1 00:00:04,200 --> 00:00:07,400 Welcome back or to the grace church members podcast, I'm your 2 00:00:07,400 --> 00:00:10,300 host Chris rivers and I'm excited to be joining you today. 3 00:00:10,700 --> 00:00:13,400 You know, Easter is fast approaching and for many 4 00:00:13,400 --> 00:00:16,200 Christians, this is an important holiday tradition. 5 00:00:16,700 --> 00:00:20,200 But how important is, it is Easter, just a cultural event 6 00:00:20,200 --> 00:00:22,000 that Christians, like, in the spring. 7 00:00:22,300 --> 00:00:24,700 I mean how does our preparation for this Holy Week? 8 00:00:24,700 --> 00:00:27,000 Help us maximize the opportunity. 9 00:00:27,000 --> 00:00:30,300 We have spiritually to grow our devotion to God and others. 10 00:00:30,400 --> 00:00:33,200 Oh, well, in this interview, Scott Mozingo and I speak with 11 00:00:33,200 --> 00:00:37,300 Chris McGowan and Brian Darnell. Chris serves as the pastor of 12 00:00:37,300 --> 00:00:41,400 Creative Communications for Grace Church, and Brian serves. 13 00:00:41,400 --> 00:00:45,000 As the worship Minister for Grace Church poem campus and we 14 00:00:45,000 --> 00:00:48,300 have a great conversation about preparing for Holy Week. 15 00:00:48,300 --> 00:00:52,400 What members can look forward to about Good Friday services and 16 00:00:52,400 --> 00:00:55,100 how we can think about this important week leading up to 17 00:00:55,100 --> 00:00:57,400 Easter. Okay, let's listen in on this 18 00:00:57,400 --> 00:00:59,600 discussion. Let's just jump right into this 19 00:00:59,900 --> 00:01:02,600 compared to The Christmas Easter gets less publicity. 20 00:01:03,100 --> 00:01:06,300 And so, why is that? And how do you guys think we 21 00:01:06,300 --> 00:01:08,100 should be thinking about Holy Week? 22 00:01:09,300 --> 00:01:12,000 Yeah, Christmas does get a lot of attention and it's 23 00:01:12,000 --> 00:01:14,100 interesting. I don't fully enter understand 24 00:01:14,100 --> 00:01:17,200 why other than the culture has really adopted Christmas as its 25 00:01:17,200 --> 00:01:19,800 own. And as a church, from 26 00:01:19,800 --> 00:01:24,200 Christianity standpoint we want to recapture Christmas and you 27 00:01:24,200 --> 00:01:27,400 know, the whole Advent season, we put a lot of effort to it and 28 00:01:27,500 --> 00:01:29,600 it is interesting. How Easter doesn't quite get the 29 00:01:29,600 --> 00:01:32,500 same energy? A lot of times we don't all 30 00:01:32,500 --> 00:01:35,100 decorate our house for Easter necessarily. 31 00:01:35,100 --> 00:01:38,000 You might put some fun colors up, or whatever at your house 32 00:01:38,000 --> 00:01:40,800 and maybe doing Easter Erik hunt, but for the week or really 33 00:01:40,800 --> 00:01:45,900 for the season of Lent, however, you celebrate or however you 34 00:01:46,200 --> 00:01:50,200 reflect upon this season, leading up into Holy Week, it's 35 00:01:50,200 --> 00:01:54,600 an opportunity for us to slow down and remember, and prepare 36 00:01:54,600 --> 00:01:56,300 ourselves as we walk into this week. 37 00:01:56,500 --> 00:01:59,800 Yeah, walk us through just some ways that we need to be thinking 38 00:02:00,200 --> 00:02:02,700 again about Holy Week. Yes, so think about Holy Week 39 00:02:02,700 --> 00:02:06,500 I'll quote this. So it's a season, I would say 40 00:02:06,500 --> 00:02:08,699 really this about all of Lent leading into Holy Week. 41 00:02:08,900 --> 00:02:12,900 Season of self-examination, self-denial and repentance. 42 00:02:13,500 --> 00:02:16,500 And in a way leading into the week, it's an opportunity for us 43 00:02:16,500 --> 00:02:20,000 to mourn or even lament our complicity in sin, and Jesus 44 00:02:20,000 --> 00:02:23,500 death on the cross. As preparation to celebrate the 45 00:02:23,500 --> 00:02:26,100 Conquering of sin death, that we see on Easter and in the 46 00:02:26,100 --> 00:02:29,100 resurrection. And so, the season of Lent 47 00:02:29,100 --> 00:02:31,600 actually gives us the opportunity to do that and to 48 00:02:31,600 --> 00:02:36,100 slow down and remember, and I like that idea of just our 49 00:02:36,100 --> 00:02:38,700 complicity in all of it and reflect on. 50 00:02:38,800 --> 00:02:42,300 That with the intent that it leads us into celebrating 51 00:02:42,300 --> 00:02:45,000 because of what Jesus has done. And so it's an opportunity for 52 00:02:45,000 --> 00:02:47,300 me personally to be reminded of those things. 53 00:02:48,300 --> 00:02:53,700 How can we take some of the like day-to-day events from the last 54 00:02:53,700 --> 00:02:56,000 week of Jesus life? Think sometimes that's referred 55 00:02:56,000 --> 00:03:00,100 to as the passion. So how do we take some of those 56 00:03:00,100 --> 00:03:04,300 events and tap into this remembering? 57 00:03:04,300 --> 00:03:07,700 And that's a pretty that's a that's a that's a journey to go 58 00:03:07,700 --> 00:03:10,100 from complicity. T2 celebration. 59 00:03:10,400 --> 00:03:13,100 Yeah, I mean nothing like the journey over savior, obviously. 60 00:03:13,200 --> 00:03:15,900 It's right, which is why it's important, which is probably why 61 00:03:15,900 --> 00:03:20,000 it doesn't get as much publicity as just celebrate his birth 62 00:03:20,000 --> 00:03:23,000 birthday party, right? So to kind of take us through 63 00:03:23,000 --> 00:03:26,600 maybe, you know, we have Palm Sunday, some different elements 64 00:03:26,600 --> 00:03:29,500 of the week just to kind of help us just Orient us to one word 65 00:03:29,800 --> 00:03:31,200 for someone who's like holy week. 66 00:03:31,400 --> 00:03:35,900 I'm not really it's called Easter and help us think about 67 00:03:35,900 --> 00:03:36,800 the week. Yeah. 68 00:03:38,100 --> 00:03:40,500 That's great. Yeah, so we'll think of Palm 69 00:03:40,500 --> 00:03:44,300 Sunday, which would be this Sunday this weekend, coming up 70 00:03:44,900 --> 00:03:47,600 is triumphal entry. So you think about the palm 71 00:03:47,600 --> 00:03:50,000 branches? That the folks laid down as 72 00:03:50,000 --> 00:03:54,200 Jesus came through Messiah and that leads all the way into 73 00:03:54,200 --> 00:03:57,100 Sunday, which is the resurrection, right? 74 00:03:57,400 --> 00:04:00,300 So ways you can do this. Personally, I know, for me, 75 00:04:00,400 --> 00:04:03,100 starting the really beginning with that Sunday, getting into 76 00:04:03,100 --> 00:04:07,700 the scriptures, getting into the story, whatever, gospel that you 77 00:04:07,800 --> 00:04:10,100 May choose like we've been in the Gospel of John I've actually 78 00:04:10,100 --> 00:04:12,800 been reading through March some so getting into the gospels 79 00:04:12,800 --> 00:04:15,200 personally and absorbing what that could be for you. 80 00:04:15,200 --> 00:04:18,700 Daily, we have a reading plan through the week that will help 81 00:04:19,000 --> 00:04:22,400 prepare us emotionally. Prepare us mentally for what all 82 00:04:22,400 --> 00:04:25,300 is happening and then we have intentional events throughout 83 00:04:25,300 --> 00:04:28,800 the week that let's talk about that many of you have attended 84 00:04:29,100 --> 00:04:33,800 over the years that actually give really set you up and stack 85 00:04:33,800 --> 00:04:37,400 the cards in your favor personally for you to engage 86 00:04:37,500 --> 00:04:40,600 this way. And so one of those is we do a, 87 00:04:40,700 --> 00:04:43,100 our children's ministry, does the Seder dinner, I don't know 88 00:04:43,100 --> 00:04:45,600 if y'all know more about that. Yeah. 89 00:04:45,900 --> 00:04:48,500 Something that that, our kids ministry has been doing a long 90 00:04:48,500 --> 00:04:53,800 time and it's really a Jewish tradition and getting to partake 91 00:04:53,800 --> 00:04:57,500 of the meal and from a Jewish standpoint, each piece of the 92 00:04:57,500 --> 00:04:59,800 mill represents something different. 93 00:04:59,800 --> 00:05:02,900 And there's, there's a whole liturgy if you will going 94 00:05:02,900 --> 00:05:07,300 through what those represent. So specifically for kids. 95 00:05:07,800 --> 00:05:10,100 No Grace kids sends resources related to that. 96 00:05:10,100 --> 00:05:14,300 That as a parent, you can know and talk with them about and 97 00:05:14,300 --> 00:05:17,500 walk them through that. But they do that at the church. 98 00:05:17,500 --> 00:05:20,700 And I think for all of us but especially kids, having some 99 00:05:20,700 --> 00:05:23,700 something tactile something to shrink it to participate. 100 00:05:23,700 --> 00:05:26,100 In helps your heart and head engage. 101 00:05:26,100 --> 00:05:29,300 Yeah, and I know as, as a follower of Christ individually. 102 00:05:29,300 --> 00:05:32,200 Let's take, let's take a step away from being a dad and having 103 00:05:32,200 --> 00:05:37,600 a family, having tangible things to do that are visceral. 104 00:05:37,900 --> 00:05:42,000 Variances in our faith are a lot of times hard to come by, right? 105 00:05:42,000 --> 00:05:45,300 We, we talk theoretically, we're reading scripture and trying to 106 00:05:45,300 --> 00:05:47,400 apply it to have something tangible, and it's what this 107 00:05:47,400 --> 00:05:49,200 week gives us. So that's a great example. 108 00:05:49,200 --> 00:05:54,900 And then as a dad, as a father, as a husband to have something 109 00:05:54,900 --> 00:05:58,300 like a Seder dinner or a good Friday experience that will talk 110 00:05:58,300 --> 00:06:02,500 about just a moment to help lead me but then help me to even be 111 00:06:02,500 --> 00:06:05,600 set up to lead my family. Well and so we have the 112 00:06:05,600 --> 00:06:08,200 scriptures to do that and then as a church we want to Create 113 00:06:08,200 --> 00:06:11,600 experiences and opportunities for for our parents and for our 114 00:06:11,600 --> 00:06:15,100 individuals to be able to engage with God, in a very tangible 115 00:06:15,100 --> 00:06:16,200 again. Visceral way. 116 00:06:16,300 --> 00:06:17,900 Yeah. And so that's one way to take 117 00:06:17,900 --> 00:06:20,800 advantage of the Lesser. I is to engage in something, 118 00:06:20,800 --> 00:06:24,400 that's abnormal and So Good. Friday, Chris tell us a little 119 00:06:24,400 --> 00:06:28,100 bit about kind of the tradition of Good Friday if you will at 120 00:06:28,100 --> 00:06:29,200 Grace Church. Yeah. 121 00:06:29,800 --> 00:06:31,500 So for me, it was a new tradition. 122 00:06:31,500 --> 00:06:35,900 I grew up in a small Baptist Church and I would say most of 123 00:06:35,900 --> 00:06:41,500 our A typical practices or atypical for a normal Sunday 124 00:06:41,500 --> 00:06:44,900 were less often. We did communion once a quarter 125 00:06:45,100 --> 00:06:49,000 and baptism maybe a couple times a year and we celebrated Easter, 126 00:06:49,500 --> 00:06:54,300 I had heard things like lint or Good Friday, but just the 127 00:06:54,308 --> 00:06:58,000 tradition I was coming from those things were not as 128 00:06:58,500 --> 00:07:01,800 utilized, I think primarily because a lot of that came from 129 00:07:01,800 --> 00:07:05,100 a Catholic tradition and you know, historically there's been 130 00:07:05,400 --> 00:07:08,500 differing thoughts on Salvation and faith. 131 00:07:08,500 --> 00:07:10,800 And so then the baby gets thrown out with the bath water. 132 00:07:11,300 --> 00:07:15,300 So when Matt Kelly, I believe was who's talking about doing a 133 00:07:15,308 --> 00:07:19,100 Good Friday service, it was kind of intriguing to me thinking, 134 00:07:19,100 --> 00:07:22,300 oh, I've heard of that, I guess, I guess we can do that. 135 00:07:22,300 --> 00:07:25,200 Let's think on that. And we actually ended up early 136 00:07:25,200 --> 00:07:29,500 on partnering with another local church North Hills to do like 137 00:07:29,500 --> 00:07:31,600 every other year. We would kind of share the 138 00:07:31,600 --> 00:07:34,300 responsibility of putting on a good Friday. 139 00:07:34,400 --> 00:07:36,400 I'd forgotten about that. I know this is Brian and I were 140 00:07:36,408 --> 00:07:38,600 talking about Nancy. Yeah, that did happen though. 141 00:07:38,600 --> 00:07:40,300 Yeah, I'm time again and downtown. 142 00:07:40,300 --> 00:07:42,500 When we first started downtown, we went over to Long Branch, 143 00:07:42,500 --> 00:07:44,700 Branch Baptist Church. I preach that little Branch 144 00:07:44,700 --> 00:07:46,400 Baptist Church. You did it in. 145 00:07:46,400 --> 00:07:48,200 They came to downtown the next year. 146 00:07:48,500 --> 00:07:50,900 Yeah. So the importance of recognizing 147 00:07:50,900 --> 00:07:53,800 and sharing in that event with Believers. 148 00:07:53,800 --> 00:07:57,600 Yeah, so I mean, it was a neat opportunity to Unity between 149 00:07:57,600 --> 00:08:00,000 churches, but it was also practical, you know, we're 150 00:08:00,000 --> 00:08:03,700 trying to figure out this new thing and, you know, not all of 151 00:08:03,700 --> 00:08:05,900 our members would come to it and not all of their members would 152 00:08:05,900 --> 00:08:07,900 come to it. But, you know, Of space. 153 00:08:07,900 --> 00:08:11,000 Why don't we just share this? But it really quickly for us, it 154 00:08:11,000 --> 00:08:14,500 became a very important tradition and so much so that we 155 00:08:14,500 --> 00:08:18,200 had to stop doing it together because we needed more space and 156 00:08:18,200 --> 00:08:21,600 we at some point pretty soon. After that kind of shifted it to 157 00:08:21,600 --> 00:08:26,100 being less of a service and more of what I would consider, like a 158 00:08:26,108 --> 00:08:30,600 drop in time of reflection. And it's funny because we're so 159 00:08:30,600 --> 00:08:33,900 used to it now as a church, like, having meditation moments 160 00:08:33,900 --> 00:08:36,700 or reflection, moments is just part of our culture now. 161 00:08:36,700 --> 00:08:38,200 But when we We started doing this. 162 00:08:38,200 --> 00:08:42,000 It felt very novel, it felt like we were doing something like. 163 00:08:42,000 --> 00:08:46,900 Wow, this is this is different. But really all we were doing was 164 00:08:46,900 --> 00:08:50,500 creating a space that provide an opportunity to reflect we would 165 00:08:50,500 --> 00:08:53,800 put some scriptures on the screen, we would, you know, get 166 00:08:53,800 --> 00:08:55,400 the lights low and turn on some music. 167 00:08:55,400 --> 00:08:59,600 And that was it, that was Good Friday for us and it was very 168 00:08:59,600 --> 00:09:02,200 meaningful. And it's grown and morphed over 169 00:09:02,200 --> 00:09:05,600 the years. Doing different special versions 170 00:09:05,600 --> 00:09:10,300 of that from like, words from the Maybe 2019 to last year if 171 00:09:10,300 --> 00:09:14,100 we did something like promises was it different promises in 172 00:09:14,100 --> 00:09:15,900 scripture? Yeah, Old Testament. 173 00:09:15,900 --> 00:09:19,000 So it's a neat opportunity to engage people's minds and hearts 174 00:09:19,000 --> 00:09:23,000 and in a visceral experience. But all of those are aimed at 175 00:09:23,100 --> 00:09:27,600 recognizing your need for a savior and then not just that. 176 00:09:27,600 --> 00:09:34,400 But what Jesus did to reach us. And so with Good Friday, you're 177 00:09:34,400 --> 00:09:39,300 trying to internalize and And worship Jesus Through 178 00:09:39,300 --> 00:09:42,300 acknowledging the suffering, through acknowledging your need 179 00:09:42,300 --> 00:09:45,800 for what he did. You're going right up until 180 00:09:46,100 --> 00:09:48,800 Resurrection, you stopped just short of that because the 181 00:09:48,800 --> 00:09:53,400 celebration comes Sunday and all too often we just want to rush, 182 00:09:53,400 --> 00:09:56,100 right? To happy ending, and So Good. 183 00:09:56,100 --> 00:09:58,800 Friday is a tuffet. It's a tough practice for us 184 00:09:58,800 --> 00:10:02,200 where we have to say, no, let's sit in this lets, you know, we 185 00:10:02,200 --> 00:10:06,100 don't want to be morbid or, you know, down on ourselves because 186 00:10:06,100 --> 00:10:08,500 the whole time I recognize, That, you know, we're New 187 00:10:08,500 --> 00:10:12,600 Creations in Christ, but to look back and go, this is who I was. 188 00:10:12,600 --> 00:10:17,700 This is what it took for me to be forgiven and my debt 189 00:10:17,700 --> 00:10:21,800 canceled, it took Jesus is life and to just sit in that that's 190 00:10:21,800 --> 00:10:24,000 the whole point of Good Friday. And so we do it in different 191 00:10:24,000 --> 00:10:28,200 ways but that's so helpful because Sunday, we need to know 192 00:10:28,200 --> 00:10:31,800 what we're celebrating. I think is we're quick to jump 193 00:10:31,800 --> 00:10:35,300 to the resurrection for good reason, right? 194 00:10:35,500 --> 00:10:37,200 Really good reason because it's so important. 195 00:10:37,300 --> 00:10:40,700 It's so fundamental to our faith but good Friday gives us that 196 00:10:40,700 --> 00:10:44,300 pause to say. Okay, let me acknowledge how 197 00:10:44,300 --> 00:10:48,800 terrible this was how let me knowledge, both my sinned and 198 00:10:48,800 --> 00:10:53,300 the payment that what Jesus had to do and how big of a deal that 199 00:10:53,300 --> 00:10:55,300 is. So when Sunday comes, you know, 200 00:10:55,300 --> 00:10:58,500 what you're celebrating is the whole idea of just, you've got 201 00:10:58,500 --> 00:11:02,900 to understand your need for Jesus for us to fully appreciate 202 00:11:02,900 --> 00:11:04,800 what he's done. Yeah fully appreciate that if 203 00:11:04,800 --> 00:11:07,000 they've Grace now. Yeah and that's the irony behind 204 00:11:07,000 --> 00:11:09,700 good. Friday without Easter, you know, 205 00:11:09,700 --> 00:11:13,500 then it's not good but you know, we call it good because of what 206 00:11:13,500 --> 00:11:17,400 happens on Sunday. And so Chris before we talk 207 00:11:17,400 --> 00:11:21,500 about this year take us behind the scenes of how you were 208 00:11:21,500 --> 00:11:25,800 constantly trying to keep it, keep it new and remind us what 209 00:11:25,800 --> 00:11:29,000 we did what we did last year on the, the tactile piece, 210 00:11:29,000 --> 00:11:30,100 specifically? A sure. 211 00:11:30,600 --> 00:11:31,700 Yeah. Just because we don't want to 212 00:11:31,700 --> 00:11:33,600 become wrote. We don't want to become just 213 00:11:33,600 --> 00:11:36,500 just another thing that we do during this week. 214 00:11:36,500 --> 00:11:40,400 Yeah, it's It's it's pretty intentional balance of not 215 00:11:40,400 --> 00:11:44,100 trying to be over-the-top or just doing something new just to 216 00:11:44,100 --> 00:11:47,500 do it or topping last year because I mean as human beings 217 00:11:47,500 --> 00:11:52,200 and creatives you can get into that spiral pretty quick and so 218 00:11:52,200 --> 00:11:55,000 we're very intentional every year to think okay what is our 219 00:11:55,000 --> 00:11:57,400 church need? What would it look like with the 220 00:11:57,400 --> 00:12:01,600 goal being people recognizing their sin reflecting on it 221 00:12:01,600 --> 00:12:05,300 repenting and preparing for Easter? 222 00:12:05,300 --> 00:12:07,900 What do we need to do this year? You know, it's probably 223 00:12:07,900 --> 00:12:11,600 different for different people but it is good to change, things 224 00:12:11,600 --> 00:12:14,800 up to give people a new way to work through that process. 225 00:12:15,300 --> 00:12:19,300 So last year was promises and we walked through Old Testament 226 00:12:19,300 --> 00:12:22,300 promises and how Jesus was the Fulfillment of those. 227 00:12:22,700 --> 00:12:26,900 So we have five characters if you will Bible figures like a 228 00:12:26,900 --> 00:12:30,200 large Banner with some artwork of that character you know from 229 00:12:30,200 --> 00:12:32,000 Abraham. Who else do we have? 230 00:12:32,900 --> 00:12:35,200 David. There's five of them I should do 231 00:12:35,200 --> 00:12:39,000 this like to Rattle them off but Because this Moses, yeah, it's 232 00:12:39,000 --> 00:12:41,400 coming back. We didn't sit and reminisce on 233 00:12:41,400 --> 00:12:43,900 this before. Better run, we sat down, but but 234 00:12:43,900 --> 00:12:46,000 and then there was some tactile things related to. 235 00:12:46,000 --> 00:12:49,000 So David was the king. So he had a crown, something 236 00:12:49,000 --> 00:12:53,600 that you can touch and anointing oil is he was anointed and so 237 00:12:53,900 --> 00:12:57,300 each station had its little explanation and so you could 238 00:12:57,400 --> 00:12:59,500 reflect on that your for yourself. 239 00:12:59,500 --> 00:13:00,600 You could talk your kids through it. 240 00:13:00,608 --> 00:13:02,400 If you have kids they could touch it. 241 00:13:02,400 --> 00:13:03,600 Make it touch it. Yep. 242 00:13:03,700 --> 00:13:06,800 And all of our Good Friday services whether we have this 243 00:13:06,800 --> 00:13:09,500 sort of It's or not. We have communion in the room 244 00:13:09,500 --> 00:13:13,200 and so that day corporately even though we're not all gathering 245 00:13:13,200 --> 00:13:16,700 at the exact same moment. We are that day saying we're 246 00:13:16,700 --> 00:13:19,000 Gathering as a church in a different way. 247 00:13:19,000 --> 00:13:23,500 Today, to remember what Jesus did and communion, obviously is 248 00:13:23,500 --> 00:13:27,800 a very visceral reminder that the cup, the blood-red the 249 00:13:27,800 --> 00:13:30,100 broken body. It's just another way to 250 00:13:30,100 --> 00:13:33,300 remember what Jesus did. And I think in a lot of ways 251 00:13:33,300 --> 00:13:38,100 having communion on that day, enhances how you Think about 252 00:13:38,100 --> 00:13:40,200 communion other weeks. Yeah. 253 00:13:40,200 --> 00:13:44,600 As a family it was a very powerful experience for our 254 00:13:44,600 --> 00:13:48,500 family just to sit in all that and then afterwards going 255 00:13:48,500 --> 00:13:51,900 through all those stations being able to sit and song worship 256 00:13:51,900 --> 00:13:54,500 pray together. I really love that. 257 00:13:54,500 --> 00:13:57,300 Brian, what can people look forward to this year for Good 258 00:13:57,300 --> 00:13:59,500 Friday? And I'm excited about this year. 259 00:13:59,500 --> 00:14:01,700 It is so it'll be a little bit different than we've done the 260 00:14:01,700 --> 00:14:04,100 last few years. For most of us, it will be a 261 00:14:04,100 --> 00:14:08,300 two-part experience, and we're going to be using Mark's account 262 00:14:08,300 --> 00:14:12,000 of the crucifixion of Holy Week using his account really as our 263 00:14:12,000 --> 00:14:14,300 base of what we're building everything off of. 264 00:14:14,300 --> 00:14:17,600 And so you'll be able to watch a visual depiction. 265 00:14:17,800 --> 00:14:22,600 We have a video that will depict the really be acting out the 266 00:14:22,600 --> 00:14:26,800 Holy Week as a few chapters of Mark are read to you allowed. 267 00:14:26,800 --> 00:14:29,900 So it'll be that'll be kind of step one and then step two will 268 00:14:29,900 --> 00:14:33,400 be the room that's open for you to take as long as you need to 269 00:14:33,400 --> 00:14:37,500 pray to maybe lead your family through the week and And have a 270 00:14:37,500 --> 00:14:42,100 conversation and they'll be kind of a guided question process for 271 00:14:42,100 --> 00:14:44,800 you to pray through coming from The Book of Mark. 272 00:14:44,800 --> 00:14:46,800 So very excited about that this year. 273 00:14:47,900 --> 00:14:51,000 And I want to just remind everybody that we ask that you 274 00:14:51,000 --> 00:14:54,100 make this a priority. If you can, which means maybe 275 00:14:54,100 --> 00:14:56,700 getting off work early. Maybe it's coming on your lunch 276 00:14:56,700 --> 00:14:59,800 break. We do keep the campuses open 277 00:14:59,800 --> 00:15:02,100 until what time guys. Typically. 278 00:15:02,100 --> 00:15:06,000 It runs noon to 8:00 p.m. Yeah, so you got time after work 279 00:15:06,800 --> 00:15:09,900 that Vary from campus to campus but also remember that you don't 280 00:15:09,900 --> 00:15:12,700 have to go to your campus, you go to whatever campus is closest 281 00:15:12,700 --> 00:15:15,400 to you. And that moment and we do ask 282 00:15:15,400 --> 00:15:18,300 you that you make, make it intentional, you can tell just 283 00:15:18,300 --> 00:15:22,600 by the thoughts that Good Friday has become very significant for 284 00:15:22,600 --> 00:15:25,000 our church, depending on the tradition. 285 00:15:25,000 --> 00:15:27,700 You grew up in Chris mentioned earlier, I mean, I grew up. 286 00:15:27,700 --> 00:15:31,100 We had, we had sunrise services on Sunday morning. 287 00:15:31,500 --> 00:15:34,400 Some people do monday-thursday, you know, which is kind of a 288 00:15:34,400 --> 00:15:39,700 foot washing type celebration. In on Thursday connected with 289 00:15:39,700 --> 00:15:40,800 celebration of the Lord's Supper. 290 00:15:40,800 --> 00:15:43,100 So different churches do different things and that's 291 00:15:43,200 --> 00:15:47,000 totally fine. It just seems like for us in the 292 00:15:47,000 --> 00:15:49,800 culture and the temperament of our church Good Friday. 293 00:15:49,800 --> 00:15:53,900 Has been a place where we like to like to stay planted and even 294 00:15:53,900 --> 00:15:57,000 if you only have 15 minutes, good point, you know would 295 00:15:57,500 --> 00:16:01,400 obviously more time is better but at the same time I would not 296 00:16:01,400 --> 00:16:05,500 skip just because you have a short break you know they'll be 297 00:16:05,500 --> 00:16:07,100 enough time and enough for you to do even. 298 00:16:07,200 --> 00:16:10,400 It just, you know, Sparks you're thinking for the rest of the 299 00:16:10,400 --> 00:16:12,500 day, just a few minutes, even would be good. 300 00:16:12,600 --> 00:16:15,300 I think a good estimation of time. 301 00:16:15,300 --> 00:16:19,100 It could be around 45 minutes for most but even if you had 15 302 00:16:19,100 --> 00:16:22,400 minutes, it's a worthy exercise. If nothing else. 303 00:16:22,400 --> 00:16:27,000 If we had no content, just the experience of stopping and 304 00:16:27,000 --> 00:16:32,100 remembering what Jesus has done, and the gravity and weight of 305 00:16:32,100 --> 00:16:34,300 our sin. If you could do that on Friday 306 00:16:34,600 --> 00:16:36,500 before Sunday, what it could do for you. 307 00:16:36,500 --> 00:16:38,900 So, Embrace the tension. That's right. 308 00:16:39,400 --> 00:16:42,800 We don't like to engine, which is why Easter is not as popular 309 00:16:42,800 --> 00:16:46,600 as Christmas and don't rush through it. 310 00:16:47,100 --> 00:16:50,700 But as the old saying goes, Sunday is coming, right? 311 00:16:50,700 --> 00:16:54,100 So tell us a little bit about Sunday's a big day. 312 00:16:55,000 --> 00:16:57,800 How should our members is the members podcast? 313 00:16:57,800 --> 00:17:01,600 How should we think about Easter help us think, well about he's 314 00:17:01,600 --> 00:17:04,000 right. I would love for us to be 315 00:17:04,099 --> 00:17:06,300 missional in our thinking around Easter. 316 00:17:06,400 --> 00:17:09,000 It's a unique. I'm where you have the person 317 00:17:09,000 --> 00:17:11,800 who's coming to church for the first time or you have the 318 00:17:11,800 --> 00:17:13,700 family. Maybe it comes to Easter 319 00:17:13,700 --> 00:17:17,000 services once a year and that's it, just because it's Easter. 320 00:17:17,300 --> 00:17:21,000 So some about thinking of those folks but really our body as a 321 00:17:21,000 --> 00:17:24,400 whole, it's a unique weekend. It is the Super Bowl of our 322 00:17:24,400 --> 00:17:27,500 faith, right? Is such a powerful weekend for 323 00:17:27,500 --> 00:17:31,300 us to celebrate. So, I would think again, with 324 00:17:31,300 --> 00:17:33,100 your, you personally with your family. 325 00:17:33,100 --> 00:17:34,600 How do you prepare yourself for that Sunday? 326 00:17:34,600 --> 00:17:37,100 When it's a reading plan, go into things like Good Friday. 327 00:17:37,200 --> 00:17:40,300 Day creating some moments during your week that when you show up 328 00:17:40,300 --> 00:17:43,700 Sunday, you've really done some work in your soul to where you 329 00:17:43,700 --> 00:17:46,200 can Embrace, what we have, or really what God has for us on 330 00:17:46,208 --> 00:17:50,000 the weekend. So we do a few unique things and 331 00:17:50,000 --> 00:17:53,800 in some ways on Easter Sunday, we always want to do baptisms, 332 00:17:54,100 --> 00:17:57,100 baptism such a great symbol of buried in Christ and being 333 00:17:57,100 --> 00:17:59,200 resurrected well yesterday, that's right. 334 00:17:59,200 --> 00:18:02,300 And so we want to get to do that across all of our campuses, so 335 00:18:02,300 --> 00:18:04,700 you'll see folks getting baptized maybe you'll hear some 336 00:18:04,700 --> 00:18:07,100 of their stories and sending a powerful. 337 00:18:07,200 --> 00:18:09,900 Expression of our faith as a church body in unity. 338 00:18:09,900 --> 00:18:12,100 And so that's one thing to look forward to. 339 00:18:12,700 --> 00:18:15,400 And then on that on that mission will fry it for a lot of our 340 00:18:15,400 --> 00:18:17,300 campuses. We're going to have lots of, 341 00:18:17,600 --> 00:18:19,400 like I said, lots of new folks coming. 342 00:18:19,500 --> 00:18:22,200 We get crowded and so way you could think Mission, only 343 00:18:22,200 --> 00:18:25,900 personally, as a family is to maybe come to a different 344 00:18:25,900 --> 00:18:27,500 service that you're being asked to. 345 00:18:27,600 --> 00:18:31,300 So a Pelham Road campus, we usually will ask lots of folks 346 00:18:31,300 --> 00:18:34,100 to come Saturday night, because it frees up space for folks that 347 00:18:34,100 --> 00:18:37,000 are coming on Sunday. That may not be thinking about 348 00:18:37,100 --> 00:18:40,100 Other services and writing full. And then we have with so many 349 00:18:40,100 --> 00:18:43,400 folks getting baptized their families and friends may show 350 00:18:43,400 --> 00:18:45,400 up. And so for you to think, even 351 00:18:45,400 --> 00:18:47,600 Mission lie about what service may be choosing a service. 352 00:18:47,600 --> 00:18:50,400 That's not your favorite, not your favorite time, maybe not 353 00:18:50,400 --> 00:18:54,800 your favorite room, but it's a way for you to serve folks and 354 00:18:55,000 --> 00:18:56,500 so that kind of missional thinking. 355 00:18:56,500 --> 00:18:59,800 It's just a practical, the Practical nature of you know 356 00:18:59,800 --> 00:19:04,100 who's coming on Easter weekend and so even how you serve like 357 00:19:04,300 --> 00:19:06,500 both choosing a service but then, you know, it might be 358 00:19:06,500 --> 00:19:08,700 helpful for you. I served during a service that 359 00:19:08,700 --> 00:19:11,100 you don't normally serve in children's ministry out in the 360 00:19:11,100 --> 00:19:13,200 parking lot. And so those are some more 361 00:19:13,200 --> 00:19:15,300 structured ways. But then what I would love for 362 00:19:15,300 --> 00:19:17,600 us to do is for you to be aware for you. 363 00:19:17,600 --> 00:19:21,300 To not just be in the room dressed up, nice, having your 364 00:19:21,300 --> 00:19:25,500 nice tidy, clean Easter Sunday morning, going home, and getting 365 00:19:25,500 --> 00:19:29,100 your Easter baskets and doing Easter egg hunts for Sunday 366 00:19:29,100 --> 00:19:30,900 morning to be. No, I need to go engage some 367 00:19:30,900 --> 00:19:33,100 people today. There's new folks in this room 368 00:19:33,300 --> 00:19:36,700 that need a need a personal connection to someone and for 369 00:19:36,700 --> 00:19:40,100 us, Again, Mission Ali to be looking around, being aware of 370 00:19:40,100 --> 00:19:42,900 the folks that are in the room that you might be the person 371 00:19:43,300 --> 00:19:45,500 that is a catalyst for them in their faith. 372 00:19:45,700 --> 00:19:49,200 And this is the first step of many that God's going to bring 373 00:19:49,200 --> 00:19:53,200 them into the into the fold of our church and our members in 374 00:19:53,200 --> 00:19:54,800 the sitting at this table right now. 375 00:19:54,800 --> 00:19:57,800 We get to be a part of that together and so that's just a 376 00:19:57,800 --> 00:20:00,400 few ways Mission Ali to think about Sunday morning. 377 00:20:00,400 --> 00:20:04,000 It is a celebration, but we do some of our favorite songs 378 00:20:04,500 --> 00:20:07,000 teaching is usually around one of those topics. 379 00:20:07,900 --> 00:20:09,900 I'm geared. I'm it's Easter teaching, 380 00:20:09,900 --> 00:20:12,800 typically. And so I would just man, have 381 00:20:12,800 --> 00:20:16,800 fun really would coming off a Friday, which is more somber. 382 00:20:17,000 --> 00:20:19,500 Reflective Sunday, we are celebrating. 383 00:20:19,500 --> 00:20:23,000 We're excited were Joyful. We have something to be excited 384 00:20:23,000 --> 00:20:25,900 about and so just to come with that mindset and to coach your 385 00:20:26,300 --> 00:20:29,200 coach, your crew that you're bringing with you up, to, with 386 00:20:29,200 --> 00:20:31,600 that and then to be observant, be aware. 387 00:20:31,700 --> 00:20:35,300 So, you know, we've got Chris Rivers here with us. 388 00:20:35,300 --> 00:20:37,500 Obviously, Chris is probably one of the biggest advocates. 389 00:20:37,600 --> 00:20:39,800 It's for four guests care here at our church. 390 00:20:39,800 --> 00:20:42,400 Chris, do you have any, any thoughts for our members around 391 00:20:42,400 --> 00:20:44,500 on that? Yeah, I mean, I think studies 392 00:20:44,500 --> 00:20:47,100 indicate that a first-time guest and makes a decision to come 393 00:20:47,100 --> 00:20:49,600 back to a church within the first 11 minutes of their 394 00:20:49,600 --> 00:20:52,600 experience. So we need volunteers to help 395 00:20:52,800 --> 00:20:56,000 Embrace that 11-minute experience, show up early and 396 00:20:56,400 --> 00:20:59,400 ask how you can help and you think about a guest and all the 397 00:20:59,400 --> 00:21:01,500 decisions they make. They have to go to the have to 398 00:21:01,500 --> 00:21:03,400 turn somewhere. They have to park somewhere. 399 00:21:03,400 --> 00:21:05,100 They have to. They're walking somewhere. 400 00:21:05,100 --> 00:21:07,900 So if you see somebody that looks like they're not, Normally 401 00:21:07,900 --> 00:21:11,000 here, then welcomed them be hospitable. 402 00:21:11,000 --> 00:21:15,100 Just like if someone came to your house and they knocked on 403 00:21:15,100 --> 00:21:19,200 your door and you don't know them, you're probably not going 404 00:21:19,200 --> 00:21:21,000 to invite them into the house, you know? 405 00:21:21,000 --> 00:21:22,500 You just like hey can I help you? 406 00:21:22,500 --> 00:21:24,500 You know whatever. But if there if there are a 407 00:21:24,500 --> 00:21:26,300 guest in your house, what do you do? 408 00:21:26,600 --> 00:21:29,500 You let them in and you show them where the bathroom is and 409 00:21:29,600 --> 00:21:32,700 you probably feed them. And so maybe have that mindset, 410 00:21:32,700 --> 00:21:35,200 that the people that are coming to our church of, you've been 411 00:21:35,200 --> 00:21:39,100 coming here for a long time. This is your Opportunity to be 412 00:21:39,100 --> 00:21:42,900 hospitable and kind and just think, man, what would it be? 413 00:21:42,900 --> 00:21:44,600 Like if I was coming here for the first OU? 414 00:21:44,700 --> 00:21:46,600 Just somebody did it for us. That's right. 415 00:21:46,700 --> 00:21:49,600 Each one of us, someone went out of their way to make space for 416 00:21:49,600 --> 00:21:51,800 you to be engaged that way now, disciples. 417 00:21:51,800 --> 00:21:53,400 So it's a good point, good thoughts? 418 00:21:53,500 --> 00:21:54,800 Yeah. And this is when we want to take 419 00:21:54,800 --> 00:21:58,100 advantage of any cultural momentum that makes coming to 420 00:21:58,100 --> 00:22:02,100 church on Easter cool. We want to capitalize on that. 421 00:22:02,300 --> 00:22:06,400 Yeah, we're going to preach a really clear gospel and we're 422 00:22:06,400 --> 00:22:08,400 going to call people to life. We're going to be us. 423 00:22:08,400 --> 00:22:11,600 We're going to do what we do and we're just asking our members to 424 00:22:11,600 --> 00:22:15,500 just not take that for granted and to really not get distracted 425 00:22:15,500 --> 00:22:18,200 because there is there's a lot of fun stuff that can go with 426 00:22:18,200 --> 00:22:19,600 Easter. There's a lot of good food, 427 00:22:19,600 --> 00:22:22,400 there's family that might not normally be together and you're 428 00:22:22,400 --> 00:22:25,000 worshipping together with your family but you're also coming to 429 00:22:25,000 --> 00:22:27,100 be a part of a bigger church family and so that's really the 430 00:22:27,100 --> 00:22:30,200 whole point of this podcast. It's how not to take it for 431 00:22:30,200 --> 00:22:34,200 granted and how not to neglect your soul and the missional 432 00:22:34,200 --> 00:22:39,000 component that Easter brings because it It is the most 433 00:22:39,000 --> 00:22:42,000 important day in our Christian calendar. 434 00:22:42,100 --> 00:22:44,700 Yeah, that's good. Chris what resources are 435 00:22:44,708 --> 00:22:48,100 available to members to embrace all of Holy Week As A 436 00:22:48,100 --> 00:22:51,200 discipleship opportunity? Yeah, if you go to Grace Church, 437 00:22:51,200 --> 00:22:54,500 SC dot org slash Easter and we'll put that in the show 438 00:22:54,500 --> 00:22:55,600 notes, right? Sure. 439 00:22:55,600 --> 00:22:59,600 So, they're on our Easter page, we have everything related to 440 00:22:59,700 --> 00:23:02,100 Holy Week. So, you know, if you go there 441 00:23:02,100 --> 00:23:07,300 now, it's live and you can see reading plans and even some of 442 00:23:07,300 --> 00:23:10,200 the The ways that we've worship through Good Friday in the past 443 00:23:10,200 --> 00:23:12,600 are available there online. So if you're looking for 444 00:23:12,900 --> 00:23:16,000 additional ways to meditate through the season, those are 445 00:23:16,000 --> 00:23:18,200 there for you. So we just pray that you would 446 00:23:18,200 --> 00:23:22,300 be intentional with the season and those are there. 447 00:23:22,500 --> 00:23:26,900 That's right. I have one last concluding salt 448 00:23:26,900 --> 00:23:30,600 from my perspective. I know that for me. 449 00:23:30,800 --> 00:23:33,900 I grew up in a more maybe fundamental traditional 450 00:23:33,900 --> 00:23:37,400 background where especially around Advent to go back to our 451 00:23:37,600 --> 00:23:42,800 Our beginning conversation was very much observed, but very 452 00:23:42,800 --> 00:23:47,300 structured and nice and clean and maybe not as emotionally, or 453 00:23:47,400 --> 00:23:49,000 in some ways for me, spiritual engaging. 454 00:23:49,000 --> 00:23:50,900 But also I was a high school student, right? 455 00:23:50,900 --> 00:23:54,400 So, not quite as engaged on that front, that being said, we're 456 00:23:54,400 --> 00:23:58,000 not necessarily asking for all of us to strictly. 457 00:23:58,000 --> 00:24:02,700 Adopt an approach towards lent and Holy Week that's rigid. 458 00:24:02,700 --> 00:24:04,600 And over least, that's not necessarily what we're saying. 459 00:24:04,600 --> 00:24:07,500 Wherever you find yourself on this Continuum, I would just 460 00:24:07,600 --> 00:24:11,400 Ask, can you take a step with more intentionality towards 461 00:24:11,400 --> 00:24:13,300 engaging, what this week means for us? 462 00:24:13,300 --> 00:24:16,800 Personally, so, again, not completely adopt the whole 463 00:24:16,800 --> 00:24:21,100 season necessarily unless you want to let your, you know, you 464 00:24:21,100 --> 00:24:25,000 have your overachiever. But for you personally just take 465 00:24:25,000 --> 00:24:26,900 a step. What would it look like for you 466 00:24:26,900 --> 00:24:29,400 for your family for your community group? 467 00:24:29,400 --> 00:24:32,700 Whatever that looks like to take a step towards engaging this 468 00:24:32,700 --> 00:24:34,900 week, with a little bit more intentionality for your on 469 00:24:34,900 --> 00:24:36,600 discipleship and maybe for others. 470 00:24:37,500 --> 00:24:41,800 You're engaged with that, just sets us up well to worship. 471 00:24:41,800 --> 00:24:46,200 Well on the weekend and get to celebrate, that's the big thing 472 00:24:46,208 --> 00:24:48,600 I'd want to emphasize, is I really would love for us to all 473 00:24:48,600 --> 00:24:51,400 show up, ready to celebrate excited and joyful because we 474 00:24:51,400 --> 00:24:53,200 have a reason to be that's great. 475 00:24:53,200 --> 00:24:55,700 Well, this is has been a great interview and just to learn more 476 00:24:55,700 --> 00:24:58,800 about what this week looks like. I feel like I've gotten a lot 477 00:24:58,800 --> 00:25:01,900 out of this and the idea of being intentional, really 478 00:25:01,900 --> 00:25:04,700 appreciate all the work that you guys have done to build this 479 00:25:04,700 --> 00:25:07,500 momentum for us and the work that you guys have done. 480 00:25:07,500 --> 00:25:11,300 Done in previous Easter's weeks. So thanks so much guys. 481 00:25:11,300 --> 00:25:13,200 Is there anything else we need to share? 482 00:25:13,500 --> 00:25:17,800 Happy Easter Happy Easter. Well, as we wrap up today's 483 00:25:17,800 --> 00:25:19,900 conversation, we want to thank you for joining us. 484 00:25:20,200 --> 00:25:22,700 We realized that listening to a podcast episode. 485 00:25:22,700 --> 00:25:26,300 Like this can really be an individual experience which we 486 00:25:26,300 --> 00:25:29,500 believe is only enhanced by talking through it and applying 487 00:25:29,500 --> 00:25:31,400 it to life. And this is something that we 488 00:25:31,400 --> 00:25:34,500 believe lots of people don't naturally seek out or have built 489 00:25:34,500 --> 00:25:36,800 into their lives. So we want to encourage you to 490 00:25:36,800 --> 00:25:39,600 share this episode with someone else and ask them to share with 491 00:25:39,600 --> 00:25:41,600 you any takeaways. They receive from listening. 492 00:25:41,900 --> 00:25:44,700 Be prepared to do the same and approach their feedback with a 493 00:25:44,700 --> 00:25:46,600 posture to learn and apply. Why? 494 00:25:46,700 --> 00:25:49,800 This is a great way to move towards this discipleship issue. 495 00:25:50,200 --> 00:25:53,300 If you have questions or want access to additional resources, 496 00:25:53,300 --> 00:25:56,100 be sure to check out our podcast page located in the show notes. 497 00:25:56,400 --> 00:25:58,400 All right? Thanks for joining us today and 498 00:25:58,400 --> 00:26:00,700 we look forward to joining you on the next episode. 499 00:25:46,300 --> 00:25:48,200 Why? This is a great way to move 500 00:25:48,200 --> 00:25:51,500 towards this discipleship issue. If you have questions or want 501 00:25:51,500 --> 00:25:54,700 access to additional resources, be sure to check out our podcast 502 00:25:54,700 --> 00:25:56,800 page located in the show notes. All right? 503 00:25:56,800 --> 00:25:59,500 Thanks for joining us today and we look forward to joining you 504 00:25:59,500 --> 00:26:00,700 on the next episode.