Access Church

We've used this terminology since the very beginning at Access Church, and I've blogged about it before here.

Right now we're in the middle of a phenomenal series from Andy Stanley. It's called, "Destinations," and in case you missed the first two messages, you can catch up here.

North Point Online Promo from John on Vimeo.

You can't turn on the TV these days or strike up a front-yard conversation with a neighbor without spending some time discussing the economy. The current state of our nation's finances is affecting us on every level—in our personal and business finances, and at church, also.

The Singles Labor Day Retreat is an amazing way for singles to have a blast at the beach in beautiful Destin, Florida, while connecting with each other and being challenged spiritually. It's a weekend of amazing friendships, awesome worship, inspiring teaching, and thought-provoking discussions. It's attended each year by more than 1,000 singles from the southeast.

This year's retreat is September 4–7 and will focus on the topic of "dateability." There are few things in our lives more exciting, more confusing, and more complex than dating. We often have more questions about dating than we have answers. Questions like:

• Does God care about who you date? What about how you date?
• How does your past affect your present realities and future dreams?
• What about sex?
• Will I always be single?
• How do I know if they are right for me?
• How do I know if I'm right for someone else?

There will be multiple communicators from the North Point staff to help navigate this topic.

Worship throughout the weekend will be led by The North Point Band.

Whether you prefer to connect during one of the late-night environments, during a sports tournament, or while hanging out on the beach, there are plenty of opportunities to connect throughout the weekend.

And, at only $300, there's not a better way to spend your Labor Day weekend!

What to do now?

1. Sign up for more info by sending an email.
2. Attend a short information meeting July 19 right after our 10:30am service.
3. Learn more about costs and register online over here.
4. Stop by the Info Table in the lobby on Sunday morning and ask questions.

Labels: Environments

As most of you know, asking me about Access Church is like asking a grandmother to show you pictures of her grandchildren. I am so excited about what God is doing in our midst I can go on and on with stories of lives being changed and people re-prioritizing their everyday decisions to put God first.

Many of those people have signed on in the last two years to give their most precious resource (their time) to the mission of Access Church. Last night we had a dinner to celebrate, honor, and cast vision for this incredible group of people.

There was some frivolity, to be sure (note Jeff Hilley to the right, playing the game, "What's That Funk?" in honor of our dedicated Waumba Land leaders). More than 80 of our 120 volunteers were able to be there, and you know what—we really enjoy each other!

There were some important reminders as well. Here are a few for those that couldn't make it:

Think about the last time you were traveling and got lost. You had your destination in mind. You had every intention of getting there. But you took the wrong path, and you didn't end up where you wanted to be. A disconnect often occurs between the path you choose and where you want to end up.

This is the principle of the path, and this Sunday at Access Church, we'll discover how it impacts every area of our lives. We hope you'll join us. Here's a sample:

Are you good with directions, or bad?

All volunteers: Join us June 16 at the UNF University Center!

We met J.R. & Lisa Ekern the first day we moved to Jacksonville. In fact, they had us over for dinner that evening and our families went trick-or-treating together that night. So, of course, when we had the "On Location" Sunday back in March, we included them in our neighborhood cookout.

A day or two later, Lisa told Stephanie they would like to visit Access Church. Sure enough, the whole family showed up on Palm Sunday. Even more surprising, they broke with family tradition and came to Access (along with some other neighbors) on Easter Sunday!

J.R. stopped me as I was walking the dog the next week, enthusiastic about the environments you create, and telling me about others he was inviting to Access.

The next Sunday they came back, with guests, stayed for fx: Family Experience, and went home with a virtue pack.

Lisa came over to visit the next week, saying, "We have had more conversations about God in our home in the past two weeks than we have in our entire lives! And our 9-year-old daughter actually understands how to apply the virtues. It's all so practical!"

Two weeks later J.R. approached me and asked if we could talk about "church stuff" while up at the neighborhood pool.

We talked for about an hour, and he shared that while they had come to Access because they'd heard it was fun for kids, they found themselves growing as well! He said, "We've always been around church. Never once has it occurred to me to invite friends to church. Now I can't help myself! I'm talking about Access all the time!"

"How can I be a part of this? I can't just sit on the sidelines and watch."

Two weeks ago Lisa began serving in Waumba Land, and last week J.R. began serving on Host Team.

Way to go, Access volunteers! You just defined "irresistible environments!" As a result, this family tree has been changed, for generations to come!