TrenidyDavis.com

This is my 300^th blog entry. I feel like I’ve accomplished what I’ve wanted to in the two years that I have been blogging. Not having a regular pull-pit, this gives me an outlet to express my views on a regular basis. I know I have family who reads the blog regularly to keep up with what’s happening with my family; but the truth is that the stand along blog sites (like trenidydavis.com) is already a passing fad. Social sites, like Facebook, come built in with aggregators that allow everyone to easily blog, post pictures, and interact with each other. There are not as many people left who visit stand alone sites. I’m praying/considering writing some discipleship material, but I’m looking for some direction. So if you will please comment and let me know if you think I should keep this blog going, in its current form. I’m not looking for an ego boost (chances are may not get one anyway), but I’m simply trying to find out if there is a large enough audience out there to justify keeping the site. I’ll keep this post up for a couple of weeks and see what kind of response I get, and then I’ll make my decision.

Thanks,

Trenidy

Sunday I took the whole family, and we drove up to Madison, MS to attend a worship services at Life Bridge church. We had a fun time seeing what God is doing through the ministry of this church. The pastor, Philip Thurman, and I became friends back in the late 90s when he was the college and singles pastor at Temple Baptist, in Hattiesburg. Life Bridge launched a little over 5 years ago and Scott and I have been asking them to help us with Turning Pointe. Philip, Greg Miller (the man of 1000 faces), and Johnny Ervin (Lean Church Guy) have all be invaluable resource for coaching Scott and me at Turning Pointe.

After having lunch with Philip and his wife Lori, we headed up to T-Town (Tuscaloosa) and visited with JJs family. We ate burgers and I drove the kids on Uncle George’s 4-Wheeler. We also had a chance to attend the McWane Science Center in downtown Birmingham. I guess this was sort of the kick-off of a new year of home schooling. The kids had a great time interacting with all the experiments.

We also went to one of the IMAX Dome movies, “Under the Sea”. I highly recommend viewing a movie at one of these theatres. The movie itself was terrible with its several scenes “cuddle fish” both fighting and matting. It was fun trying to explain that to the kids. Also the voice of Jim Carry was piped in over video of dying coral reef; with him evangelizing the audience with the “Global Warming Gospel”. Sorry to rant. Anyway, but before the movie, there was like a 2 minute demo of the IMAX dome projection system. It was incredible! I’m assuming in the near future we will be construing our home entertainment rooms in a dome shape so we can project movies at 180 degrees.

Anyway I attended training class for work and we drove home Tuesday night. Almost forgot; we got to eat at Jim-n-Nicks in Birmingham-This was the highlight of the trip for me! There are more pictures of our trip posted on facebook.

For my birthday the kids got me WiiSports (Resort) and after only one day, I can tell we are really going to have fun with this one! The game comes with a WiiMotionPlus sensor that connects to the bottom of the controller. It gives 360 degrees of control to your Mii (little character) with each game. My favorite events thus far are:

Fencing – Also known as sword fighting by TJ. He loves this one and is pretty good at it. It’s sort of the Wii Boxing off like the original series of Wii Sports.

Archery is pretty fun. You add the Nun chuck controller and it really looks like you are holding up a bow. You have 3 stations to shoot from and each one moves you further back. You have both wind and moving targets to contend with in the higher levels.

Sky Diving is also a fun one. You jump out of a plane and use your Wiimote to connect up with other divers. You are photographed and get points for the total number of divers you were able to get into formation with. Simple but fun! While there are several more games, right now these are my favorites.

The only drawback to the game is that you have to have the additional WiiMotionPlus connector for each of your controllers, which run $20 each. So I’m looking at $60 to rig out our other 3 controllersL.

All said it’s great fun for the entire family. So if you are trying to save money on your next vacation why not got to Wii Resort. PS You really can’t eat any food you may see on the screen;Sorry.

Here is an article I wrote for our Church Blog.

Over the past several months at Turning Pointe we have had people with a variety of religious backgrounds visit with us. As a church it is our goal to reach unchurched people. However in recent months it has become clear, that in South Mississippi, there are fewer unchurched people and more dechurched people. By dechurched we are talking about those who at some point in their life were involved in organized religion, but for different reasons have been out of “church” for a year or longer.

We have also had several families and individuals visit us who usually attend church elsewhere. My initial thoughts for these “churched” visitors has been to think;

I hope you don’t like what we are doing, because if you want to be a part of Turning Pointe you’re more likely to want us to think from your perspective as a “church” person and less from the perspective of those who are currently outside the church.

Like any organization, the church can gradually become more about the people who are already there, than the people we have been called to reach. However, I’ve been rethinking my perspective on those who are currently churched, but are looking to serve the LORD in a fresh way. So I decided to write a wanted list for them. Again we are not looking to steal sheep and play the numbers game, but I would say if these wanted statements describe you, then you may have found an answer to your prayer.

• Wanted: a church to partner with me to evangelize my lost friends. This is called being missional – It’s easy to invite your un-de-churched friends to a casual and jamin’ church like TP.
• Wanted: an opportunity to serve the Lord in a simple and tangible way – If you are checking out our website to see if we have a variety of programs to meet your family’s needs, then this is probably not the place for you. Here you will find opportunities for you and your family to serve, not simply be served (Didn’t Jesus say something about that?)
• Wanted: a chance to experience the power of God, no simply hear others talk about it- Paul warned the younger Timothy that in the “Last Days” that people would, “having a form of godliness but denying its power.” (2 Tim 3:5) God’s power exist for those today who step out in faith and long to see God do something in a response to their obedience.

Want to know more? Visit us on Sunday Mornings, or email us at info@turningpointechurch.org. The Turning Pointe Church – Turning People to Christ

Matt Chandler spoke on the foolishness of the gospel in a sermon he delivered during the Advance09 conference. I love this so much so I decided to transcribe this part of his message.

There is this real bent to make what we believe cool. It wasn’t design to work that way. If you’ve contextualized the gospel so that everyone likes it, it’s no longer the gospel.

There is foolishness to what we believe. It’s crazy. If anyone says it back to you, you know the Holy Spirit has done a work in your life. If someone says back to you,

“OK, let me get this straight. A virgin gave birth to a guy…… who was God; but only part of God? But still completely God, but was man also? He lived a perfect life so they killed him? They buried him and then he came back to life and then he floated back into heaven? Then one day, let me make sure I get all this right, one day he is coming back on a white horse <pause> (laughter) to get us? …… Is that what you believe partner?”

And what is our response? Yes I do. Yeah. You want to come? You want to go with me? We’re gonna meet him in air! (Tons of laughter)

There is foolishness to what we believe and it’s only by God’s amazing grace can we believe this gospel message.

1 Corinthians 1:18 “For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God “

Psalms 139:1-24 (NIV)

For the director of music. Of David. A psalm.

1 O Lord, you have searched me and you know me. 2 You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. 3 You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. 4 Before a word is on my tongue you know it completely, O Lord. 5 You hem me in–behind and before; you have laid your hand upon me. 6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain. 7 Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? 8 If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. 9 If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, 10 even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast. 11 If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me,” 12 even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you. 13 For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. 14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. 15 My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, 16 your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be. 17 How precious to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them! 18 Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand. When I awake, I am still with you. 19 If only you would slay the wicked, O God! Away from me, you bloodthirsty men! 20 They speak of you with evil intent; your adversaries misuse your name. 21 Do I not hate those who hate you, O Lord, and abhor those who rise up against you? 22 I have nothing but hatred for them; I count them my enemies. 23 Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. 24 See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.