Filed under: Random Goodness
Seems people are still going here…so, just a friendly reminder that we are now at MichaelLarkin.us
Filed under: Church Launch Team
There are still a lot of bugs I have to figure out.
Hopefully before too long things will run smoothly.
Please update your info, because this may be the last post ever at this address.
New address is michaellarkin.us
Filed under: Cinema Church
Getting closer to the launch of Cinema Church!
There are many things I cant wait for.
One is…Angela, can’t wait to hear you rock this!
Filed under: Cinema Church
We are all over this. Seriously, check this out!
Love what Tadd and Pine Ridge are doing. We have already started conversations with Starbucks and others about having Starbucks at Cinema, but this is the first I have seen of having YOUR OWN BLEND!
Our daughter just went on her first girly outing with her mother, and I think I am in for a long 18 plus years…
Filed under: Church Launch Team
We are currently headed to CATALYST!
Please pray for the 10 of us who are going!
Pray for safety. Pray that we would bring it home with us!
Filed under: Church Launch Team
I cannot for the life of me pick just one final best practice…and there is no way I am prolonging this to 8 or 9 best practices. Instead of me picking our final best practice, I want to ask YOU what YOUR opinion is (that means none of that “what he said” stuff 
)
You can pick one of the 6 already listed, you can pick one that hasn’t been mentioned at all, or you can pick one of the following:
- our obsession with reaching those who don’t know Christ
- we don’t just babysit kids. A huge chunk of our resources already goes toward children and students. And those at Cinema Church honestly enjoy working hard to share the love of Christ with children
- students are a vital part of what we do and what we envision doing
- worship experience will exalt God and lift high His Glory through high energy, engaging, loud music
- video, multimedia, drama to connect people to the heart of God
- a definite must….more Apples in our church than in Steve Jobs entire family
I’d also love to know why you feel it is a great practice!
Filed under: Voices in my head
it – Craig Groeschel
“I’d argue that people today aren’t rejecting Christ so much as they’re rejecting the church. Once, I asked a guy why he didn’t go to church. He responded without hesitation, ‘Because I’ve already been.’
He came. It didn’t happen. So he never returned.”
- How can we make sure Cinema Church helps change the way people view church?
- How can we make sure the church isn’t a stumbling block to people finding life in Christ?
- How can we provide an environment that ensures no one ever attends Cinema Church and claims they won’t be back because “they’ve already been”?
(PS-I am hoping this gets as much of a response as an entry about a logo option.)
We aren’t just about preparing to launch Cinema Church. One of our best practices is that we are the church. We don’t just talk about the vision. We are the vision. We don’t just dream about what the church could be and should be. We are doing what we should be doing. We don’t just talk about impacting a community. We reach out to our community.
This Halloween, with the help of our students, Cinema Church will host our biggest outreach yet. Just last night we received confirmation that we will be able to host a Trunk-or-Treat at McKenna Drive in Middletown. We are going to provide safe and fun ways for families to have a positive experience on Halloween. We are inviting anyone to stop by McKenna Drive this Halloween. Upon arrival people will find several theme vehicles with trunks full of candy. We will also have a tent with things like hot chocolate for the parents. We want this to be fun. We want this to be safe. We want this to be a good experience for parents and children. We want to make this an easy opportunity for parents. And we want to meet people in our community.
Here are some of the theme vehicles we already have lined up:
- My family and our truck will go with the Batman theme. I have some crazy things up my sleeve so I think it will be a good one. I’m Batman and Aidan is Robin. For the rest you will just have to come see.
- Faith and her car will go with a race car/nascar theme. I’ve heard a few ideas she’s throwing around. This should be fun.
- Sarette and her tiny yellow car will go with a bumble bee theme.
- Danielle may go with a lady bug theme.
- I have heard that Donny and Dennis with their green vehicles are going to do something crazy around the theme of Crocodile Hunter.
- Stacey and her blue truck is going with an underwater theme. I hear there may be a pool and a Mermaid.
- Rob…I cant tell you just yet. It has to do with politics and Hockey moms.
- Someone (possibly Dennis or Kyle???) may go with THIS THEME.
Our directional team just decided late last night to move forward with this. Most at Cinema Church haven’t heard about this…until now. So, I am sure there will be many more vehicles and crazy themes. If you would like to help we could use the following:
- More theme vehicles
- People to come and hang out/meet families
- People to help with constructing and building the themes
- Donate tons of candy for us to give away
- People to help us hand out fliers advertising the first annual Cinema Church Trunk-or-Treat
If you are willing to help with any of these please leave a comment below.
Time for another one of our best practices. This one also has to do with money, and the fact that….We talk about money A LOT!
Our first series was all about money. We found out that the average person in America spends $1.22 for every $1 they earn. We are beginning to realize that we are entrusted by God with resources. One day we are going to give an account for how we handled all of the resources that he has entrusted to us.
If you were fortunate to attend Liberty University, or Thomas Road Baptist Church, during the lifetime of Dr. Jerry Falwell then you are well aware of the fact that Dr. Falwell talked frequently all the time about money. During one of my theology classes this particular issue was brought up by a fellow student. I will never forget the professors comments. He said one of the most profound things I have ever heard, “The most spiritual thing a pastor can do is to teach people about giving.” It has taken a while for this to sink in. I’m not sure it is the most spiritual thing a pastor can do, but it has to be right up there.
Here is why we talk about giving…
- Where your treasure is there your heart will be
- Giving is a very spiritual issue, and if we want to impact people and be the hands and feet of Jesus we cannot afford to ignore any spiritual discipline
- We are asking many people and churches to come along side and help us launch Cinema Church. But, we are sacrificing and learning generosity before we ever ask anyone outside our church to give
- It takes a tremendous amount of money to launch a healthy life-giving church
- It takes a tremendous amount of people with the right heart to launch and sustain a healthy church. Trusting God with our finances, and obeying him will help to ensure that our hearts are in line with his
- God can do far more if we trust him with 90% than we ever could with 100%
- The average American spends $1.22 for every $1.00 earned. Most family arguments and divorces come back to one issue…finances
- If we want to be a church that changes a community, enlarges eternity and brings healing to lives and marriages….we have to talk about money A LOT!
