WE GOT A BLESSED!!!

ok, we have 5 students waiting to be baptized. We had a teenager ask Jesus into his heart last month, we are taking 16 more students to youth camp this year, and we have a summer mission trip coming together with a choir tour. God is moving us and we can only look to God and count it blessings from Him when we see good things happen. "Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows." - James 1:17 NIV.
There is an old song that says, "count your many blessings, name them one by one, count your many blessings, see what God has done". There is truth to that sweet song. We can look at how richly God has blessed us and see what God has done, what He is doing, and where we should be going.
Here is what I mean:
We have a stable youth group with a strong group of Juniors and Seniors. We have a strong group of Junior High Students coming up. We have dispersed through out the other grades maturing Christ minded students. We have experienced the excitment of Winter Retreat, the Challenge of Disciple Now weekend, and we have a clear desire to see God change us and the world.
Take a moment right now, give God thanks for all of His blessings, Give Jesus thanks for saving us, and ask God to use you, to use us to be a blessing to others.

But I left out one HUGE blessing. Ken Griffin was voted in last Sunday to be our new pastor. He is an inspiring man of God. I have not seen such talent in the preaching, such devotion to a single purpose (leading the lost to Christ), and such geniune realness in person, all from a preacher. Not to ever discredit any pastor I have known. I believe God has brought Ken to North End for several reasons.

1. We have great potential to be a strong healthy church
2. We have great people who are ready to be challenged, moved, and changed
3. We have great people who are ready to get the job done
4. We have a children's department that is incredible, safe, full of fun, imagination, and purpose. It is designed to share the name of Jesus even to the babies.
5. We have a children's program that is cutting edge, making a big impact, and run by a great director.
6. Our youth group is growing deeper, each week we are seeing good fruit from God's word, whether its 8 visitors last week, or a 7th grader getting saved, or a set of brothers taking their bible to school, or 5 pews holding us together in worship.
7. We have a college ministry blessed with great teachers, the Mars Hill Band, great student leaders, and a presence felt at the local university.
8. We have a young adult department that is Full, I mean FULL, of hard workers (nursery workers, children's workers, youth workers, grill crews, deacons, yolk fellows, ushers, choir members, musicians, prayer warriors, parking lot security, hall monitors, and thats just every week).
9. Our median adult is funny, cause they work so hard you can't tell them apart from the young adult sometimes - that's a compliment.
10. Our Senior adult department is rich. Rich with sincere, loving, and wise men and women. They can and will outwork most of the rest of us. They remember how important a personal visit, a phone call, a set of flowers delivered to the hospital means. They not only have carried the torch well, but they set the example for others to follow.

Now that is what Ken has to work with, more importantly, that is what God has put together hear, and you add God's man coming to lead, shepherd, and co-labor in God's Kingdom and doing God's will; we will see God's glory right here.

I love this church. I love this youth group. Seek God today, look for His blessing, give Him praise because He has shown favor on us today!