Our vision is to see the message of Christ go out to as many people as possible. Big vision, but even a bigger God. Although the Rose Garden arena was available, we thought it wasn't what God had. If I were Paul Allen I think I would invite us in. Isn't it the best B-Ball season with the youngest team in the NBA in 10 years???? COULD there be any connection to what happened last Easter and this season?......... Just a thought.
As we contemplated Easter 2008 and thought responsibly about the last few years (7600 total attendance and close to 15,000 in 2007 at the Rose Garden), we needed to not only GET OUT OF THE BOX, but think out of the box. Our building only holds 500, so we are proverbially 'stuck' from a building standpoint. But can I point out that GOD IS NEVER STUCK.
Funny thing about God. He never is. We limit what ONLY GOD can do because we approach problems as problems with lame human solutions instead of God ordained opportunities.
Last week, in simply thinking "How can we get the message out to the most amount of people for Easter 2008"? We are starting six new campuses this Easter, along with a couple house churches in the states of Florida and Tennessee. Each church will launch on Easter 2008. They will hopefully become campuses within a short amount of time.
That helps in many areas, but our Brush Prairie campus is beyond capacity, with 7 mostly FULL services each weekend. How can we continue to do the mission with what God has given us?
As we brainstormed, we thought why not TV? Last week we contacted the major networks (2, 6, 8, 12) to see the availability for Easter Sunday morning. Check it out, all but one said either no religious programming, or no good time slot. Only Channel 12 got right back to us and are making available the 10am-11am time slot on FOX Channel 12.
I talked with them today. One, it is a fluke (I say ONLY GOD) that it is available. She told me that they normally run NASCAR, sports or ?? It changes every quarter. This is open, perfect and will in effect (GET THIS) have a potential audience in the millions (SW Washington, Portland, Central and Eastern Oregon and Southern Oregon as well as all coastal regions). The possibilities are beyond what I can comprehend.
We are asking homes to open up and host an Easter service in THEIR home or wherever?
We will support you, give you bulletins, church information, etc. There will be numbers people can call following the one hour Easter service that can connect them to Christ first, and then a local church. We will need hundreds of people to help with this ONLY GOD Easter vision. The impact will (I believe) change the landscape of the spiritual condition of the Pacific Northwest. I am excited and TODAY we begin the 40 day challenge. Our 41st day is on Easter weekend.
We will need everyone. Our goal is to reach as many people on Easter Sunday 2008 that we can. The potential audience is in the millions. We need your prayers, your homes and your ideas.
It is a HOME FOR EASTER CHALLENGE. It will be risky, it will be uncomfortable but I can in my mind and heart see people gathering in homes, finding faith in Christ and developing friendships with people. I can see campuses springing up everywhere in the next 30 or 40 days.
If you want to be part of this ONLY GOD EASTER VISION for 2008, I encourage you to pray for the leaders and to sign up. We will get back with you.
If you are not part of Living Hope and are interested in being a part, please e-mail Missy at missyh@livinghopechurch.com. She is helping to coordinate all the campus launches as well as the house churches that will meet on Easter Sunday.
If you have ideas for your Easter, tell us. Share with those who are contemplating doing this.
IT IS YOUR EASTER.
Pray, prepare and allow God on our 41st day (Easter 2008) to use your one and only life to change other people for all of eternity.
It's impact will echo in our lives for years to come.
MORE INFORMATION TO COME. At this point, we need homes or ideas.
CHURCH FOR EVERYONE, EVERYWHERE.
The message is what matters, the mission is what we will be about and the motive is love.
John
I am super excited for our Easter campaign. I love the whole fact you can invite your friends and family into your home and do cool things like brunch and egg hunts and watch church in recliners...Very cool. I mean you could do a potluck, or have it catered, or order in pizza. Everyone could come in pajamas, or dress up like its prom. The options are endless! I love it.
Posted by: Erin C | February 12, 2008 at 11:54 AM
What an incredible ONLY GOD vision. Since I live in Salem I don't have the opportunity to attend one of the campuses. But I like to follow what you all are doing up in the Vancouver\Portland area. I have visions of believers baptizing neighbors in hot tubs! I will be praying for Living Hope and the potential millions you will be able to reach this Easter. Would it be wrong to pray that KPTV would be the only channel on the air between 10-11 on Easter????? Hmmm.... ONLY GOD!!
Posted by: Jeff | February 12, 2008 at 02:00 PM
Is there a map to get to Adrienne & Arrons house for Easter.
Eric d
Posted by: eric | February 12, 2008 at 08:03 PM
It's your Easter...
Posted by: john bishop | February 12, 2008 at 08:19 PM
Here you go Eric...
(We'll see if this works)
View Larger Map
Bring your sleeping bags and we'll pitch some tents in the backyard! We'll have an ONLYGOD Easter Campout- true Yacolt style!
Sooo...when can we expect you?
Posted by: Adrienne | February 12, 2008 at 10:10 PM
Oops...that didn't work.
Here...
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=tyndall+afb+fl&ie=UTF8&ll=30.600094,-85.462646&spn=4.358497,10.217285&z=7&iwloc=A
there's the link anyway...it's late and my brain is done for the day.
Posted by: Adrienne | February 12, 2008 at 10:14 PM
Is that you waving?
Posted by: eric d | February 12, 2008 at 11:29 PM
My wifes boss and three others have offices in the same building. They want to open them on Easter and host. The potential is around 500 people.Maybe this could inspire others to do the same. How great would it be to have buildings normally closed at Easter filled with people coming into relationship with Him? Love the blogs. Thanks for all you do.
Posted by: Gary Holde | February 12, 2008 at 11:59 PM
This is so cool.
I am so proud to be part of a church like this even when I am a thousand miles away in LA.
Posted by: Shannon | February 14, 2008 at 03:10 PM
I'm sad that my family won't be able to go to the prairie campus for Easter. For us it's our biggest holiday and yeah, we'll watch John (wouldn't miss it), but we love hearing the music and singing with the band, droping our daughter off at her class to be with other children learning about God. Can we have both John at campus and on t.v.?
Posted by: malissa | February 17, 2008 at 08:02 AM