What I’ve Been Up To (Part 3)

Welcome back to ‘What I’ve Been Up To’:

4. In the Multi-Purpose Center, installing the projectors from the Auditorium went with the construction of a new stage which has been incredible. We had walls built from the floor to the ceiling that allowed us to update the look, begin to rear project wide screen with 3 screens, create a back stage, and make for a larger stage. The new stage has totally transformed the room creating a unique venue for our new Blend service, Middle & High School Ministries, Real Marriage, and other events. It was a lot of work getting it done but the excitement was double that! I have dreamed about these changes along with several of our staff guys for a while now. We are all excited and thankful for a church that is committed to creating irresistible environments so people can experience God.

5. the Blend Service – Yesterday we began an additional worship service on Sunday mornings called the Blend. It started yesterday, but we have been working on it for months…the MPC renovations from above, building leadership, creating an identity, promotion, etc. The Blend was one of our initiatives that our Senior Leadership Staff targeted this year as we entered the fall. The idea of a worship venue that offers a different choice in worship style is something that has been on our radar for a couple of years now. We were just looking for the right time, the right direction, the right style.

We have been anxious to kick this off to honestly see if it would work…technically. One of the great things about offering a venue is that it allows people another opportunity to invite people to connect to God with creating a huge new program. Plus, everyone’s likes choices, especially when it come to music style. My hope and prayer is that many FBCSmyrna Attenders will be encouraged and energized to invite friends, family, neighbors who might not have come before, but know with the Blend there is an option for them.

A value I have learned over the last year is that Everything is an Experiment (I learned the phrase from Mark Batterson). In a church that is willing to take risks to reach more people with the message of Christ, I think this value is vital. We are going to try many things…some will work great, some maybe not so great. So, we must enter each new venture, idea, step with the mindset that Everything is an Experiment. As an experiment, the tension is not so great, the dependence on God is greater, and the willingness to learn and adapt is better.

So far, I feel that God has blessed us in this initiative as the renovations have gone great and even under budget which is always incredible when you are involving large amounts of technology. Even more, we had 209 people in the Blend yesterday which was above our goal for the first Sunday. Exciting and worth the work!