That is a question that every church should answer and re-answer as often as you evaluate your program. As people who put on programs weekly and sometimes more often than that, we are quite familiar with the importance of a quality first and last impression aren't we? We know that what we start and finish with earns favor with the listener and has the potential to keep them plugged into a statement until they decide to come back. 

But are we more concerned with keeping a statement or a brand in their mind than we are with their comfort in that service? 

The first 90 is a new element at Mt. Vernon that we have pieced together with hopes that any new guest has all of their "comfort questions" answered before anything else. 

For me, the concept is most effectively displayed in a dinner party. It doesn't always happen there, but any good hostess will welcome you at the door of the home and provide all of the answers that you need to survive until further instructions. 

"Welcome guys! You can place your coats inside the guest bedroom. Just to your right you will find the bathroom  and on your way back, grab a drink out of the cooler! Make yourself at home!"

You know going into it that you can ask all of the questions. You can find something to drink, you can leave your coat in the car. But isn't it just a little bit more comforting knowing the answers?

For us, the first 90 is an opportunity to ensure every week that guests know the answers to the questions they don't want to ask. 

As a worship pastor I have the opportunity to see firsthand the Mt. Vernon family -together- every week. It is a sweet spirit and an encouraging sight. 

My friend Tony Merida used to always tell me that "Doctrine makes you dance" What he meant was - when God's people know His word, they respond. There is a deeper connectedness to the songs that we sing and it's truly life changing. 

I'm seeing such an exciting transformation taking place. As we study God's word, we are taking ownership of our faith and it's beautiful. Check out a few stories from Mt. Vernon people about the effect that Life Journal and "being in the word" is having on their lives.

I've always known it and I'm recently reminded. As a worship pastor, there is no challenge more important than encouraging God's people to study His word. 

That word has a lot of meaning doesn't it? 

"relying on or requiring a person or thing for support, supply, or what is needed; "dependent children"; "dependent on moisture..."

That's what the web says. And outside of drawing images of your W2 form at 11:45 PM on April 14th, what you are dependent upon says a lot about you.

Likely because of the rise in accessible technology and social networking one popular trend at the stroke of midnight on January 1st was what one person coined a "Social Media Cleansing". The theory was that a solid week of living with a decreased connectivity to things like Facebook and Twitter would tell you a lot about yourself. It would tell you how dependent you've become to showing and knowing life in relation to other people. 

In the grassroots rules for the social networking cleansing you had to "sign off" by telling everyone what you were doing. Seven days later you should evaluate yourself. This would probably be followed by (what one writer called) a "disturbing realization of what has become of our dependency".

I didn't participate.

It's not to say that I won't. And maybe I am too connected, but my immediate justification for connectedness to something like "social networking" is... wait for it...

Comparison.

I can think of a number of people who are more connected than myself. Even in most every category of addictive behavior, someone else does "addicted" better than me. Or worse than me. 

_

But (to make a magic segue to spiritual things) what if I truly seek to find my dependence upon things of God, or of God?

I believe there are two sides to the dependence coin. Being more dependent on something creates less dependence upon something else. Think about (what starting a new habit) can do for your other habits. As a kid it was the example of less time on the bike because of more time with a new video game. As a teen it was less time with the guys because of a pursued interest in the fairer sex. As an adult it's more time with a giant to-do list and less time with your kids. 

It's easy for me to compare every area of my walk with God (with someone else) and end up feeling pretty good about myself. In fact, that's what I do when I want to justify my lack of dependence upon God.

_

Time spent on one thing becomes dependence if we are not careful. And it affects every other area of our life. 

An earnest dependence upon the creator of the universe, upon His word and upon growing more deeply connected to Him results in the alignment of every other area of your life. It results in less time in addictive behavior and more time with real people. Less time with negatives that result in more negatives and more time becoming sanctified by a devotion to the all-perfect creator of the universe.

So my hope is that this year, I'll become more dependent upon my savior. More dependent upon His word. As I do that - I'll take a moment here and there to watch myself become a better husband, son, brother, uncle, friend, worship leader, person. And I'll be reminded of how far I have to go, but yet my increasing dependence upon the one who can get me there. 

We don't like to talk about these types of things.

Our American spirituality (just like our "every man for himself" mentality) has taught us that we shouldn't show weakness in our belief. But on the contrary it's pretty amazing how dealing with our deepest questions draws us closer and closer to God. 

There is a hope that is deep and it is in Christ.

You know when someone truly believes - because when they enter that hurt... that deep deep well of hurt - the hope is even deeper. 

I've never seen that hope so well displayed in a record as in "Beauty Will Rise" - Steven Curtis Chapman's latest project. 

I don't typically review albums in this form. Even though I make my living in music, I'm much more prone to recommend a book title than a record. And frankly, I wouldn't throw this title out for just anyone. It's full of truth in pain, hope in sorrow. 

In addition to it's worthy themes, it really impresses me musically as well. Chapman takes his legacy of well-produced pop studio records and strips away the gloss coating. His voice is rigid at times, clearly in pain. I wouldn't doubt if he accepted first takes on his vocal tracks. He emotes heartache that's welcome. Anyone knowing his tragedy of losing a daughter believes every word that he sings - but somehow he takes it a step further in the raw arrangements of these cuts. 

Several songs stick out. One that I'll mention is "February 20th" I think it's fascinating how Chapman focuses on the day his daughter comes to know Christ rather than the day she passes into eternity. He details the simplicity of the day and his daughters eagerness to meet Christ. 

Chapman clearly understands that the well of hurt compares none to the well of hope. And the deepest of hope lies in redemption. 

Check out the newest record for Steven Curtis Chapman - "Beauty Will Rise"

Over the last several weeks we have been working to translate what it is that God has shown us as a staff and today we had the opportunity to tell the people. Our pastor Jeff James delivered it - inspiring excitement and anticipation.

Scripture says that without vision the people will perish. I truly believe that 2010 will be a milestone for Mt. Vernon as people attach themselves to the vision that God has laid before us. It's exciting. 

 First - Refresh others and you too will be refreshed. Our focus will be to serve others, in and out of the church - across the aisle, across the city and across the globe.

 Next - Our story is God's story - We will tell our stories to the world, some of them through film and others in the parking lot of the workplace, next to someone at a post office. You get the idea. 

 And - What if you could challenge your entire church to spend time everyday in God's word and journal about it? What would happen in your church and your community? Life Journal makes this lofty challenge much more "do-able" Every church member from 1st grade up will receive a journal. Each individual journal will include scripture passages to read (more or less depending upon age) The standard journal includes the option to read through the Bible in a year. Additionally, we will have small groups that focus entirely on discussing the Life Journal. We are super excited about what is going to come from this!

So we anticipate what God will do and we are humbled to be a part of it. May God do great and mighty things and receive all Glory.

If you have 15 minutes, check this out. If you don't,  carve out some time and come back. Even through our greatest trials, we can make the choice to give God the glory.

Mt Vernon Church from Mt. Vernon Church on Vimeo.

But in spite of it's questions...

It's always always exactly what you need.

Enjoying the memories of a town we used to live in with people we used to walk with.

Anticipating my favorite time of year when memories are made and relived.

A time for giving thanks

A time for thinking about the gospel story

When a husband acts like a son and a grandmother always has the seat of honor.