One month from now, Prestonwood Dallas will host its first official live service at Hillcrest and Arapaho. It’s a very intimidating thought, because we are expecting quite a crowd on our first Sunday and have only had a short amount of time to prepare. Since we purchased the property in May, we’ve had crews busy painting, fixing, and praying over our new building. Signs have been up for over a month now outside the church, in neighborhood yards, and in the hands of our members all across the Metroplex…and there’s no shortage of unchurched people in that part of Dallas!

With a core group of a few hundred members, we are preparing to host a crowd of a thousand or more: parking them, caring for their children, welcoming and directing them, and producing a dynamic worship service intended to do one main thing: share the gospel and compel them to join us in following Christ. Its exciting, a little scary, and a huge step of faith for our small crew of staff and volunteers, but we’re trusting the God who has led us to this step of ministry, and depending on Him for great results.

You only get one first impression, and we’re hoping we allow God’s people and presence make a HUGE one in the lives of those who join us on August 21st.

A decade ago, the internet was viewed as a nusance…now it is the information and entertainment center of the developed world.

A few years ago, and unknown pastor and his church in a little-known suburb of Oklahoma decided to pioneer the use of this medium to create a relevant online worship experience, where people could hear the gospel, and visit church without having to leave their homes. Here’s the result…

[vimeo]http://vimeo.com/3387278[/vimeo]

Thank you, LifeChurch, for ignoring the critics and paving another channel for the effective proclamation of the gospel!

www.lifechurch.tv

human3rror posted a great story on his blog a few weeks back about how a person’s online presence often leads others to church. I for one am glad to have a concrete example of this process, because I believe that our social networking tools are doing this more often than we realize. Everything from our Facebook status to our in depth blog thoughts are windows into the life we live as salt and light for this world. My encouragement is to take advantage of the technologies that fit your life, and cast your heart for God to the world. Shine bright…and realized that there are opportunities to shine to the world that have never been more effective.

Your online life may be the most effective ad for Christ people ever see.

http://human3rror.com/2009/02/22/blogging-someone-to-church/

Lifechurch.tv used this video opener for their series entitled, “How to Be Rich” a few months ago, and I love it. I thought that it was quite appropriate for the opening of tax season. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0qGMkgc2AnQ[/youtube]

The church Stacy and I are a part of is not a trend-setter for the new generation, but it is an example of a church that balances outreach and discipleship in the love of Christ, one that is unified with hundreds of other churches in missions work, and one that has the eye and ears of much of the world each Sunday morning. I am proud to be a part of Prestonwood, and I hope you will watch and enjoy their 2008 year in review.

Year in Review – Prestonwood Baptist Church

Don’t miss their page of testimonies either:

http://www.prestonwood.org/updates/stories/tell.php

Let me also mention, that while Prestonwood is often known more for it’s size, than for it’s ministry, it does a great job at making the huge church feel like a small town. It works hard to make it’s Bible classes very relational, and it has a food court which creates a VERY relational atmosphere for its members with reflects the original communion of believers in the early church.