Crazy Summer 2 (plus BIG NEWS)

The last six weeks have basically been the first paragraph from the last post all over again. Crazy summer - or at least what's left of it now. This will be a current post with updates of everything from the summer as I can get to them. I'm shooting to have summer 08 complete before summer 09. I know I made promises - sue me.

Legacy's new worship center is complete. The finishing touch was added yesterday and it was a big one.:

A 40 foot cross was put in place yesterday on the front wall of the building. It faces Mid-Cities Boulevard for literally thousands of people to see everyday. I hope it will serve not as an object of worship to them but as an object of why we worship. The cross represents the most important sacrifice that anyone could, or ever will make for us.

Many from the church met at the building yesterday morning at 6:45 for a brief devotional as we watched the cross being lifted into place. Seeing it hoisted up by a crane I asked Allan if he thought this was an historical recreation of the scene at Golgotha. Then a very uneasy feeling came over me. As I watched it being lifted up I couldn't help but feel as if I were there on that hill. The building was gone. The crane was gone. The huge cables and ropes fixed to the cross were gone. There was only the cross. For a moment I was not part of the crowd in a parking lot but I was part of a crowd watching helplessly as the son of God was lifted into place along with that cross.

I know there are some who object to the display of crosses in fear that they become the focus of our attention. I respect that and admit we must always guard ourselves against putting any idol or symbol between us and God. But yesterday, I wish everyone could have experienced what I did. It was a powerful reaffirmation that the cross is real, the man is real and the sacrifice is real.

Immediately after the service Legacy started reading the bible. Ok let me clarify - it's not like we've never read it before. But yesterday at 7am we started reading the bible - straight through, 24 hours a day. I had the 4:30am shift this morning. For fifteen minutes I read about Solomon in 1 Kings 2-4. Once my shift was up the next reader slid into place and picked up where I left off. No pauses, no introductions. Sunday morning as we meet together the entire congregation will finish the reading. The last few verses of Revelation, as a body, together in unison.

It will be a big day. One service, a new building and Babe's fried chicken for lunch. But that's not the BIG NEWS. It WILL be here Monday. I promise.

Stay tuned.....