Sometimes I wonder what first impression I’ve made on people. I’m not the most sociable person in the world, and so I often make the mistake of making others feel ignored. However, even when I’m intentional, sometimes I send the wrong message.

The same is true of the church, I think. We constantly fight a battle of others making the first impression for the church on our behalf: mormons and evangelists going door-to-door often make a first impression, church members adding to the traffic on the streets surrounding a person’s destination can make a first impression, and even some of our well-intended signs and services can make an interesting first impression.

Have a laugh at the first impression example below, and then ask yourself, do I know what kind of first impression I’m making on others?

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wzxlv5vdN9I[/youtube]

Thanks to Tim Hawkins www.timhawkins.net

When God is at work in the lives of people, its awe-inspiring to watch. It’s impact is more powerful in my life than most sermons. The post below is a God-encounter that my old home church in Atlanta celebrated on Sunday. If you’re ready for a God-encounter, read this blog post about one couple’s journey back to God, and then watch the video from Buckhead Church this past Sunday, as they share their stories with their home church.

I especially love the part where he writes:

“It seems like a crime not to tell others how I’ve been changed. How I’ve been taken over by the Holy spirit and how I literally can’t stop thinking and talking to God now.”

Jason and Samantha Davenport Baptisms from buckheadchurch on Vimeo.

The Foxhole Principle: When preparing for battle, dig a hole big enough for a friend.
“In poverty and other misfortunes of life, true friends are a sure refuge. The young, they keep out of mischief; to the old they are a comfort and aid in their weakness, and those in the prime of life they incite to noble deeds. ~ Aristotle

Two people are better than one,
because they get more done by working together.
If one falls down,
the other can help him up.
But it is bad for the person who is alone and falls,
because no one is there to help.
If two lie down together, they will be warm,
but a person alone will not be warm.
An enemy might defeat one person,
but two people together can defend themselves;
a rope that is woven of three strings is hard to break.
~ Ecclesiastes 4:9-12

“in the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.” ~ Martin Luther King Jr.

“We must, indeed, all hang together or, most assuredly, we shall hang separately.” Benjamin Frankin upon signing the Declaration of Independence

When a small girl was late returning home, she had this to say: “I’m sorry I’m late, Dad. My friend’s doll broke right when I was supposed to leave.”
“And I suppose you were helping her fix it?” her dad replied.
“No,” she replied, “I was helping her cry.”

Leslie D. Weatherhead wrote about two friends who were soldier together. When one was injured and could not return to safety, the other went out after him against officer’s orders. When he returned with the dead soldier, he was mortally wounded himself. Though his officer felt justified, the dying soldier said that it had been worth it. His friend had been alive when the soldier first reached him, and he had said, “I knew you’d come,” before dying.

“50% of  Christian marriages end in divorce”

“The divorce rate is higher for Christians than non-Christians”

“Young people are leaving the church in mass numbers”

I’ve heard these statistics for a decade now, from church leaders all across America who believe that our nation is quickly dying as a religious power in the world. Unfortunately, most of these numbers are poorly researched and should not be advertised. We should be working hard as a church to win people and disciple them properly, but we should not be doing so out of fear that our way of life is dying…fearful action is no way to pursue the Lord’s work.

Finally, someone has seen fit to stand up and provide good statistics. Sociologist Bradley R. E. Wright is publishing a work based on some more solid studies to help correct some of the statistical errors that our nation has come to believe, and in doing so, he may well change our perception of Christianity.

Keep an eye out for his book, Christians Are Hate-Filled Hypocrites … and Other Lies You’ve Been Told

and read the article by Christian Post here, if you want more information…

Found this today, and loved it. Hope it makes you laugh!

A man will pay $2 for a $1 item he wants; a woman will pay $1 for a $2 item that she doesn’t want, but that’s on sale.

A woman worries about the future until she gets a husband; a man never worries about the future until he gets a wife.

A successful man is one who makes moer money than his wife can spend; a successful woman is one who can find such a man.

To be happy with a man you must understand him a lot and love him a little; to be happy with a woman you must love her a lot and not to understand her at all.

Any married man should forget his mistakes—there’s no use in two people remembering the same thing.

A woman marries a man expecting him to change, but he doesn’t. a man marries a woman expecting that she won’t change, and she does.

A woman has the last word in any argument; anything a man says after that is the beginning of a new argument.

Any long term relationship requires us to:

• Wade through a few difficult seasons
• Work for many things that are necessary
• Wait on some things that take time
• Watch out for those things that are harmful
• Wave goodbye to personal things that are selfish