Mike Edmisten Follower of Jesus. Husband of Nicki. Father of Ryan & Brock. Communicator of the Word.

State of the Church

I'm ready for Sunday…seriously, it can't get here soon enough!

This weekend, I'll be preaching the annual State of the Church message. It usually coincides with the State of the Union address given by the President. That speech won't be happening since President Obama just took office, but we're not taking the year off. I've got a hot message cooking for you.

What is the State of the Church message? It is a message that focuses on…drum roll, please…the state of the church. Profound, huh?

We're going to look back over the last year. We have a ton of victories to celebrate! God has blessed ACC immensely, and we're going to thank him for it!

We'll also spend some time looking ahead. Where are we going as a church? What is God calling us to do?

Gotta tell you…I'm pumped up! Do NOT miss this Sunday!

Hearts Dinner/Dance

Our annual dinner/dance will be Friday, February 13 at Receptions in Eastgate. Doors open at 6:00. Dinner is served at 6:30.

This event is a blast every year! You need to be there. Seriously. The food is awesome and the dance is a ton of fun.

What's that? You can't dance? Good. Neither can I. But it never stops me. In fact, there are usually only a handful of people there who can actually dance. The rest of us have a great time trying. In fact, I think this guy was at our dance last year.

via videosift.com

One of my favorite parts of this event is that it definitely lets you see a side of people that you'll never see at church! You don't want to miss it.

Get all the details here.

It's Not Your Fault

I heard a radio commercial recently that ticked me off. The ad was for some debt consolidation company. Here was the line that hacked me off…

"If you're deep in debt, it's not your fault."

I got so mad that I actually talked to my radio. I think I said something like, "Well then…whose fault is it, moron?" I realize that my radio wasn't going to answer me, but it sure felt good to say it out loud.

So, if I understand this company's logic correctly, that means that I can start spending like a madman, racking up a credit card bill that would choke King Kong, buying cars that I really can't afford, taking vacations even though I don't have the money, opening a charge account at all my favorite stores, eating out every other meal…and then, when I find myself hopelessly in debt, it will be ok…because after all, it isn't my fault.

What a load of bologna! If I find myself drowning in debt…it IS my fault! And it's up to me to get myself out of it.

This whole era of bailouts and handouts is not finances as God intended. The New Testament paints a very clear picture of frugality, restraint, and personal responsibility. It's time for the church, not the government, to take the lead on teaching people how to handle money.

And if we put some of these "it's not your fault" liars out of business…that's just icing on the cake.

Mike & Nicki…the early years

Who would have thought that these crazy kids would wind up together?

As I look at these pictures, two things run through my mind.

1. I need to find another stylin' Izod shirt.

2. I married up. It was obvious right from the start.

Are You OK with Losing?

Since this is Super Bowl week, I know that everyone is focused on football. And I am too, but I'm still following the happenings with my beloved Reds. I read a quote from manager Dusty Baker this week that is sticking with me. (I know some of you aren't baseball fans. Read on…because ultimately, this is much bigger than baseball.)

It's no secret that the Reds had another lackluster season last year. Ok…they weren't just lackluster. They were terrible. Dusty Baker noted three things that have to change from last year. Got this from Hal McCoy's blog.

Here are the three things that must change from last year, according to Dusty…

1. "We had excessive strikeouts."

2. "We played poor defense."

3. "When we lost, some guys left the clubhouse like it was no big deal. It is a big deal to me. I don’t like to lose."

That last one really grabbed me. The first two are tangible. You can count strikeouts. You can keep a record of errors in the field.

But the last one is intangible…and yet it's probably the most important of the three. It's about passion. It's about intensity. It's about giving your all and not settling for anything less.

The above phrases should describe every church on this planet. The church should be filled with passionate, intense believers who give their very best to the mission every single day.

We expect Major League Baseball players to approach the game that way. After all, they're getting paid millions of dollars to play a game. The least they could do is give their best effort. That's not always the case, though.

How much more should the church expect from its members? No, you're not getting paid millions of dollars. You've got something much better…the promise of heaven. The opportunity to hear Jesus say, "Well done, good and faithful servant." The prospect of saving people from a real place called hell.

For far too long, the church has been losing ground…and some in the church have seemed indifferent.

That stops now.

I'm dead serious. It stops now. I have no intention to be content with losing. There is no way that I'm going to be satisfied if the church is less than passionate about the mission that God has given us. There is too much at stake. This isn't a game. It's eternally serious business.

Maybe you think I'm crazy. Maybe you think that one man can't make that kind of difference in the church. And maybe you're right…but I'm going to spend my life trying.

What about you? Are you in?

Rejected

This weekend I'll be preaching the last message in a series entitled Rejected.

This message will focus on the man who is arguably the most surprising person in all the Bible to reject Jesus…Peter. One of Jesus' twelve disciples. The man who preached the first gospel sermon after the church was born in the book of Acts. The man who wrote letters now included in the New Testament. This was the same man who completely and wholeheartedly rejected Jesus, as described in Matthew 26.

It's an amazing story. And when we break it open on Sunday, it's a story that has amazing implications for our lives.

I am absolutely stoked about this weekend's message. I know it's going to change lives! That's not hype. That's the truth. You don't want to be anywhere but at ACC this Sunday.

Nexus

After a hiatus for the holidays, Nexus is back this Sunday night.

Students, you need to be there. Parents, you need to get them there.

Check out Brian's blog a preview of what's coming your way this Sunday night.

Creative Team

One of the best things we've done in recent years at ACC was the development of a Creative Team. This team gets together to discuss our worship services, look at our upcoming schedule, and plan some creative, out-of-the-box elements in enhance our worship.

If you're wondering what this team can do…do you remember The Other Side series? Anybody who was present for that series witnessed what this team can do…or rather, what God can do through this team. God has gifted us with some people who are passionate about seeing people connect to God, passionate about people who need Jesus, and passionate about the ministry and progress of our church.

I'm excited that we have a Creative Team meeting today. We've got some big stuff to hash out. Hang on tight, ACC. We've got some awesome stuff coming your way!

New Theme Song

This won't make any sense if you don't live in Cincinnati. But for the locals…aren't you glad that Gold Star Chili finally has a new advertising campaign? If I heard that pitiful theme song, Get Lost in the Taste, one more time…well, I don't know what I was going to do. It would have been bad, though. Very, very bad. (For those of you who don't live in the 'Nati, this ad campaign was everywhere. And the song was really sad.)

Thankfully, the head honchos at Gold Star finally made the switch to a new campaign. Whether or not it will affect their business, I don't know. (I'm a Skyline man, myself.) But I do know that, for the time being, I don't cringe at their commercials.

Corporations change slogans, logos, etc…simply because whatever they are doing currently has been around long enough. They know that, if they never change, eventually people will grow so familiar with it that they will cease to notice it. I can sing that stupid Get Lost in the Taste song, word for word. I heard it so many times that, unfortunately, I memorized it. When it came on, I tuned it out. It was too familiar.

It seems like a lot of churches have missed this, though. The church is notorious for doing the same thing in the same way…all the time. For example, let's say the order of their worship service never changes…ever. Eventually, people are going to become so familiar with it that they just go through the motions. They become so familiar with it that they cease to notice it.

Change is not easy in the church. In some churches, it seems darn near impossible. But if nothing ever changes…it will be like a bad corporate jingle on the radio. People will tune out…or change the station.

Inauguration Day Prayer

God,

Amen.