We continue to have excellent attendance - last Sunday was our all-time, non-holiday, high regarding how many people were at Forum. That’s awesome! It says, “There’s something going on there.” And there is. 

We continue to study the Bible and the mission God has us on - to intentionally connect people to Jesus. All of the focus should be on God’s word and that mission. The ongoing challenge is to not waver from this mission which defines our ministry. We spoke this past Sunday about staying focused and not being a predictive prophet saying, “That person is going to act this way, so I’m not going to reach out to them.” This mindset doesn’t align with the goal of intentionally connecting others to Jesus. 

We’ll wrap up the “I AM Jesus” series this Sunday looking at Jesus's statement “I am the Alpha and Omega” out of Revelation. We’ll be talking about how there’s limited time to talk about Jesus and how when it’s over, it’s over. God is the definer of our days and has an ultimate say in our lives. We are subservient to His will and His desire. When we submit to His will, life takes on the mission to connect people to Jesus. 

Looking forward to worshiping with you this Sunday. Bring a friend or family member with you to encounter His word and teaching.

See you Sunday,
Scott

With 1775 in the 4 services, it was an impactful day. It was a joy to see all the services filled with people!

• The video reviewing the baptisms with “Resurrecting” and “Raised to Life” integrated into it was powerful to witness.
• Bradley did a great job expounding the scripture and opening up a dialogue in the realm of doubts surrounding the resurrection.
• The day was fast and fun with Juggling Jeff ministering to our elementary-aged young people.
• We had a good number of people take advantage of the morning pancake breakfast.
• Many commented as well about the meaningfulness of the Good Friday Worship Event. Tyler and his team did a great job putting that together.

This Sunday we continue in our sermon series “I AM Jesus.” We will see that Christ’s mission to save the world is not stagnant, but is ongoing. It captures people who don’t want to be near it. It changes people’s lives. This week we’ll see Christ grab the heart of one who hated Christ followers and change him. Life change is what Jesus is about. You may have friends who are “No to Jesus” type of people. This would be a good message for them to hear and experience.

Each week, we strive to set up services that lift up Jesus. We continue to see the scripture played out that when we lift up Christ, He will draw people to Himself. 

Looking forward to seeing you all on Sunday. 

-Scott

On Tuesday I was talking with Scott about our transition to four services and all the excitement around our upcoming Easter weekend. He was encouraged to hear and see that God is at work in some compelling ways at Forum. As we discussed the upcoming Good Friday service, our conversation morphed into a discussion about the power of an invitation. 

So many of the pivotal moments in life have come as a result of a simple invitation. The first date with my wife was the result of a simple (albeit nervous) invitation. The reason my wife and I started attending Forum over ten years ago came as the result of an invitation. The list can go on and on. I think the same thing is true for all of us. 

Sometimes an invitation can be so much more than a request to attend an event or participate in an activity. It can represent the beginning of a new relationship. It can symbolize belonging and identity. It can even come to represent a new chapter or phase in our lives. The power of invitation can be just that - powerful. 

One of the many joys I have as a pastor is getting to hear the stories of peoples lives being changed by Jesus. That transformation usually finds its origin in a simple gesture, yep, you guessed it, an invitation. Over and over a different story, different circumstances, different outcomes, but the same origin  - an invitation. 

Easter is a time when people are a little more open to the big ideas about God, Jesus, the Bible, and church. Right now, it is still culturally acceptable to attend church on Easter - to some, it might even be a cultural pressure. Regardless, it is a great time to extend that simple invitation. It doesn't have to be complicated or pushy - just a simple, "Hey, our church always has a lot of fun on Easter, and there are some great things for the whole family - if you are interested we would love to have you." You never know if your invitation this year could be the origin story of their transformation. 

This Easter message is going to be accessible and relevant for both Christians and non-Christians. It would be the perfect Sunday to invite someone to church as we explore the resurrection of Jesus. Can't wait to see you all there.  
- Bradley