Hope that you all have a great 4th of July with family and friends! I am in Dallas with family. We have a weekend full of swimming, fireworks, and fajitas. I love 4th of July in Texas. This Sunday, Andy Stanley will be wrapping up the One Prayer series with a great talk - God is in control.

When you go on a mission trip, one of the greatest challenges is living what you have learned on the trip. Here are some of the lessons that I am going to try to live as a result of our trip. (Click Honduras Takeaways to read more)

Despite the coup, yesterday was a very restful day. We were able to spend the day with each other within our hotel which feels a little like a compound with its walls and security team. Now that I think about it, it is pretty cool that God had such a safe place for us to go in the midst of everything that happened. The guys and I spent most of the afternoon and evening watching movies. We found a channel that showed movies in English with Spanish subtitles. The ladies spent most of the afternoon and evening down by the pool. All of us needed this break before returning home. (Click Honduras Day 7 to read more.)

Today began with a surprise. There was a military coup in Honduras. Perhaps you have read about it. If not, you can get the low down here. We heard the news when we were on the way for a litte rest and relaxation at the beach. Our plans changed and we are now in a hotel in San Pedro Sula. We will fly out in the morning as planned. The team is safe and sound. Now is the time to pray for the people of Honduras along with our safe return. If the situation changes, I will post here.

I just rolled in from my little adventure in the mountains. It was amazing - more on that later. While I was away on my field trip, the team did some amazing stuff. They had a HUGE medical clinic on Thursday. Three days in a row of this can be very exhausting, but they didn't let it get to them. Their ability to work with a great attitude is something special. Today, they set a foundation for a home in the "Invasion". Think lots of digging, big rocks, hauling water, and mixing concrete. This is what they did. They are all sore and very sunburned which makes me laugh.

I am blogging early today because I will not have my computer tonight. Why you ask? Before I get to that, let me tell you how proud I am of our team. We are seeing God work in and through us in some pretty cool ways. Through this, I have gained a little perspective on spiritual gifts and the fruits of the spirits. In the US church, we have turned spiritual gift discovery into a test or a class, but what if it is different. What if our spiritual gifts are what we naturally do when we see God at work? What if our ministry is our response to God's activity - not just a self discovery process! We know what we should do in ministry by what we do when we see God moving. Our team has done this in spectacular ways this week. Each one has applied their gifts to specific God moments or assignments. Then it hit me, the Spirit of God doesn't just tell us what to do. He guides us in how to do things as well. Think fruits of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, f

Today, we were in the mountains again doing another medical clinic. We were at the same place as yesterday, but we had many new patients plus a few that we couldn't get to yesterday. On top of the patients, many of the kids who came yesterday for medical help, dental work, or a hair washing, came back today to play. They were waiting for us when our trucks rolled in. Not only were they looking to play, but they were looking to help. They helped us unload all of the boxes full of gear, medicine, clothes, blankets, etc. I spent the morning washing hair. Richard, Sylvia, and our interpreter washed with me. We were all struck by the love that can be communicated through a simple act like this. (Click Honduras Day 3 to read and see more.)

Wow...what a day! We just wrapped up our first day of medical missions in the mountains of Honduras. Our team served over 200 people today through first aide, medical help, dentistry, hair washing, playing games, prayer, and spiritual encouragement. My favorite thing was watching everyone on the team function in their gifts and work together as a team. It makes all of the passages that talk about the church being the body of Christ come alive. (Click Honduras Day 2 to read and see more.)

This blog post is my last act of the day. It has been a long, but very good day. Most of us were up before 3:00 AM so that we could be at Parkway by 3:45 AM. Did I emphasize the AM enough? We made it smoothly to the airport, through check in and to Honduras. In fact, everything has gone according to plan today. Richard and Julie have done a great job putting the trip together. We did a little orientation with the mission leaders (love them!) tonight capped off by a cool time of prayer. Tomorrow, we head out to do medical stuff. Some of us will be doing dental work (not me), others of us will be treating medical illnesses, others of us will be treating people for head lice which to me is the equivalent of washing feet in Jesus' day. Should be exciting to see where God gives us open doors. (Click Honduras Day 1 to see more.)

Wow...what a great weekend! Father's Day was just what I needed. Got to preach, got to eat a steak, got to watch NASCAR, got to watch golf, and I got to play with the kiddos in the pool. As for church, I was really encouraged by the crowd. We are up over 100 people a weekend compared to last year. Yea God. It felt really good to be back up front after 3 weeks on the bench. I needed the breather, but I couldn't have sat much longer. I loved talking about Moses and the burning bush and the fact that God is Ready. God is ready to use you and me. If you were out, check back here on Monday afternoon and watch the message. (Click Sunday Recap to read more.)

Given the awesome response to Perry on Sunday, I thought you might want to have another dose or two of Perry. Click More Perry to see the links.

You read that correctly. Rick is LIVE at Parkway today from 9:00 to 4:00. Come and see. Join us for the Purpose Driven simulcast. Even if you just have an hour or so it will be worth your time.

What happens when Perry Noble preaches at Parkway? God things happen. Sunday was another off the charts day in our One Prayer sereies. Seriously folks if you are missing this, you need to go online and listen to the talk. Click Sunday Recap to read more.

This Sunday, we will hear from Perry Noble from New Spring Church in Anderson, South Carolina. Perry has become one of my favorite leaders in the church world. He is passionate. He is bold. He is visionary. He is Godly. What a mix! You will love him. (Click Meet Perry to check out some classic Perry messages.)

Had a great day on Sunday. One Prayer kicked off with a bang. I loved Criag's talk. If you missed it, you want to take the time to listen to or watch it. Walking into this series, I wasn't sure how Parkway would respond to video teaching. To say that I was more than pleasantly surprised would be an understatement. (Click Sunday Recap to read more.)

Today, I am in Austin at a Leadership Network event. It is called Innovation Exchange. I brought Julie and Kim with me so I sure hope it is good. The idea behind the day is that we share what God is up to within our churches so that we can learn from each other. It's not really a conference. It is more like a grouping of conversations. Click LeadNet to read more.

This weekend, Craig Groeschel will be preaching as part of our One Prayer series. Craig is the pastor at www.lifechurch.tv. He leads one of the most creative and innovative church teams. Craig and his team have been pioneers in the multi-site movement. LifeChurch has 13 campuses with over 25,000 people in attendance every week. Click Meet Craig to see more.

Yesterday was a very good day at Parkway. It was a weird day for me because I didn't preach and I wasn't on vacation. Kim preached and did a great job. He looked at the Luke 15 and the Parable of the Prodigal son. Did a very good job pulling out stuff I had never heard or thought of. Plus, we had a really cool experience to wrap up the service with open doors and blank keys. If you missed the talk, you should make sure and check it out when it is posed on the site later in the day. Since I was "off", I was able to walk around and check out everything else that happens on a Sunday at Parkway. Here are some of the highlights:

Today is a big day. Today, we pause to remember the service men and women who are actively serving and who have served in the past to protect our freedoms. Today is also my 13th wedding anniversary. God has truly blessed our relationship and he has led us to build our lives together for Him over the years. On top of all of this, today is also the one year anniversary of God bringing us back to Victoria. (Click Big Day to Read More.)

Waht a day. Full day...good day...God stuff kind of a day. We hit it hard during week two of the Singled Out series with a talk on Choosin' to Do It Right. Love looking at God's Word for relationships for both single and married adults. Continue to hear amazing feedback on this series. Here are some highlights of the day:

Okay...you know what I am going to say. Sunday as an amazing day at Parkway. I really believe it was. We kicked off Singled Out by looking at what it is means to Live Single in a Married World. We did a little myth busting. From what I hear, it spoke to the heart of single adults while at the same time building into those who are married. That is what is cool about God's Word. It is relevant to all of us and speaks to every season of life. If you missed the message you can view it or listen to it here.

I have always believed that leaders are learners. I have also always believed that I am a leader. The funny thing is that I haven't always been a learning leader. But recently, I have been in hyper learning mode. Here is what I have been doing: (Click Leadership to read more.)

Check out this video on a virus that is spreading faster than the Swine Flu. Click "The Whine Flu" to see the video. It is classic Ed Young stuff.

Yesterday was a strong day at Parkway. We wrapped up the Next series and honestly, I am glad it's done. I loved researching and preparing to teach on the End Times. I loved the response. Lots of life-change. Yesterday, we had 3 people pick up New Believer Kits. Last week, we had 9 people pick up kits. That means that we have record of 114 people accepting Christ this year. This is not normal. It is amazing. My favorite story from yesterday involves a mom and a daughter. God was tugging on both of their hearts. The mom did some big time recommitting to Jesus while her daughter prayed to accept Christ. Neither knew what the other was doing, but God was calling them at the same time for his purposes. Very cool.

It amazes me to see how people are reacting to the Swine Flu. Schools are closing. Graduations are being cancelled. Sporting events are being rescheduled or being played in empty stadiums. Masks are the new fashion statement for the jet set crowd. We are doing all of this to protect the health of the masses, which is a good thing, but I think there is a message for the church here as well. Some churches are Swine Flu paranoid churches. They only let you come if you aren't "sick." Your life for the most part must be clean and good. No fevers of relational problems. No coughing up challenging language. Definetly no vomiting of obvious sin in your life. Like the mask of today, these churches even have an accpetable dress code. So if you life is in relatively good shape, you are not an obvious screw up and you can dress like we dress then you are welcome. Otherwise, stay home. Don't be a part of what we are doing. We would hate for you to "infect" someone here. I know

Walk into any church and you can get a feel for the kind of church that it is within seconds. Look around what do you see? Listen up, what do you hear? If you are in a more modern church you probably hear upbeat, band driven music. You probably see people gathered building relationships with each other. You may also smell freshly brewed coffee coming from the church's uber cool coffee shop. The people are likely to be dressed in casual, everyday clothes. Walk into a more traditional church and the experience is a little different. People are still gathered, but their conversations are a little more subdued. Rather than upbeat band driven music, you may hear something a little more classic perhaps with a piano or maybe even an organ. The smell of coffee is probably still in the air, but it is coming from the Mr. Coffee pot at the end of the hall. As for the people, there is nothing everyday about clothes they are wearing. They are wearing their Sunday best. For generation

Last night's Town Hall for Hope was amazing. I have been listening to Dave on the radio for over 12 years. As I drove back and forth to seminary, I would listen to a business talk station in Houston which was one of his first affiliates. Then, when I moved to DC, I still needed me some Dave so I would listen to the webcast. So cool to see how his message has spread. I was also proud of my friends at LifeChurch.TV. They put an outrageous amount of time and resources into this event. As always, they give everything that they've got to be a resource to others. Dave's message plus Q and A time was a blend of his classic message plus some very time specific advice. We had over 200 people at Parkway for the event. This response far exceeded my expectations and it excited me more than you will know. Here's why: if you do the math and 6000 sites averaged 200 people each, then 1.2 million people gathered in community to hear Dave's message. That's not even counting the TV audienc

Haven't been blogging much lately. That has led to some wondering what's up with Mike and the blog. Well, nothing is up besides the fact that I am crazy busy. But being busy is no excuse for not blogging! So, I am back. Hope you will be back, too.

As promised here is the video that we used in our services today. Click "That's My King" to view the video.

Wow! Where do I start. This was my first Easter as Senior Pastor at Parkway. All week long, I had a strange feeling inside of me. Not bad just strange. I think it was my expectancy meter. I always expect big things to happen on Sundays. I never take one "off" because of this. Every Sunday is of equal value, but somehow this one felt different. I think this is because we all took it to another level this week. From our staff team to our amazing volunteers and ministry leaders, everyone cranked it up and that was awesome to see. Together we were all expecting God to do great things. Click Sunday Recap to read more.

Easter is almost here. Wanted to make sure that everyone is in the loop with the service schedule. We are having 3 identical services. The first is at 8:00 AM. This service has childcare for birth to 1 yr only. This is a great opportunity for those who don't have kids or for those who want to worship as a family. Then, at 9:30, we will have the second service. At this service, we will have Children's MInistry for birth through 5th grade. At 11:00, the third service starts. At this service, we will have full Children's Ministry plus Student Impact, a worship service for students 6th - 12th grade. Now that you know when we will be meeting, you need to know why you should be here with a friend or family member sitting next to you. We are going to present the truth of Easter in very creative and clear cut ways. And one more thing, you don't want to miss the start of the service.

Check out the video that we played yesterday during the services. What a perfect way to wrap up a talk on love, sacrifice, and laying your life down for others.

I have to be honest. Today was one of those days when I wish that I could ask for a mulligan. I just didn't feel good about the talk. I was prepped up and prayed up, but I didn't feel like I was hitting on all cylinders. (For those of you who are catching my analogies, yes I did watch golf and NASCAR this afternoon.) While I don't plan to have days like these, I am okay when they happen for a couple of reasons. First, I get another shot at it in seven days. Sunday comes around with amazing regularity. Second and more importantly, God works even when I don't feel like I am on my game. Today was a prime example of that. We had 7 to 10 people trust Christ in the services. Whole families raised their hands. Husbands and wives didn't even know the other had raised their hands but there they sat together raising their hands to let me know that they had just prayed to receive Christ. It never gets old to see this. I hope that it never does. Overall, we had a big weekend at Pa

Wow. What a day! It was great to have Scott back. Apparently, he brought a few hundred of his closest friends with him. I was so proud to see our church love on Scott, Tara, and the kids. I was also excited to see how people responded to Scott's message. God was definitely at work among us. I thought that you might want to hear a little of what Scott thought of the day. What would Weatherford write if he were doing the recap? Lots of energy in the church. Amazing spirit among the people. Band did a great job. Dave is a talented guy with a heart for God. Mike looks good in pink. Really he does. Back to Mike...I meant what I said at the end of the service. If you came on Sunday to see Scott and you aren't connected to a church, it is time to come home to Parkway. You will find that our love for each other is strong. Our commitment to reaching people and building lives is unshakeable. Our team is committed to saying what we do and doing what

Can't wait for Sunday. I know that I always say that. Just so you know, I always mean it, too. I am looking forward to this weekend's talk. Why? Well, it's because I am not giving it. Scott Weatherford, the founding Pastor of Parkway, will be back in town for the weekend and he is going to preach. This will be his first time back at Parkway in almost 2 years. If you know Scott, you don't want to miss Sunday. If you don't know Scott, you don't want to miss Sunday. Pretty much, you want to be here. I have seen his talk. He is going to encourage your socks off.

Easter prep is in full swing. We are praying for and planning the services. We are working on graphics and we are designing pieces that will be used on our site, in the paper and throughout the building. We are dreaming about stage and lighting design. Also today, we shot a little video for a commercial which will air for the two weeks leading up to Easter. Advertising like this will hook some people who have never been to Parkway before. It will also give all of us a tool to use to invite our friends and family to church this Easter. Should be fun. Yep. Easter prep is in full swing.

Had another good day at church. We baptized a bunch of folks and had a great time in worship today. I love seeing people go public with their faith through baptism. It is such a humbling and yet powerful experience for those who are getting baptized. For those of us who are witnesses, it is a big time encourament and reminder of our own life change. It's kinda like how you flash back to your wedding when you go to a wedding. So, too, do you flash back to your baptism everytime you see someone else go public. Days like today also remind me of why we exist as a church. We exist to reach people who don't know Christ so that they can come to know Christ and grow in their faith. We call this building a life that honors God. I am so glad that God using us as he is and I am glad that you are a part of the journey. I love Parkway Church. I love her people. I love her passion. I love her mission. I love the difference she is making in the world.

Sunday, I threw down the challenge to get into the Bible everyday. Many of us are doing just that through www.youversion.com. At www.youversion.com, you can follow along with a daily reading plan in a variety of translations. It is a great tool, but it's not the only tool that is out there. If reading isn't as easy for you as listening, you need to check out Faith Comes by Hearing. At Faith Comes by Hearing, you can stream the Bible. You can also download the Bible and play it on your Ipod. If you commute to the plants or if you spend a little time on the treadmill, then this is the tool for you. By listening to the Bible for 28 minutes a day, you can listen to the entire New Testament in 40 days. Take the challenge. No excuses.

For the first Sunday of Spring Break, we had a great day. Heck for any Sunday, we had a great day. The building was full of energy with lots of new faces. On a day when I thought we would be a little flat, I was more than pleasantly suprised. Here are some of the highlights: (Click Sunday Recap to read more.)

Hey everyone, Check out these requests from Dru and Brandy the leaders of our prayer team. (Click Prayer to read more.)

Check out the video we played on Sunday to promo our next series, 3:16 Numbers of Hope.

We had another solid day today at Parkway. Very cool to see two people trust Christ in our services. God continues to amaze me as HE uses this church to reach people that are far from HIM. We wrapped our the Everything that You Wanted to Know series with an interesting (I think.) twist (Click Sunday Recap to read more.)

Today, I am in San Antonio with the Group Life Advisory Team for the Willow Creek Association. It is a privelege to be a part of this group. This gathering of people probably includes some of the greatest community building leaders in North America. (To read more, click I Love Small Groups.)

Sunday was another good day at Parkway Church. It never gets old to see people trust Christ with their lives. Yesterday, I had more action at the couches than we have had in weeks. If you aren't a part of Parkway, let me explain. (Click Sunday Recap to read more.)

This weekend, we are continuing the Everything You Wanted to Know Series as we answer questions about discovering the will of God. As a part of the talk we will look at: How do you know when the Lord is speaking to you? If God’s will is predetermined and perfect, what is the point of prayer? Will my request actually change his plan? What is the point of praying “Let your will be done” – won’t it be done anyway? When praying for something, are you supposed to pray over and over and over again? (Click This Weekend for a sneak peek.)

Okay...as we work through the Everything That You Wanted to Know series, I want to answer a question that I have been asked a few times over the last 6 months. The question: "Mike, what do you think about the Shack?" I purchased the book a few months back BUT I have not read it. Honestly, I am not sure that I will. Fiction isn't my favorite reading material. So, how can I answer a question about a book that I haven't read? I can point you to Pastor Mark Driscoll from Mars Hill. (Click The Shack to read more.)

Check out Sunday's message from my friend Todd Phillips at Frontline. He is kicking off a series on the differences befween religious beliefs. In this talk, he is focusing in on "Tolerance and Truth." (Click Tolerance and Truth to watch the video.)

Last week, I got an email from my best friend from High School. Her name is Aly Calvo. Why am I telling you about Aly? Well, it's because she is one of the most amazing people that I have ever met. She and her twin sister, Andrea, are big time leaders and their story is an inspiration to anyone with a pulse. You can learn more about their story here. (Click Friends to read more.)

This wouldn't be funny unless it had a ring of truth to it. (Click worst wedding ever to click a funny but sad video.)

Well, I can honestly say that I have NEVER experienced what we experienced yesterday during the second service. If you weren't there, let me fill you in. (Click Sunday Recap to read more.)

As promised, here are some resources to continue the journey as we face up to the issues inside of us: (Click Keep Going to find resouces.)

Wow - what a day! We kicked off the new series, Everything that You Wanted to Know...But Were Afraid to Ask. Answered the questions that you submitted and took a straight up look at alcohol, porn, and our continued struggle with sin. Great crowd. Thought everyone really connected with the talk especially in the second service where we had a little uninitiated audience participation not once but twice. (More on that later.) We saw a few people go public with their new faith and pick up a New Believer Kit. (Click Sunday Recap to read more.)

I can't wait for Sunday as we kick off the new series, "Everything You Wanted to Know About...But Were Afraid to Ask." You asked the questions. Now, get ready for the answers. This week, we will tackle questions like these: (Click Top 5 to read more.)

Today, I am calling you to examine your heart before the Lord. How sensitive are you to the sin in your life? Is there a sin that you need to confess and turn over to God? Is there a place in your life, where you need to admit that God is stronger than the sin that is in you? Is there a place that you need to believe what is written about you in the Word of God? Take time and ask God these questions and see what he says. Then, watch the video and celebrate the fact that you have just lifted God high up in your life. (Click blog title to view video.)

Today, we are going to look at some prayer requests from Brandy and Dru, our prayer team leaders. Happy praying. (Click prayer to read more.)

Welcome to the Sunday Recap - Tuesday edition. I was (and still am) under the weather so here we go. Sunday was a really good day. We had some tech issues, but everything else was very good. I even liked the talk this week. Here are some of the highlights: (Click on Sunday Recap to read more.)

Today, take a moment and listen to this song and check out the video. Then let your praise ring out to God. Spend some time praying and thanking God for all that he is and all that he has done for you. Let your life sing of the risen king and give God your highest praise! (Click on the blog title to see the video.)

Today, I am going to share some of the feedback that we received about the church at 101 on Sunday. Remember, we had 21 people join. Some have been here a long time others have only been here a few weeks. There comments told me volumes about what we are doing here and how we are on the right track to build lives that honor God. (Click What People Are Saying to Read More.)

Yesterday was a full day, a really full day. Here was the rundown: (Click Sunday Recap to read more.)

Enjoy week to of worship Thursday. If you are struggling today, take heart in the depth of the Father's love today. If you are worried today, never let go of God. If you are doing great today, thank God for the foundation that his love has provided for you. (Click the blog title to view the video.)

If you ever needed a reason to share your faith or bring someone to church...check out this amazing video. It will blow your mind. Really it will. (Click The Gift of a Bible to see the video.)

Today is a big day for our country. I guess that goes without saying, though. Having been in Washington for both of W's inaugurations, I amazed by what I am seeing on TV and hearing through friends regarding today's events. Such a different level of expectation. Such a different level of hope. Such a since of history. What are you going to do to mark this historic moment? We are going to gather as a staff team to watch the swearing in and pray for President Obama and his administration. (Click Big Day for Presidential Prayer Requests)

You will never believe who showed up to our Inauguration Party. Click "You will never believe who..." to find out about our special guest.

Yesterday, we kick off the "More Than Enough" series in a big way. Let me hit the highlights. The music was off the charts good. I mean really good. The second service was worshiping their guts out. Dave and the team did a great job. So proud of them. So proud of Parkway, too. I let you know that we were talking about money and you still showed up to church! We had a great crowd. Plus, we saw people continue to give their lives to Christ and pick up New Believer Packets. (Click on Sunday Recap to read more.)

If you are like me, you need a little almost end of the week encouragement so the next weeks, that is exactly what you are going to get. Each Thursday, I am going to post segments of worship services from my friends at Frontline. Enjoy. (Click the blog title to see the video.)

Don't miss Worship Celebration tonight at Parkway Church. We will get together at 6:30 for a time of extended worship, prayer, and communion. Grab your small group and see me there!

You read that headline right. I am shifting my allegiances to a new team. Who are they? Who will replace the Boys? It's the Denver Broncos. Why? You ask. It's pretty simple. They took a risk by hiring a young leader to become their next coach. While I know very little about Josh McDaniels what I do know is that he is 32 years old. What a bold move to higher a young coach to lead one of the premier franchises in the NFL! Hopefully it will be a genius move. Only time will tell. The Broncos aren't the only ones in the NFL who are into young leaders. The Browns have a new young coach. The Ravens have a young coach. The Steelers have a young coach. The Raiders had a young coach. If McDaniels is more like Tomlin with the Steelers and less like Kiffin with the Raiders then the trend should continue. Click read more for more.

Wow! What do you say after a day like yesterday? Great crowds. Great spirit. Great move of God. Well, that sums it up. I guess that is what you say after a day like yesterday. My message focused on the state of the church. While it was nothing earth shattering and there were few surprises for those who have been around Parkway for long, there seemed to be a real excitement about what God is calling us to be and do in 2009. People were locked in and listening with their hearts the whole message. Then at the end of the talk, (Click read more to continue.)

For the last couple of weeks, I have been following a pretty intense workout and eating plan - Body for Life. I have been keeping a lid on this in case it didn't take hold in my life. Well, it has. And I have learned a couple of things in the process. First, I need a system to get healthy. If I eat like I want and workout like I want, I stay the same, but if I have a system to follow, things change. Second, it is virtually impossible to keep a lid on something in Victoria. Through our network of friends, word spread of what I was doing and believe it or not others are following my lead on this and taking the Body for Life challenge themselves...

I love www.youversion.com. I got hooked on www.youversion.com as I was looking for a Bible reading plan for this year. I had heard about it before since it was developed by Terry Storch and some other friends at LifeChurch.tv, but I had never given the site a real test drive late last year. A quick Bible search on my phone and then a quick visit on my laptop and I knew that I had my tool that would pull me through the Bible this year. Click read more to learn more.

My former Pastor, Lon Solomon, was featured in Esquire magazine recently in a section that they call "What I've Learned." They talk to movers and shakers from around the county to get they best advice and life lessons. Click read more to check it out.

We had a solid day yesterday at Parkway. It felt good to get back into life's normal routines with people I love so much. Plus, I got to preach through our Core Values. Yes, I am more than passionate about this church and what it's purpose is in Victoria. And yes, I am blown away by all that God is doing among us. We saw more people go public with their faith yesterday - very cool.

You may have already seen this, but I haven't so I'm guess maybe you haven't seen this 12 Days of Christmas Video either. Enjoy.

It is almost Christmas. The phrase overheard at my house over and over again is, "I can't wait for Christmas." The kids have a countdown going that ends on Christmas morning. I am excited about Christmas morning, but my countdown ends on Christmas Eve. I can't wait to be with Parkway Church and see what God does at our Christmas Eve Services. If you are anywhere close to Victoria on Wednesday, get here. You don't want to miss it. Now for my thoughts on Sunday:

Check out this video and consider it fair warning. Don't end up in the dog house this Christmas fellas. Choose your gifts wisely. If you can plug it in, don't buy it. If it results in weight loss, don't even think about it.

Wow, what a day. Yesterday, we dug into the life of Mary and discoverd how her faith made her faithful. We also batized 9 people during the service plus we saw other give their lives to Christ. It doesn't get any better than this. I think we showed what the church should look like when it's on mission for God. Jesus told us to go, reach the world, baptize them and disciple them. We did all of those things yesterday. Many people are coming to Parkway on the arm of a trusted friend as you "go" and invite them. As their hear God's Word, and experience his church, they are trusting Christ. Then, we are seeing them go public with their faith through baptism and begin the growth process through our services and through small group. I need days like yesterday that give me a snapshot of the life change that people are finding in Jesus Christ.

Unity in a church is a beautiful thing. Unity shows that we trust each other. Unity shows that we love each other. Unity shows that we are going in the same direction and have the same purpose. Unity shows the watching world that the church of Jesus is different than the very divided world around us. Why am I so charged about unity today?

Yesterday was a solid day. We kicked off the new series, Christmas Behind the Scenes by looking at Joseph. This question hit me when I was studying for the talk: Who would God choose to raise his Son? The answer: a righteous man. This is what I talked about yesterday.

The Hurt family doesn't have a ton of traditions. I like to change things too much to have traditions, but there is one tradition that we hold to that I want to share with you. We do family activities everynight as we prepare for Christmas. We read Scripture, do an activity, and pray togehter each night. Kristi came up with whole thing a few years back. Being the spiritual leader in my home, I know when I should do exactly what she says and this is one of those times. These short times (about 10 minutes), keep us focused on what Christmas is all about.

I can't wait for Sunday when we kick off the new series, Christmas Behind the Scenes. I have had a blast teaching on relationships with the Love Dare, but honestly, I am ready to move on. I am ready to dig into the lives of the people in the nativity story. I am ready to see how God stretches our faith as a result. I am ready to see people have the true meaning of Christmas come alive in their life.

I have received more feedback from Sunday's talk than any other that I have given at Parkway. Apparently, the loyalty conflict is one we all have issues with from time to time. It's a good thing that God's Word has the solution mapped out for us when it comes to removing parasites from our relationships. Read this passage and tell me that the Bible isn't relevant to today's world.

Wow...what a day. We had our largest crowd in the last 8 months yesterday. November is usually a time that attendance dips as we head toward the holidays, but this year we are growing. Very cool. This growth represents life-change and how God is using our church. I am hearing countless stories about relationships being restored and challenged through this series. We are also seeing people come to Christ each week. This week, we had six people pick up New Believer Packets with more people raising their hand in the service. God is ambushing people all over the place right now at Parkway. Here are some of my quick thoughts on the day:

Today, we had a great team meeting to talk about Christmas. I'm not going to spill the beans on what we have planned but mark your calendars for December 24th. We are hosting a Christmas celebration that you, your friends, and your family don't want to miss. Much more on this to come.

Enjoy these videos from two of the smartest guys on the planet.

Throughout the Love Dare series, I am going to post some great content from a couple of relational experts that I love. Who are they? Well, they are John Townsend and Henry Cloud. I met Henry a few years back when he was the speaker at our Small Groups Conference at MBC. He is an amazing guy. He is scary smart and yet down to earth. I could really relate to him except for being scary smart. His partner in ministry, John Townsend, over the years has played a significant role in some of my friends lives. Check out these quick videos:

Wow...what a day. Yesterday, was another strong day at Parkway Church. We kicked off the "Love Dare" series. Through this series, we are going to look at how we can take our relationships to the next level. Each week, I will throw down a love dare and walk through how we can live it out. Yesterday, my double dog dare was "Dare to Fight." Most couples don't need to be dared to fight. They do that just fine on their own, so let me clarify it. I dared couples to fight for the relationship that they are in. Don't get beat up by conflict, but grow through it. It was a good talk even if I do say so myself.

It's not too late for you to be a part of the Fireproof My Marriage Conference. It should be a great day as we hear from some of the leading marriage and family leaders in our country. Don't let the video simulcast keep you away. After a few minutes into the talks, you won't even remember it is a live video rather than a live person. Face it. Most of you watch me on the screens event though we are in the same room. Tickets will be available at the door. Registration starts at 8 AM. The event starts at 8:30 AM.

I know that I say this all the time, but I mean it so I am going to keep saying it. I am more than excited about what God is doing at Parkway Church. I was blown away by how God encouraged me through the interview with Kimberly Woodhouse on Sunday as we wrapped up the Generations series.

We had another great weekend at Parkway Church. The highlight of the services for me was my interview with Kim Woodhouse. She told her families story and how God as used Extreme Makeover Home Edition to change their lives and give her a platform to share Christ. If you missed it, you will definitely want to check out the video which should be up later today.

I am fired up about what God is up to in our church. We continue to see people come to Christ. This week, 9 people trusted Christ. Our worship together was awesome this weekend with the blended band of adults and students. I couldn't have been prouder of our students! I can't wait to see what happens next. This is another HUGE week at Parkway. We have our Patio Party. We have baptism. We have special guest Kim Woodhouse. It is going to be fun. To get baptized, bring something to get wet in (shorts and a T-shirt) and a towel. Now for my top five things that you need to know:

My friends at Frontline are launching into a new series on who Jesus is. Check out the video that they created by talking to young adults from around DC.

Today, I want for us to focus our prayer on families who are struggling as they raise their children. Pray for those with elementary children who are struggling with school. Pray for those who have middle school students who are struggling with behavior issues. Pray for those in high school who are making poor decisions that are leading them to dangerous sin patterns. Pray for those who have kids of any age who aren't walking with the Lord. Pray that God change their hearts and lead them back to himself.

Yesterday, we had 9 people give their lives to Christ in our services. Week after week people are opening up their hearts and lives to God as they attend our church. This never gets old. Today, I want us to center or prayer on those who made decisions for Christ at church over the weekend.

On Sunday, we are going celebrate baptism at our patio party. If you have not been baptized after trusting Christ, then make Sunday your day. Go public with your faith through baptism. Invite your family and your friends to be a part of this special day.

This morning, I rolled out of bed at 5:15 to make a 6:20 flight to Nashville. If you aren't from Victoria, you are thinking how in the world did you make a flight on this timetable? Well, one of the benefits of life in Victoria is very quick access to the airport, free parking at the airport and you don't have to show up two hours before your flight. In fact, if you do show up that early, you will be the first one at the airport. Today, I am going to do a quick conference with LifeWay.

Today, I want for you to pray for everyone who is connected to a Small Group, a Bible Study, or another form of community connection through a church in and around Victoria. Jesus says that our love for each other will show that we are his disciples so we need to pray for the loving relationships that are formed in community. We also need to pray that as relationships deepen spiritual growth happens.

Tomorrow, I jump on a plane to speak at the Willow Creek Small Groups Conference on Thursday and Friday. I just came across this promo video and got really excited about the trip. Looking forward to equip leaders and connect with friends from around the country.

Today, I want us to pray for the marriage relationships that are going great. Pray that God would bind husbands and wives hearts together so that if times get difficult nothing can pull them apart. Pray that they are giving God the credit for their relational success. Pray that they are sharing their success and the lessons they are learning with others who are in need of help.

Today, we are going to pray for the single moms and single dads in and around Victoria. Pray that they can balance all of the demands of their life. Pray that they can love their children dearly and raise them in a good, God-honoring home. Pray that other family and friends help the single parent when needed so that the children are raised in a supportive environment.

Yesterday, I heard that my mom may have had a stroke. We spent the day waiting for results and waiting for action. As I waited, I prayed and asked you to pray at the Worship Celebration. It looks like she didn't actually have a stroke and they are treating her with meds. Yea God for this!

With news of economy dominating the headlines again today, I ask you to pray for the people in Victoria who are struggling financially. Pray for those who can't make ends meet. Pray for those who are unemployed or underemployed.

Today, I had the privelege of praying at an event to remember those who have been impacted by domestic violence. As a part of this event, two things hit me. First, the sherriff said that the majority of their calls are related to domestic violence.

Today, we need to pray for the families of Victoria. Saturdays used to be filled with cartoons and projects around the house. Now, they are filled with soccer games, football games, and everthing else that life throws our way. So today, pray for the pace of life that families are living. Pray that their pace doesn't keep them from loving and honoring each other.

Today, we are going to pray for all of the wives in and around Victoria. Pray that they can love their husbands when it is easy and when it is hard. Pray that they can communicate clearly with their husband. Pray that they can follow his leadership. Pray that they can set a Godly example for their husband if he doesn't know Christ.

Today, I want for you to pray for all of the husbands that are in and around Victoria. Pray that they can love their wives as God has called them to love their wives. Pray that they can lead their families as they should. Pray that they can have the right priorities. Pray that can be the men that God has designed them to be.

Today, I want for you to pray for the relationships that you are in. If you are married, pray for your spouse. If you aren't married, pray for your family. Pray that God's love would be expressed in your relationships and that you could be an encouragement to those with whom you are in relationship.

Today, I ask you to pray that love and respect could be known in our relationships. According to Scripture, it takes both for our relationships to be what God wants them to be.

Yesterday in the services, I challenged Parkway Church to join my in a 40 Day Prayer Dare for the relationships in our town. As a church, we will be praying for the marriages, families, dating relationships, work relationships, and friendships. We will be lifting up these relationships because we know two things:

Yesterday was a strong day at Parkway Church. I felt really good about the whole day. Probably the most exciting thing was seeing people in the atrium making the ask and starting new mentoring relationships. Now that I think about it, these weren't the most exciting moments of the day. The most exciting moments where when 4 people (2 in each service) raised their hand to let me know that they had trusted Christ. It is amazing to see God call people to trust him every week at the end of the services. We also had a ton of new people and registrations for 101.