The Miami Pursuit

Substitute Sunday Wrap-Up II (the saga continues)

Blogger: Alex.

Yesterday was great at The Pursuit. Here are the highlights.

- Even though Matt and Janie weren't there, everything in their areas was taken care of efficiently and promptly by hard-working volunteers. Thanks all of you who worked hard to get everything done!

- I had fun preaching! Especially when I showed a video clip that did not end at the right time which made people laugh, so it wasn't too bad. This was my second time speaking at The Pursuit, and felt more relaxed than last time. Especially because I just told Jesus to take over. Hopefully people were challenged by God's Word, I know I was. If you want to hear it, think it twice, then click here.

- People in SoFlo like to travel in July, so we felt it attendance wise, but the energy was great nevertheless.

- Timing was great. Set up went by quickly even with fewer people than usual, as well as tear-down.

- We had a brand new singer with the band and she did great. Her name is Betsy. She paired up with Maricarmen and they both did an awesome job!

- I enjoyed talking with people both before and after the service. Everyone is just so nice.

I am at a hospital in Tampa waiting to see my cousin who just gave birth yesterday. While I wait I'm working and listening to music on my iPhone. I wonder if people are wondering why I'm banging my head. They don't know Aerosmith is inspiring me to write. Oh well!

Blogger: Alex.

Yesterday was great at The Pursuit. Here are the highlights.

- Even though Matt and Janie weren't there, everything in their areas was taken care of efficiently and promptly by hard-working volunteers. Thanks all of you who worked hard to get everything done!

- I had fun preaching! Especially when I showed a video clip that did not end at the right time which made people laugh, so it wasn't too bad. This was my second time speaking at The Pursuit, and felt more relaxed than last time. Especially because I just told Jesus to take over. Hopefully people were challenged by God's Word, I know I was. If you want to hear it, think it twice, then click here.

- People in SoFlo like to travel in July, so we felt it attendance wise, but the energy was great nevertheless.

- Timing was great. Set up went by quickly even with fewer people than usual, as well as tear-down.

- We had a brand new singer with the band and she did great. Her name is Betsy. She paired up with Maricarmen and they both did an awesome job!

- I enjoyed talking with people both before and after the service. Everyone is just so nice.

I am at a hospital in Tampa waiting to see my cousin who just gave birth yesterday. While I wait I'm working and listening to music on my iPhone. I wonder if people are wondering why I'm banging my head. They don't know Aerosmith is inspiring me to write. Oh well!

Substitute Sunday Wrap-Up

Blogger: Alex.

Usually Matt Mehaffey posts a list of last Sunday's highlights of the Celebration Service. This week, I waited and waited and then realized... Matt is on vacation, he wasn't even here! So, to sub for him, I hereby post what I thought were the highlights of last Sunday's Celebration Service.

- Although it was strange not having Matt and Janie there, other people were in charge of several different tasks and they all pulled it off nicely in their areas. It's exciting to see when others take leadership and succeed at it!

- Bob Smith spoke about marriage and other relationships (to hear the podcast, click here). Bob's take on it was great and people were thankful that he spoke about the subject.

- We were running late due to technical difficulties. However, they were worked out before the service, and we were out of the ballroom in due time.

- Kids City began a pre-school class which was needed for that age group.

- I began a new habit this week - going to the door to purposely meet people as they leave. I usually am really busy at that point with tear down, but others helped me out with it and I was able to greet people which I really enjoyed.

- Tons of people helped with tear down and did a quick and effective job at it!

- Matt got a chance to preach at Journey Christian Church in Apopka, FL. They are a huge supporter of The Pursuit, and he got a chance to thank them for all of us! To hear his sermon, click here.

- The people of The Pursuit are now stuck with me for next Sunday's message! I'm looking forward to preaching that day.

Skype-ing Brazil

Blogger: Matt

Monday was an absolute blast for me. I had the opportunity to talk via Skype with my friends Zeca and Gabia who live in Brazil. What was even better was getting to "meet" two of their three delightful daughters, Talita and Larissa (I still have yet to have the privilege of meeting Melissa). Brent Foulke also joined us on the call.

As I've said before, Zeca and his family are passionate about starting new churches that are good news to the city and helping people find their way back to God. They've been doing that together in Brazil for years. But it appears God is leading them to a new location.

After meeting them in May, while they were in the States, we felt an instant bond with them. We shared the same values and vision. There are thousands of Brazilians who have relocated to South Florida, which is already one of the most unchurched regions in U.S. There is a great need for leaders, like Zeca, who are willing to take a risk and do whatever it takes to start more and more Jesus-loving, Jesus-centered churches in SoFlo.

Here's the news: The Pursuit, Zeca and his family are "pursuing" the possibility of them joining our team. Zeca, would officially become a Campus Pastor at the Pembroke Pines / Miramar campus for a period of time but then he would start another campus of The Pursuit in another area of South Florida (where there is a high Brazilian demographic). Our hope is we can begin working together in early 2009. There are obviously several hurdles we have to climb before this becomes a reality. Support raising and the visa process are the two biggest.

We would appreciate keeping this entire process in your prayers.

Sunday in the Bag

Blogger: Matt

Yesterday, was a hard but very good day. Feeling like I was about to puke my guts out while unloading the trailer was my first sign. Luckily, I was able to hold it together.

Sunday's celebration service at The Pursuit we looked at the true marks of a godly leader. We looked at 1 Corinthians 4:1-5 and you can find the audio here. The Big Idea for yesterday was "We become good news to South Florida when we lead as we serve like Jesus."

This was a difficult message for me to preach because I talked about a couple of men who I considered godly leaders (I am where I am today because they pointed me to Jesus) but they hit the eject button on the church, one abandoned his wife and kids for another woman. Paul says, it's not enough to aspire to be a leader but to be a faithful leader.

I found a prayer journal I kept while I was at Cincinnati Christian University where I wrote the names of 20 of my peers who were studying to become leaders in the church. I committed to pray for these guys for a time. While many are still growing and persevering almost half have dropped off the map.

I think what consumed my thoughts yesterday was how fragile all leaders (and all churches) really are. There is something deep inside all of us that loves to put people up on pedestals and when that leader proves what we should have known all along ... they're human and scarred by sin ... we realize too much of our faith was anchored to them instead of Jesus.

Highlights of the day:

1. We saw a beautiful display of grace take place during communion. Good place for it!
2. Kids City is rocking and rolling. Recent first time guests are coming back because their kids had such a blast.
3. We looked briefly into the future to when The Pursuit will transition from the current management team to a local eldership. I said, "If there are men who aspire to this position you need to know and live 1 Timothy 3:1-7 and Titus 1:5-9." While saying that, I saw a bunch of people writing down those verses to study later. Love that!
4. We now have three chefs at The Pursuit ... thank you Jesus!
5. A great summer crowd showed up.

Sunday in the Bag

Blogger: Matt

Yesterday at The Pursuit we continued our We Love SoFlo series. I taught from 1 Corinthians 3:10-17 (but only got through the first few verses). Paul's letters are loaded I tell you. The topic yesterday was "Building on Jesus" and the Big Idea was "We become good news to South Florida when we join together and build a church founded on Jesus." Here's the podcast.

Highlights:

1. The next step I challenged everyone with was to realize God has specially gifted each one of us and has a role that only we can play in building The Pursuit. I saw some people really get it. Several people jumped in after the celebration service and helped tear down and load up the trailer.
2. We had several first time guests.
3. As the architect God has called to lead The Pursuit, I shared some big picture dreams I had never shared before during celebration service. Could The Pursuit have three church campuses in just a year and a half? Nothing is impossible with God. I love seeing people realize God is much bigger than we ever imagined!
4. Pursuit 1.0 (our membership class) met last night and two of my favorite people committed to membership. Proud of you guys, Manny and Yami! Two others want to meet about being baptized.
5. Hearing a young couple who has been coming for the past few weeks say, "We love what we are learning from the Bible. We've been trying this church-thing out but the past few we tried the pastors talks on and on about themselves and you point us to Jesus."

I love the church God is building here in South Florida.

Blogging in Brazil

Blogger: Matt

A month ago or so, I blogged about our new friends from Brazil, Zeca & Gabia. Well, come to find out they have their own blog. You need to subscribe to their blog. Their story is one you will want to follow.

I am constantly amazed by the people God has brought into my life over the past year. Janie and I were the people who were in no hurry to get passports and now the majority of our friends are from somewhere else. Now that we have our passports we have a long list of places we want to visit: Colombia, Venezuela, Cuba, Puerto Rico, and now Brazil.

Zeca and Gabia (and their three amazing daughters), are following God's leading to plant churches in the U.S. and The Pursuit Christian Church is chewing over how we can partner with them. The crazy thing is they have family in the Pembroke Pines area and Gabia's mother, Leni, has been coming to The Pursuit for the past month.

I can't wait to watch what God continues to do through this phenom of a family.

Sunday in the Bag

Blogger: Matt

This week's celebration service at The Pursuit we focused on "Growing in Jesus." You can listen to the podcast here or download it from iTunes. Yesterday's text was from I Corinthians 3:1-9.

The Big Idea: We become good news to South Florida when we grow and mature in Jesus.

The setup in the Ballroom went much faster this week (amazing what a working elevator will do).

Alex got his "Bono" on during "Blessed be Your Name."

I called my parents out (on Father's Day no less) for choosing to spank me with the Yellow Spoon. Kevin Ceron felt my pain (literally) apparently his parents used the Blue Spoon.

We had eleven first time guests! Several came from invites and postcards from before launch in January.

Burning the Ship

Blogger: Matt

This week last year, Janie and I, officially became home owners in South Florida. We moved here because we felt God's overwhelming nudge to start a movement of missional and reproducing churches in an area starving for Jesus. A year later the work is well under way and The Pursuit Christian Church has become a reality. People are coming to know Jesus and the start of something God-sized is being built.

Have things gone as I planned ... no.

If I am going to be honest, I have to say there was a big part of me that thought we'd launch The Pursuit on January 27, 2008 with 300+ people and we'd be off and running. This is 100% my fault because I allowed myself to be convinced by others that in church planting a + b = c. There were sleepless nights where I wondered, "Am I the right man for the job? What could I have done differently? Should we have planted in Arizona, downtown Indy, or somewhere else in the Bible Belt?" Those nights still come. But...

... have things gone as God planned ... yes.

God is building "His church" not mine. People who were once far from God have found their way back to Him because of The Pursuit. God is growing me in ways I never thought possible. It's like when you go to the gym for the first time in a long time, muscles you didn't even know you had ache. It hurts all over but at the same time it feels so good because you know it is something you desperately need.

I guess what I am trying to say is this: After following God to SoFlo and being here for almost one year I believe in His mission more than ever. South Florida with all it's faults has become our home which we dearly love. I can't imagine being any place else.

The famous military commander Tariq ibn Ziyah who led his army to take Gibraltar taught us an important lesson when his men faced their enemies on one side and the merciless sea on the other ... burn the ships. There was no going back to the place of comfort they once knew. The message for them and the message for us is, "Take this land or die trying."

Sunday in the Bag

I am exhausted but determined to get this post done today. Today at The Pursuit was our 2nd week in the We Love SoFlo summer series. It was fun seeing so many people wearing these shirts. People are really excited about looking for ways they can be good news to the community.

This week Alex and Erin had gone on vacation to NYC and Bob and Linda were back in Indy. It was really good to have the Diaz Duo back and rested. Missed having them around this week. Looks like the Smith's will be returning later this week.

I think I lost 10 pounds during setup this morning. It was a hot one today. The South Florida summer is definitely in full effect. We might have some really good news coming this week that will help The Pursuit deal with the heat. Stay tuned on that.

We had several 2nd time guests today who all attended for the 1st time on Easter. One family had really encouraging things to say about The Pursuit. "We've been wanting to come back but something kept getting in the way. We've been to several churches but none like this. It's like a family." Love it. You would be surprised how many people use "family" as the adjective in describing our 4 month old church.

The band was definitely on today. I wish we had the ballroom for an extra hour because I think everyone wanted them to continue leading the singing. Great job Hiram, Raul, Manny, Maricarmen and Alex!

Today's Big Idea was: We are good news to South Florida as long as Jesus is our main thing.

We dove into I Corinthians today (we'll be there all summer) and focused on 1:10-17. (Podcast will be up later)

We wrapped up the service with a live drama presented by several high school students who had performed at a talent show at Everglades High School. Janie and I caught the show and they were the only group to get a standing ovation. It was the perfect way to end the celebration service. I saw a lot of men and women grabbing Kleenex to wipe their eyes. Yeah, that's right I saw you!

I've got two hours until Student Community starts tonight so that's it for now.

We Love SoFlo