1. Thank you for being a church who loves, worships, makes much of Jesus. Before we launched publicly I preached on John the Baptist and how easily he took his role. He had so many reasons to be self-focused. God chose him, saved him and gave him the Holy Spirit while he was in his mother's womb. He was called to be a prophet. He had a bunch of disciples that followed him. He had influence, authority, recognition. He was equivalent to a Mega-church pastor minus the camel hair clothes and the locust diet. Crazy thing was when Jesus came John readily pointed him out. In fact after acknowledging that Jesus was the Messiah two of his disciples immediately left him and went and followed Jesus. He didn't stop them. He didn't make them feel guilty. He didn't wonder if Jesus will take all of those who were following him. He wanted them to follow Jesus. This is why he said, "I'm a voice crying out..." He knew at the end of the day he was just a voice. Thank you Origin for being a great voice for Jesus. A beautiful voice for Jesus crying out in our city. The obvious love of the gospel. The kind of praying that happens throughout the week in Mercy groups and impromptu prayer times. You who come and set up and tear down each week. Those who have made Origin a community not an event. For serving those in the city regardless of personal gain. A voice in the way a lot of you have been so generous to work out with the kids, sacrificial with your money by giving to Origin and taking care of needs around you. There are a million seemingly monotonous responsibilities every week and I hear no complaining. I'm thankful that we find joy in decreasing so that Jesus can increase and instead of making followers of Origin or us we point to Jesus and praising God watch people be made alive by him.
2. Thank you for letting me preach the Bible. God has not only called me to preach the Bible it is one of my greatest joys. I love it and I love the fact we have a church that is hungry for the word of God preached hard and with passion. There are enough books written about starting church and some of them would disagree with how I preach the Bible. Starting your first year preaching through Jeremiah is not on any list for planting a church. However, the people who write those stupid books have not seen the kind of life in our church. I am thankful Origin loves the Bible. I love that the Bible is the authority in our life and if I were to stop preaching with passion most of you would not hesitate to slap me and tell me to snap out of it. I'm thankful we have a church that allows other to preach the Bible along side me. Origin has received Matt, Chad and Jordan last week. It is very encouraging that the freedom to have other people share the teaching is seen as a good thing. I love preaching the Bible, I'm called to do it and I'm thankful we have a church who loves it too.
3. Thank you for being a church that is alive. No doubt one of the comments left to me by visitors is that our church is alive. There is a genuine love and care for one anther that can be felt each Sunday Night. There is very little pretense. We have new people coming to faith in Christ. Just this past week I had the privilege to teach a new believer about communion following Jordan's teaching. It is obvious to those looking in that Origin believes what they say and that what they say is actually transforming them. I am thankful we have a church that doesn't hide the life God has given us. I think we are the loudest signing church I know. Maybe you sing loud so none of you have have to hear me sing, I don't blame you. Doesn't matter I think it's awesome. It's great that we respond each week to the Scriptures being taught. Our worship is connected to the truth of the gospel, the forgiveness and freedom we have received in Jesus. I'm thankful we are not stoic but evidently alive.
4. Thank you for being on mission for our city. 5th Sundays are a good excuse to do nothing but sit home and do homework. I am thankful that we have a church that values the mission God has put us on. God is making all things new and uses his church (called people) to be on mission towards his end. Thank you for the support behind Origin Coffee and dream the kind of dreams we are dreaming. We are moving forward and hope to see Origin Coffee up and running by early 2010, God willing. It will be a huge sacrifice for us. It will cost us all. We will have to give our money. We will give our free time. We will give our talents and energy. I am thankful that we have a church that sees the cost of mercy and runs towards it instead of away from it. REMEMBER THIS UP COMING SUNDAY IS A 5TH SUNDAY DON"T MEET AT ORIGIN BUT use it to serve others or the city, build a deeper friendship with a friend or neighbor. Begin to think of a plan now.
There are a thousand other things to be thankful for. Thanks Origin for being on the journey of life by and life for Jesus. Enjoy Turkey day tomorrow and I'm excited to hear the stories of 5th Sunday next time we get together.





