Missed your CovenantAIR flight?

This past weekend’s CovenantAIR flights were packed, and I am so glad many of you were on board. What a creative way for all of us to experience our three, 40-acre mission stations.

Did you miss one of the flights? Please stand by for rebooking instructions!

To recap: CovenantAIR took off at each of the three weekend services and landed in a 40-acre neighborhood in West Greenville. In so doing, we got a close-up look at our emerging ministry to our Greenville neighbors just 3.5 miles from our Main Campus. Walter Strathy, Director of Outreach, shared about the lives that have been changed as a result—both ours and the neighbors we have been meeting. Valerie’s testimony combined with video clips from inner city missionaries was also a powerful witness to what happens when we live out Jesus’ call to care (Matthew 25). Read more »

Benefits of Snow

Before we left Michigan in 1987, I gave my snow shovel to a neighbor. Gleefully I said, “I’ll never need this in North Carolina.” Having been born and raised in Texas, I was glad to be moving back to a warm climate. And although I really like to sled, ski, build snowmen and throw snow balls, I hate to shovel snow. This deep-seeded conviction has once again been confirmed these past few weeks. Come on spring!

But there is one thing I do love about snow in the South: it changes my priorities for the better. Read more »

Trading With No Regrets

Have you spotted the new Trade-It store in town?

This innovative retailer can be found at the corner of Evans St. and Greenville Blvd., and its signage subtitle says it all: Sell it…Buy it…Love it. I was intrigued by this marketing slogan and recently conducted some firsthand reconnaissance.

No great surprise once I got inside. You sell your stuff at wholesale and can buy other stuff at retail, goodies that your peers have previously sold. It’s essentially an upscale garage sale all in one place, and I can see why the place was packed the day I visited. Read more »

Still Learning to Have No Regrets

“If only. Those must be the two saddest words in the world.” Mercedes Lackey

“A man is not old until his regrets take the place of his dreams.” ancient proverb

Our current teaching focus on “No Regrets” is hitting very close to home as Mary Lou and I approach a new season in our lives. In fact, it explains a whole new direction we are taking. Let me explain.

Read more »

Pressing On in 2010

I had made it this far; I sure wasn’t going to turn back now!

Several years ago, my son John and I had an awesome time mountain climbing in Colorado. On our last climb, we tackled an 8-miler above the tree line, and it kicked my 50+ tail big time. At three-quarters of the way, we moved above the tree line and stopped for a quick break and a bite to eat. The view was breathtaking, a testimony to God as you can see in the picture I’ve included.

As we rested for a few minutes, I was so pleased by our progress and had great confidence that we would make it. At the same time, getting to the summit would not be easy by any stretch of the imagination; in fact, I knew it would get tougher. While John’s nimble and fit 20-something body was soaring, I was huffing and puffing in the altitude’s thin air. But I just kept quoting a favorite children’s story: Read more »

Getting Christmas

“I get it, I get it!”

The joy and volume of her outburst distracted my attention as I stood nearby, but I was glad. This all happened on Main Street last weekend after our Saturday night service as folks mingled. What I quickly came to understand was that this lady was a new believer, and she had just figured out Christmas. How cool is that?

Apparently she, like a lots of folks, had grown up thinking that Christmas was about Santa, gifts and family. She had never really understood that Christmas was about the Father’s love and pursuit of her. She had not grasped that Jesus had humbly become a human to rescue her from her sins and restore her heart. I wish you could have seen her face beam—from “death to life” was written all over it.

I don’t know all the elements that led to her redemption, but let me suggest the likely scenario—one that is being repeated more and more often at Covenant. Read more »

Trapped in the “bubble”

My oldest son, Charles, recently completed a training school in Texas as a first step towards being a church planter. It was a rigorous 9-month program designed to strengthen the character of students and help them establish Christ-like disciplines in their life.

Initially, I was not surprised as I learned about the specific expectations of the training school. In fact, it reminded me of my own experience in seminary. All the students were expected to be reading the Bible from cover to cover; there were a number of biblical subjects to be mastered; each was expected to be in a discipleship relationship with a mentor and be a leader within an ongoing ministry of the church–nothing too surprising there.

As I learned more, though, I started to get uncomfortable. Read more »

Jesus’ take on freedom

Doesn’t everyone want to be free?

Over the last few weeks I have been repeatedly reminded of how precious freedom is. The anniversary of the Berlin Wall’s collapse reminded me. Talking with a friend who lives in an oppressive region of India reminded me. Reading about Christians who have been jailed for their faith reminded me. Talking with a person who was recently arrested reminded me.

As far as I can tell, everyone wants to be free. Read more »

Sacrificing to the Finish Line

“Just a half-mile to go; you can do it!”

That’s what I was saying to myself over and over again last Saturday morning. I was part of the Good Samaritan 5K and pushing hard as I approached the finish line. I had intentionally been running faster than my normal, 55-year old pace, and my whole body was feeling it. My heart was pounding, my stomach was turning and my brain was questioning this painful strategy. I briefly thought about slowing and coasting in, but people were cheering me on. I was able to finish with a sprint!

Three years ago, Covenant began a 3-year race called His Heart, Our Dream. It was a broad-based project endorsed by all core leaders and has been financially supported by many households. The primary goal was clear to us all: expand our facilities so that people we had not yet met would have a place to worship and discover Jesus’ redeeming love. Read more »

A Very Old Challenge

InTENtional for 10 is a brand new challenge from Covenant’s leadership: embrace ten of Jesus’ life disciplines for ten weeks. Sounds new and creative doesn’t it?

This kind of “try it, you’ll like it” strategy is actually as old as the Old Testament. Check out the book of Malachi for one such example. Read more »