Friday, January 24, 2014

5 Most Important E100 Resources


Grace Church is embarking on a really cool journey together. We're reading through the 100 essential bible stories starting in Genesis and ending in Revelation in a challenge called E100. For many people this will be their first jaunt through the bible from beginning to end. And although we won't be reading every chapter and verse, the sweeping themes of the scriptures will be apparent. There are 5 readings a week for 20 weeks. This is a challenge for anyone who hasn't made a regular habit of reading the bible. That's why we are providing lots of resources to help everyone along. In addition to your bible, I've included the top 5 resources you will need for this journey.

1.  The E100 Reading Guide (or punch card). The engine of this whole movement is individuals and families spending personal time in the bible, so it is important to have a plan.  You can download the PDF version of this for $5 here.  It's also vital to find your chair - that is - the place in your house where you can regularly meet with God. You can search Facebook at #wheresyourchair to see some pictures of people's chairs.                                                              
2.  A Small Group. We believe that it's critical to go through this adventure with a group of people who are also committed to the challenge. That's why we have created nearly 40 new small groups for this initiative that meet all over our region on various nights of the week in people's homes. If you are interested in finding a group you can contact Steve

3.  E100 Equip Class. Each Sunday at 9:15 and 11 AM at Grace there will be a class designed to help understand some of the back story of the readings for that particular week. This will be especially helpful for those looking to dig deeper in their readings and for small group leaders to get a jump on that week's content before their group meets. These videos will also be posted during the week at our vimeo site so that anyone can catch up on the material.  Here is the video from week 1. 

4.  E100 Sermons. It's important for you to stay connected with the teachings each week. Don't worry, if you miss church you can find the sermons online here and stay up-to-speed. 

5.  Mid-Week Video Devotional. Every Wednesday we will post a 2-3 minute video to encourage you and inspire you to continue on in that week's reading. This is a good shot in the arm to get you through 'hump day' and to finish strong each week. You can find these videos at Grace's vimeo page and they will also be posted on Facebook and Twitter. 





Wednesday, January 01, 2014

Questions to Help You Evaluate 2013


Do you have a system that you use to evaluate last year and prepare yourself for next year?  Scott Hodge posted a very helpful blog post a few years ago that helped me to clarify the end of the year malaise that can set in during late cold December evenings. Scott provides an excellent practical framework to look back and look ahead. 

I've picked a few of my favorite questions to ask.: 
  1. If the last year were a movie of your life, what would the genre be?
  2. What did you accomplish this past year that you are the most proud of?
  3. What was missing from last year as you look back?