coming soon to a newpointe campus near you

A brand new Christmas series: Christmas By the Numbers. Here’s something to whet your appetite:

It stats this Sunday at all three NewPointe campuses. See you there!

sunday’s scuds (november 28, 2010)

Sunday we finished up the “Only God” series at all three NewPointe campuses. The services at the Dover campuses included 12 baptisms. Dwight’s message was both challenging and helpful. Here are some of the scuds he fired (as I see ‘em):

• As a church and as individuals, we have been asking the question: God, what do you want to do through me to accomplish your vision for NewPointe?
• So far, $6.2 million has been pledged toward our goal of $7 million.
• And that’s without having a single “bingo” night or a single bake-sale. No manipulation or arm-twisting. People have willingly stepped-up and decided to give generously toward an opportunity to invest in what’s eternal.
• Studies show that eight out of ten kids who grow up in church and then leave home will not continue attending church when they’re out on their own.
• I want NewPointe to be a place that puts an anchor of Christ so deep into our kids’ lives that they’ll never never be able to recover from it.
• Some people don’t give because they don’t have the strength to overcome the fear on not having enough for themselves.
• The people of NewPointe gave willingly something that other people are willing to kill others to get—something they’re willing to steal to get—something that divides families: MONEY. And you gave willingly.
• Every person in this room battles greed.
• How do you know if you’re a person of integrity with God? You understand that He’s the owner of it all.
• You can give without loving but you can’t love without giving.
• 1,000 years from now Microsoft will not be here. But the Church of Jesus Christ will be. So why not invest in something that’s going to be around longer?
• If you’re depressed or discouraged, GIVE!
• You’ll become even more depressed if you hoard.
• God gets the credit, we get the joy, and future generations get the benefit.
• If the church will step up and be the church then there’s hope for America.
• An untested commitment is an unreliable commitment.
• God doesn’t judge us on what we give. He judges us on what we keep.

the list

Tonight at dinner Mrs. (thinking outside the)Bunn said we need to have a discussion about which words are okay for our family to use. We had a lively—and laughter-filled—discussion in which we identified words that are off limits. Andrew (Mr. 8) blurted out words while the rest of the family ruled on whether or not they’re appropriate to use.

Natalie (Miss 15) made a list. So, in case you’re interested, here is the Bunn family list of off-limit words:

1. Suck(s)
2. Stupid
3. Gay
4. Idiot
5. Retarded
6. Hate
7. You’re dumb
8. Shut Up
9. Oh my God
10. Freakin’
11. Weirdo
12. Crap
13. Fart
14. Loser
15. Dangit
16. What the heck
17. Michigan

Okay…the last one is on there just for fun. But the rest of the list is legit. Which words are off limits for your family?

scott and brenda’s story

Here’s a video we showed at NewPointe a few weeks ago. It’s a great story about how  a couple’s story changed. I love what God is doing in Scott and Brenda’s lives. Check it out:

Check out more videos like this at www.NewPointe.org.

sunday’s scuds (november 21, 2010)

Big day at NewPointe Sunday—commitment Sunday for the Only God series. It’s where we all are given the opportunity to invest in what God is doing—and wants to do, through NewPointe, to reach more people for Christ in NE Ohio and, literally, around the world. Dwight’s still teaching from Luke chapter 5 (how Peter changed his story). Here  are some of the scuds he fired:

• I believe everybody wants to change their story.
• We we are letting down our nets in three ways: 1. we want to reach NE Ohio, 2. We want to continue to reach people in the Middle East by planting more churches, 3. we want to invest in and train pastors and leaders of other churches.
• Every time we’ve made room for more people, we fill the space. We want to keep making room for more and more people.
• When we act in faith, it moves God.
• When you exercise your faith, God rewards YOU.
• You’re always going to listen to somebody. You’re either going to listen to yourself or somebody else, or you’re going to listen to God.
• Is God moving in your life?
• If wait till you can figure out God then you’ll never trust Him.
• You and I get to determine how much God moves in our lives.
• When you exercise your faith, it inspires others.
• What’s happening at NewPointe is not happening because we’re better than other people. It’s not happening because we’re more holy than others. It’s happening because a group of people are trusting God for big things.
• Acting in faith will transform your life.
• You can come here and be inspired but never be changed.
• Do you just want to be inspired? Or do you want your story to change?
• If you’re going to change your story, you’re going to have to DO something.
• We love people more than we love possessions.
• God doesn’t look at the size of your gift. He looks at the size of your heart.
• When  it’s all said and done, you don’t want to be one of the people on the shore—inspired but not changed.
• You don’t know what lies on the other side of you saying, “Yes,” to God.

sunday’s scuds (november 14, 2010)

Part three of the Only God series was awesome! I sat in on the first service and had a great time worshiping and learning. Dwight’s message was one of those that felt like it was directed right at me. Do you ever feel that way?

I tried to keep up with the scuds he was firing. Here’s what I wrote down:

• There are only three ways we can spend our lives: 1. wasting them, 2. spending them, or 3. investing them.
• The average person influences 10,000 people in their lifetime.
• How are you leveraging what God has given you.
• Maybe you’ve been leveraging what you have for yourself.
• If you’re going to continue to grow, you’ve got to continue to risk.
• Is there anyone in your life that “because they say so, you will do it?” If not, then you’re your own god.
• If God was God in your life then you’d do it because he says so.

There is a way that appears to be right, but in the en it leads to death. Proverbs 14:12

• When you see as God sees, you will do what God says.
• Seeing God for who He really is reveals to us who we really are.
• You’re not smart enough to run your life.
• Two ways God calls us to be generous: 1. Toward people, 2. Toward the church.

The Only God series continues Sunday at all three NewPointe campuses. See you there!

my story—bill little

Here’s a great video story we shared during week one of the Only God series at NewPointe.

 

Change your story, change the world.

my whereabouts lately

I’ve spent the last five days in sunny Florida. It was a sudden trip. Booked a flight on Saturday, flew down on Sunday to visit my mom. She had major surgery and I thought it might be nice to spend some time with her, helping her out in any way I could, while she recovered.

She’s doing well. Thank you to all who have asked about her and have been praying for her. I was able to get her out of the house several times. Even got to go see Secretariat with her (great movie, by the way).

In the in-between times, I washed her car (inside and out), mopped her kitchen floor, did dishes, cleaned her carport, etc. So glad I was able to make it work to get down to see her. Being able to help her here and there was great, but the best part was just spending time with her. I don’t get to see her often. And it’s even more rare for me to hang with her when it’s just the two of us (usually there are siblings, grandkids, and in-laws everywhere.

So it was great to get caught up. It was great to help her out. And it’s always great to go home. I’m typing this as I sit at the gate at the Ft. Myers airport waiting for them to call my row for boarding.

Being away always reminds me how much I love my wife and kids.

sunday’s scuds (october 31, 2010)

We got off to a great start to the Only God series Sunday. It was a great day at all three NewPointe campuses.

The Only God series is about changing our stories so we can change the world. A challenge like that will certainly have its fair share of scuds that come with it. So, without further ado, here’s are the scuds from Dwight’s message Sunday, as I see ‘em:

• Someone asked me, “Is this a giving campaign?” The answer is, “Yes.”
• It’s a giving campaign because it’s a spiritual campaign
• If God’s going to write your story, He’s going to deal with your giving.
• Political candidates unashamedly ask for money—because they believe in their cause.
• We believe in our cause.
• If you want God to do something he’s never done, He’s going to ask you to do something you’ve never done.
• When you have a life-changing experience, you can’t help but want to tell people about it.
• If you’ve never had a deep desire to tell others about Christ, you have to ask yourself, “Do I really know Christ?”
• God wants to give you an “Only God” moment.
• Whether you realize it or not, God’s in the process of changing your story. That’s why you’re here.
• There’s nothing wrong with the American dream. It’s just not worth giving your life to.
• You were created for a greater story than what you’re living. You were created for a God Story.
• Of of us have seen the movie All Dogs Go To Heaven and we kinda think that all people go to heaven. They don’t. Good people will die and go to hell.
• Some people think NewPointe is liberal. We’re very narrow on this one: there is only one way—Jesus Christ.
• One of the reasons we don’t think God speaks to us is because we don’t read His Word.
• If you’re writing your own story, you’re writing one that’s too small.
• If you wonder why God’s not in your story, it could be because you’re story’s too small for Him to fit into.
• Whether you say yes to God or no to God, it has unbelievable ramifications.

The series continues this Sunday at all three campuses. See you there!