At the end of January, we will be leading our staff team through a special emphasis called “INVENT THE FUTURE.” This extensive process has already begun with various planning moments and interviews. Through a major three-day retreat scheduled for January 28-30, we will take this experience to the highest level of initial decision-making. From this retreat experience, an in-depth three-month process will follow that will result in us discerning God’s future for our church.

This will be a spiritual journey for our team. It is up to God where we must go in the future, not us. It will be a corporate journey for our team. It is what is best for the church and the fulfillment of our mission that will drive our dreams, nothing else. It will be a professional journey for our team. There will be a highly professional and executive group, all sold out Christ-followers with former corporate experience, who will help us invent this future God has already willed us.

What we must have from you is a highly concentrated prayer effort in January, especially for the days of January 28-30. I wish there was a way we could see large numbers of people praying during those days for your Pastor, your staff team, and God’s future for us. We will pray before we go and while we are experiencing this journey, but we need you to pray intensely on the days before and during this journey. Make a note to pray. Gather in groups and pray.

For seven days last fall, hundreds of our people prayed and fasted for three major things, one of which was for a strategic breakthrough, where God would define His future for our church clearly and specifically. I believe after that journey God led us to make this “Invent the Future” experience a part of this journey. I now believe even more that these three days will be very pivotal to seeing God answer this past season of prayer and fasting, as well as our heart’s desire. We want the mind of Christ for our future. Please mobilize people to join you in praying for our church. Mark these days for special prayer: January 28-30.

Will you be in the Word of God in 2008? I sure hope so. In fact, you can get a pretty good indication whether you will or will not be based off the days already gone in 2008. However, the year is very young and now is the time to get in the Word of God.

You can get there through reading a “ONE YEAR BIBLE.” Many versions are available that will insure you read through the entire Bible in one year. These versions will have a reading from the Old Testament, the New Testament, and from the Psalms and the Proverbs daily. You can also just ask God direction on reading through one of the 66 books of the Bible all the way to the end, then go to another book. If you will discipline yourself to read about four chapters or so a day, you will read through the entire Bible in a year.

You can also get in the Word corporately after you have gotten in to it personally. How? Come to worship and the Word of God will be taught. Come to a Connection Group and the Word of God will be taught.

There are many ways to get in the Word of God. Find a way to do it. Stay in it daily.Just a few minutes a day will change your life!

I want to thank you for joining me on my blog today after the Christmas holiday season. If you have been disengaged, please look at several of the blogs that have been posted since the middle of December. I want you to look specifically at the blogs posted last week by Dr. Scott Kaufman, guest blogger for me.

Our Christmas was filled with children and grandchildren. This was our year to have Nick, Meredith, and Reese during Christmas and we enjoyed having them in our home for a week, the longest period Nick and Meredith have been with us since they left for Dallas two and a half years ago. Josh, Kate, Peyton, and Parker stopped by regularly during the holiday season since he was off from school. We had a great time together.

Yesterday within two hours of Nick, Meredith, and Reese leaving, I told Jeana, “I feel empty and miss them already.” Now I understand why every time I left after visiting my Mom and Dad, my Dad would always wave good-bye to us crying and eventually just walk away as we drove away. We understood some, but now we really understand.

Seasons are good and enjoyable, but the new season we are entering called 2008 calls us to get back to life. Yes, for most people, real life kicks in today. It is back to work and back to the grind, as some would say.

Well, let’s enjoy the day. Let’s see what God may want to do with us today.

Happy 2008!