I get to hang out and talk about Biblical Community with some really curious leaders. Yesterday, we heard from Ed Stetzer. Ed, while we didn't crown him this, was offically the smartest person in the room. He shared research on how young adults who don't attend church think. Scientific analysis of research at a gathering of church leaders. It was amazing. He asked that we not share the specifics as it will be released officially at Catalyst, but let me just say that we should look at the next generation with hope - not despair.

Breaking News

2008-08-20T14:46:00.001-04:00

Are you sitting down? You better be. I have huge news. This week, we posted not only the audio to my talk from Sunday but the video also. Did that news knock your socks off or what? Okay...maybe compared to the other big news of the week, this isn't too big a deal, but if you think about it for a moment, online video has huge possibilities.

If you have been inviting a friend to church, they can get a taste by watching the message online.
If you miss church, you can stay connected to the message and know what color shirt I was wearing by watching the message.
If God did something amazing in you during the talk and you want to experience it again, now you can look and see again what God did.

Go Public

2008-08-20T07:36:00.000-04:00

On Monday, I found this on Swerve (Lifechurch.tv's blog).

1. Someone may be at church only once.
2. The Holy Spirit may have been working on them for months or years.
3. Even some churched people don’t understand the gospel.
4. Many trust in the church for salvation instead of trusting Christ.
5. Seeing others saved gives believers another reason to worship and motivation to
witness.
6. New Christians can “light a church on fire.”
7. Angels in heaven get to party when one person meets Christ.
8. Hell is a real place.
9. You care deeply about people.
10. Families, workplaces, neighborhoods, cities, and generations could be different
when one person meets Christ.

Good stuff. I want to add a couple of my own thoughts. One of the things that I have heard over and over again since returning to Parkway is that people appreciate the invitation that we offer to accept Christ at the end of every service. I guess they want to know that if they bring a friend he/she will know clearly what Jesus has done for them. They also want to be a part of church that is changing lives. Seeing people give their lives to Christ encourages us all. One of the things you need to know is that every week that I have asked people to give their lives to Jesus, someone has responded. On Sunday, we had two people during the second service go public with their faith. This is what it is all about. This is why we do what we do!

Wild Goose Chase

2008-08-19T06:54:00.001-04:00

Today, Mark Batterson's next book, Wild Goose Chase, hits the shelves. Mark and I got to know each other through our time in DC and through our common partnership with Threads Media. Through all of my interactions with Mark over the years, he has proven himself to be the real deal. I am excited about how God is using him both in DC and around the world.

Enjoy this quote from the opening paragraph of the book:

The Celtic Christians had a name for the Holy Spirit that has always
intrigued me. They called him An Geadh-Glas or the Wild Goose. I love the
imagery and implications. The name hints at the mysterious nature of the Holy
Spirit. Much like a wild goose, the Spirit of God cannot be tracked or tamed. An
element of danger and air of unpredictability surround Him. And while the name
may sound a little sacrilegious at first earshot, I cannot think of a better
description of what it's like to live a Spirit-led life than Wild Goose Chase. I
think the Celtic Christians were on to something that institutionalized
Christianity has missed out on. And I wonder if we have clipped the wings of the
Wild Goose and settled for something less-much less-than God originally intended
for us.

Things I Wish I Said...

2008-08-18T10:00:00.003-04:00

Yesterday's talk was a tough one to deliver, but I think it was needed. We all need the reminder that we grow through the commitments that we make to God. We are never ready for the next step that God is calling us to, but God still calls and he prepares us along the way. You get the idea. Now for things I wish I had said:

It would have been very cool to be a part of the group walking along with Jesus in Luke 9. I would have loved to see the look in his eyes has he called men to follow him.
Once we understand that we "grow through commitments not to commitments," then we can stop worrying about us and start moving along with Jesus.
If you are walking with Jesus, he is going to take you places that you never imagined.
The church has too many "excepts" some times.
No regrets means no looking back.
Giving isn't just an act of obedience. It is an act of worship.
God doesn't need our money, but he deserves our worship.
Can you imagine what the people of God could do for the kingdom of God if they were debt free?!?
Some of you need to step up and join Parkway church. The time is now.
Keeping priorities in line takes focus and energy. If we don't pay attention, we will never build the lives that God wants for us.

I'm sorry maam, but we aren't taking customers.

2008-08-12T07:01:00.000-04:00

That is what my wife heard yesterday and you won't believe where. It wasn't a doctor's office for the kids. It's wasn't a stylist for her hair. It wasn't a mechanic for the cars. So where was it? It was a dry cleaners. You read that correctly. A dry cleaner in town isn't accepting new business. It's not a fancy boutique specialty cleaner. It's just a dry cleaner. You take your dirty stuff and you get clean stuff but they won't take my dirty stuff! What's up with that?

This frustrates me to the core for a couple of reasons. The first is obvious. I need clean clothes. The second reason has a little more depth to it. Here it is: why is it that there isn't the same demand for church as their is for dry cleaning? I'm going to have to chew on this one for a while.

Things I Wish I Said...

2008-08-11T11:33:00.004-04:00

Sunday was another strong day at Parkway Church. I had so much fun telling my story and how God brought us back to Victoria. If you want to listen click "God Has a Plan" here. I hope that you were all encouraged to find your part in God's plan as you heard my story. Now, on to things that I wish I said:

1. Thanks to everyone who helped us move in on Saturday. We could not have done it without you.

2. Movie night was great. Good friends. Good movie. Looking forward to the next one...

3. God's will is an on-going pursuit - not a onetime event.

4. If you want to study more on this, you can pick up my book "Connect the Dots" at our bookstore. Can't believe that I forgot to say this in the talk. I forgot my own book!

5. I couldn't be more pumped about the move that we announced with Becky and Sherry and their new ministries. At the same time, I am so thankful for all that Courtney did in her ministry. Pray for Becky and our Student Ministry. Pray for Sherry and our Preschool and Children's Ministry. Oh yeah...when you are done praying. Step up to serve.

I am a crybaby.

2008-08-08T06:27:00.002-04:00

Okay...maybe not like when I was a kid, but this video, grabbed my heart and nearly made my eyes leak. I pray that if I ever face a tragedy like the Chapman family has faced this summer that I will respond with the faith and hope that they have.

One Day Away!

2008-08-07T09:23:00.002-04:00

The most anticipated event of the year is just one day away. All of the preperation and planning will be on full display at 8:00 PM on 08.08.08. People from all over will gather to see the spectacle that is - Family Movie Night on the grounds at Parkway Church. TiVo the Olympics. Grab your friends, your ice chest, your chairs/blankets, and come enjoy and evening with your Parkway family. The Veggie Tale short will start promptly at 8:00 PM with the feature Monsters, Inc. to follow.

See you Friday.

Staff Chapel

2008-08-06T11:29:00.005-04:00

On Wednesdays, we have staff chapel. These are times when we study Scripture (usually based on what I am going to talk about on the weekend), we also pray, share our faith stories and encourage each other. These are refreshing, encouraging times for me. Today, off the charts good, though.

Today, we circled up and voiced the prayers of those who nailed their notes of confession and thanks to the cross on Sunday. If you were at Parkway on Sunday, you know that we ended the service with a powerful moment where we encouraged people to take action on things God is doing in their life by nailing notes of thanks and notes of repentance to crosses that were placed throughout the auditorium. The room was filled with the sounds of hammers hitting nails. I still can't get that sound out of my mind.

Our time of prayer today was just as powerful. There were passionate prayers. There were prayers of brokenness. There were prayers for things that we didn't know what to pray for. There were tears. I was so proud of our team as we took the needs of the people, made them our own and then took them before God who is able to do more than we could ever hope or imagine. I can't wait to see how God moves next.

Biggest Dead Snake That You Have Ever Seen!

2008-08-05T14:48:00.007-04:00

Check out this video. I recommend full screen.

Surprise!

2008-08-05T06:10:00.000-04:00

On Friday night, we threw a surprise party for Scott Weatherford. Scott was the founding pastor of Parkway Church. He invested 15 years in launching and leading the church that I now pastor. He also made a significant investment in me when I served here before going to DC. I can't tell you how many times I heard the phrase, "Boy...come over here, I want to teach you something." When I came to Parkway in '94, I was a some-what clueless 22 year old. I needed all of the help that I could get.

Yesterday, Scott posted a blog about the suprise party, Parkway Church and me. His words of encouragment couldn't mean more to me.

Things I Wish I Said...

2008-08-04T16:04:00.001-04:00

Yesterday was an amazing day at Parkway Church. From the lights, to the videos, to the sound, to the band, to the worship team, I couldn't have been prouder as we pointed people to the kindness of God. I still can't get the sound of the hammers hitting the nails as people came forward to take action on commitments they made during the service.

While it was a great day, there are still a few things that I wish I had said:

I know why women are often times more "spiritually mature" than men. One of the secrets to spiritual maturity is repentance which means to change your mind about something. Women change their mind about everything all the time. :-)

Why is it that some people would like to be spanked at church rather than be encouraged by the fact that we worship and serve a kind God who woos us with his kindness?

If it wasn't for the kindness of God, we would have no hope.

Our God is kind, but he is no wimp.

God's kindness sets the bar high for how we should treat one another. Kindness should flavor our daily lives when with are at work, with our families, in our neighborhoods and even in the Wal-Mart parking lot.

I loved praying for our families with new babies yesterday during the service. (Right now, if you are thinking, aren't all babies new, you are right.) One of the things I think God has called us, me and Kristi, to do in Victoria is invest in young families so that the next generation of kids can grow up in amazing homes that honor God.

That is it for now. Next week, "I Am Legend" and God has a plan.

Connect Conference

2008-07-31T10:17:00.003-04:00

In a few of weeks, I am going to be speaking at a conference in Austin designed to equip churches reach, connect and mobilize young adults. I can't wait. It will be an intimate gathering (limited to 75 people) of leaders focused on things I love - reaching the next generation and connecting them in Biblical community.

Here are the details:

August 21-22 at Hyde Park Baptist Church
Connect Conference Austin Aug. 21 & 22 2008

There are still a few spots available so grab yours before its full!

My Friend the Rock Star

2008-07-30T16:38:00.002-04:00

I know a rock star. Really, I do. My friend, Chris Seay, was listed as one of the ten rock star preachers in Houston. Check out this link. He is on page 9. As I looked at this list, I had a Sesame Street moment - which one of these is not like the other? I don't mean anything against Chris with this, but he isn't like the others on the list, at least not to me. Want to know who Chris is to me? Read this excerpt from Repurposed, my latest release from Threads Media.

When I met Chris, he wasn’t one of the leading pastors for emerging generations as he is today. He was just a high school kid with a passion for Christ and a desire to see God work in our school. He led a small Bible study and prayer group. This was a serious prayer group. They prayed not only for their needs but they also prayed, by name, for people they knew who didn’t know Christ. I was one of those people. Just after I prayed to receive Christ, Chris invited me into a relationship that shaped my life forever: “Mikey, now that you know Christ, let me help you follow Him.” I quickly accepted his invitation because I knew absolutely nothing about my new faith. Over the next few months, through this relationship, I learned how to pray, study my Bible, and how to relate to others in Christ-honoring ways. He taught me a ton in a short amount of time, but the lasting lesson from our relationship is that spiritual leaders invite others into their lives. They lead in an up close and personal way. They lead by example.

Tagged

2008-07-29T07:41:00.001-04:00

On Sunday, I mentioned that I drive a '99 Mazda Protege. Yep, I am a muscle car guy. :-) After the services, I came out and found that my car had been tagged. Someone shared a little Parkway love with me. I am now going over the video surveillance tapes of the parking lot to find the culprit. Payback, ya know.

Things I Wish I Said...

2008-07-28T11:14:00.002-04:00

Yesterday, I preached on the fact that God looks deep inside using Psalm 139 and the movie, The Devil Wears Prada. All in all, it was a great day. During the first service, two ladies gave their lives to Christ. One was a first time visitor who was driving by and decided to come to church. Further proof that God is calling men and women by name to follow Jesus and another proof that God is using Parkway Church in amazing ways to change lives. Every week this Summer, we have had men and women give their lives to Jesus! In a time when many of our people are near a beach or a river on vacation, God is changing lives. I can't wait for the Fall!

Now, for things I wish I had said:

God knows everything and he loves us anyway. This loving relationship is the foundation from which we build our lives to honor God.

God's knowledge of our lives brings more hope than fear to me.

God's knowledge of the future causes me to trust Him more - TODAY.

Can't wait for Sunday as we look at, God Looks Past Yesterday. We are going to use a variety of films like: Napoleon Dynamite and Ground Hog Day. Should be fun.

The best laid plans...

2008-07-24T13:55:00.002-04:00

"A pastor brought out a dirt bike during a church service to demonstrate the concept of unity. Now he's demonstrating the concept of healing."

I got a good laugh out of this story, today. (By the way, it's okay to laugh because the pastor in this story will be fine. He laughed, too.) Could I see myself ever riding a motorcycle out on stage during a service? Nope. Could I do something as stupid as this? Probably so.

Things I Wish I Said...

2008-07-20T16:41:00.001-04:00

Today, was a good day. I got a real sense that the Lord used the message to both encourage and convict people. You’ve got to love it when one person gets spurred to continue on while the person right next to them gets spurred to stop doing something. As a pastor, I hope that my messages are both encouraging and challenging at the same time.

Now, on to things that I wish I had said:

If you can’t hide from God then your shouldn't hide from his community, either. When things get tough, don’t disengage. Connect all the more.

We take God’s presence for granted far more often than we should.

If you want to help out in the areas that I mentioned at the end of the service, contact Pastor Kim.

While God is everywhere, he isn’t in everything so we aren’t pantheists and recycling isn’t a religious experience for us.

The local theater is showing Evan Almighty tomorrow for a dollar. Pretty cool that their schedule lines up with ours.

It was an honor to pray for JJ during the first service. We need to remember him and Kacy while his is serving in Iraq.

Well, I think that is it for today.

Sunday's Message

2008-07-17T13:16:00.001-04:00

I am fired up about Sunday's message. We are going to use clips from Evan Almighty to look at how God is everywhere. There are huge implications to this truth for your life and for my life and I can't wait to unpack them on Sunday. So, make plans to not miss this Sunday.

For those who want to be ahead of the game, here is the primary text that I will be teaching from.

See you on Sunday.

Deep Thought

2008-07-16T09:46:00.002-04:00

Yesterday, I came across this verse that reminded me that even creation longs to be returned to it's original state. Just like we long to be recreated so do the heavens and the earth.

20For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope 21that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God. Romans 8:20-21

Good, Evil, and God

2008-07-15T06:07:00.003-04:00

My friends at Frontline have been posting video segments from recent Q and A services. Let me just say, these guys know how to do the Q and A thing. Think live, real time feedback from the congregation through text messaging. Imagine thought provoking, Scripture based responses to real life questions and that is what you get in a FL Q and A service.

So, why am I telling this? Well, they answered a question that tied into my message from Sunday. Check it out:

Things I Wish I Said...

2008-07-14T11:34:00.003-04:00

It was good to be home yesterday. While we had a great time on vacation, it just felt good to be home with our Parkway family on Sunday. Let me just say that I thought the worship was very strong yesterday. I absolutely love the new stage design and the way that it adds life to the service. As for the message, it was one that I wasn't really sure how it would be received. Expelled and creationism isn't the easiest point from which to launch a series and I wasn't sure that everyone would connect with it. Well, I was wrong. From the feedback I received, the evolution v. creationism debate is alive and well and is a part of day-to-day life even in Victoria. I am grateful that the Lord used His Word to encourage so many hearts yesterday. Now, on to things I wish I had said:

1. Moses is the man. He was a leader, author, and committed man after God's own heart. I love his prayer in Psalm 90.
2. Ben Stein is most famous for his "Bueller, Bueller..." line in Ferris Bueller's day off. How did I miss the opportunity to weave in this classic movie line?
3. Knowing that the God who created the universe is recreating me brings me more hope than you will ever know.
4. On the 7th day, God rested after creating the heavens and the earth and everything on it. He never rests on his recreation project called you and me.
5. God is just as proud of us as new creations as he was of his creation in Genesis 1.
6. You can argue against the existence of God. You will lose this argument. But you can argue it if you must.

I can't wait for Sunday when we look at the character of God through the movie Evan Almighty. Three words: funny, funny, funny. This movie is hilarious and has a pretty good point, too!

Disney Day 4 and 5

2008-07-12T09:00:00.002-04:00

Well, the last two days at Disney kind of blurred together. We are all exhausted. 12 hour, heat filled days in the park can really take it out of you. On Day 4, we went to the Animal Kingdom. I think that this is still my favorite park. The crowds were HUGE, but we will had a great time. "It's tough to be a bug" was the highlight of the day followed closely behind by the safari ride. There was a giraffe about 3 ft from our jeep. Bekah's eyes nearly popped out of her head. On day 5, we went back to the Magic Kingdom. We had to hit Splash Mountain and a few other rides. The crowds were HUGE here, too and it rained some, but we got to do everything that we wanted to do. We checked everything off of our list. Basically, if the kids were tall enough to ride it, watch it, or eat it, we did it.

As I type, it's after 9 AM and the kids are still crashed. Somehow, this level of exhaustion in them makes me think that they had more fun than they can handle which is what a vacation is all about.

Today, we fly back to Texas. Can't wait to launch into the Big Picture Series tomorrow!

Connect the Dots...

Sunday Recap

I Love Small Groups

Russ RobinsonWhat if there is conflict in my group?Mike HurtWhat if someone in my group asks a diffcult question?John BurkeWhat if I can't get my group to talk?For more group life videos, visit the Leadership Media section of our site and www.smallgroupexchange.com.

Bekah's Turn

Sunday Recap

This Weekend

That's My Sister

Friends

Life on Mars?

Sunday Recap

Top 5

Sunday Recap

What People Are Saying

Sunday Recap

Worship

The Gift of a Bible

You will never believe who...

Big Day

Worship

I have a new favorite football team...

Sunday Recap

Body for Life Challenge

Core Values

I love www.youversion.com

What I've Learned...

Hello 2009!

Facebook

Unity

Family Christmas

God's Word is SOOOOOOO Right

Sunday Recap

Dare to Care

Really Smart Guys

Thoughts from Sunday

Thoughts from Sunday

My Son, The Star

Who is Jesus?

Willow Stuff

What If?

The Prayer Dare Continues

A Man of His Word

In the Air Again

Home from Willow

Willow and Prayer Dare 18

Off to Willow

Quoting Tony Morgan Quoting Jim Collins

Can You Relate?

Prayer Dare | Day Eight

Prayer Dare | Day Six

New Website

Prayer Dare | Day Five

Wives, in the same way be submissive to your husbands so that, if any of them do not believe the word, they may be won over without words by the behavior of their wives, 1 Peter 3:1

Prayer Dare | Day Four

19Husbands, love your wives and do not be harsh with them. Colossians 3:19

Prayer Dare | Day 4

Prayer Dare | Day 3

Prayer Dare | Day Three

12No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us. 1 John 4:12

Prayer Dare | Day 2

The Prayer Dare | Day 1

Things I Wish I Said...

Mike's Top 5

Proud

Internal IPOD

Things I Wish I Said (Hurricane Edition)...

Quote of the Day

My Internal IPOD

Mike Don't Like Ike

Mike's Top Five

Family Time

Life Boundaries

Pray for New Orleans

D-Town

It's Official

First Day of School Pic

Generation to Generation

Cheap Community

Empty Nest

Smartest Guy in the Room

Russ Robinson
What if there is conflict in my group?

Mike Hurt
What if someone in my group asks a diffcult question?

John Burke
What if I can't get my group to talk?

For more group life videos, visit the Leadership Media section of our site and www.smallgroupexchange.com.

¹⁹Husbands, love your wives and do not be harsh with them. Colossians 3:19

¹²No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us. 1 John 4:12