Have you ever wondered why the name for the score of zero in tennis is called love? I was reading about it in an article written by J Michael Shannon. No one knows for sure, but one of the best theories suggests it is an English corruption of the French word for egg—a word that sounds a lot like love. A zero resembles an egg, so zero was called an egg. Today, we sometimes refer to zero as a goose egg. In life, however, love is never a zero. In fact, if you read the words of the apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 13, we are zeros if we don't have it. Love always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.

I had a phone conversation yesterday with Ryan S. Kozey, who walked me through the results of our recent church survey on Spiritual Formation and Missional Activity. We covered a lot of things, and he gave us a number of action steps, but the phrase that will stick with me the most is when he said: "Your first priority here, is to move your people from zero... to one." From zero to one. What did he mean by that?

Well friends, be encouraged. Because far and wide, the church survey indicated multiple layers of spiritual health and an individual commitment to Jesus Christ. Our congregation reads their Bible 5 days a week, attends church at least 3 times a month, and invites others into their homes at least once a month. Our congregation seeks active involvement in various Bible study groups, and numerous service projects to the extent that we more than double the national average in these categories.  Our people feel cared and loved for by the church leadership, are challenged by the preaching and teaching, and are drawn to a closer to relationship with God by the music and worship ministry.

Where we have to grow, is where we need to move from zero; to one. In the last 12 months, there were a fair number of people in our congregation that intentionally built a personal relationship with someone far from Christ. In the last 12 months however, (other than one individual who shared their faith 40 times) most of you marked "zero," as the number of times you personally shared the Gospel message / your Grace Story of Jesus Christ.   

Here's the thing. Nearly half of the people who marked "one" or more as the number of times they shared the Gospel, also marked "one" as the number of times they personally saw someone come to faith in Jesus. Isn't that wonderful? The word of Christ will not come back void! When we share God's love with others, love is never a zero. Love never fails. 

God, would you do something incredible in our church. God, may you take the spiritually healthy roots here, and drive them down even deeper. God would you take our church from Zero... To One. Praise be to God!

- Pastor Milo

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- from my wife and guest blogger Erin Wilson

I was an emotional mess the past Sunday at Randall Church. It didn't help that I've been fighting a head cold and sinus infection for weeks, but oh boy, did I do some ugly crying on Sunday morning!  This Sunday was a beautiful expression of the church being the Church. We got to witness a body of believers coming around some very specific families in our church who needed to be brought before the King as their needs are great.  I love when our church prays together! It is beautiful!  And then we were given the opportunity to meet a very practical financial need for one of those families.

On a very personal note it was a "full circle" moment for me.  A moment when I got to see God's word come alive and his promises ring true. Years ago, Milo and I were taught a giving principle out of the scriptures.  In 2 Cor 8:14 God's word says, "At the present time your plenty will supply what they need, so that in turn their plenty will supply what you need."  We have allowed this principle to guide our giving since we were taught it.  To give out of our abundance, trusting that God, through others, will provide for us in our time of need.  So why was this moment on Sunday so emotional for me? 

Eight years ago, to this very week, we had a church come around us and give out of their abundance in our time of need.  And now, here I was sitting in the pew with the opportunity to give out my abundance to a family in a similar situation with medical expenses and travel expenses mounting.  To be reminded of what others in the church had done for us years before and now to be able to somehow return a portion of that was an emotional role reversal and I knew exactly what God was asking of me.  

God made it very clear to me on Sunday that I was not giving to this family but returning a gift back to God, and I quickly became overwhelmed.  You see, in that moment I received the privilege and honor of being able to take part in the giving. It was hard yet beautiful to feel the tension of wanting to hang onto my abundance but simultaneously realizing just how much I have been given and knowing it was time to let go.  That tension is real, but what good is to have material possessions if we cannot hold them loosely enough that when God says "let go", we can obey as an act of worship.      

Pastor Bryan taught this Sunday on the fall of mankind in the Garden of Eden.  He pointed out the image of the tree of life (which God intended for us) and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. When Adam and Eve ate of that tree sin, pain, hurt, cancer, injustice, death and darkness entered our world.  He spoke about how we as believers are living between those two trees now.  

There is great tension between those trees.  But as I watched our congregation pray for and give to these families on Sunday I could see more clearly the tree of life, what God had intended. In that moment we were a body of believers heading toward the tree of life and bringing restoration to the brokenness that is in this world.  This, is a church that I am proud to be a part of!

May we continue to be people who wrestle with the tension of living between the trees and a people who desperately seek to do our part to repair the brokenness in this world and head toward the tree of life.

Erin Wilson

@thewilsonheart

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Imagine that you and I met recently, and had a great first impression. This may have been at the grocery store, a work connection, or a school sporting event where we connected well and even our spouses interacted in a friendly manner. I

Imagine that I invite you over for dinner, and because of this first meeting and it's positive feelings, you enthusiastically say yes! We agree on a time and you plan to bring the entire family over one night next week. The night comes, and you leave your home excited for a nice evening with new friends. For the sake of illustration, this is where things begin to go wrong... 

First, the address I gave and you put in your GPS puts you on the wrong side of the Thruway, with no ability to exit. When you do arrive 15 minutes late, the porch lights are off and the driveway is full, leaving you still unsure if this is the right location. 

When you ring the bell, I take a long time to answer it, and when I finally come to the door, my greeting is halfhearted at best. Next, it is clear that dinner was started without you, which is ok given your tardiness, but the general disarray of the home makes you unsure if I was expecting you to make it for dinner at all? Dinner conversation is strained, as it appears I am more interested in telling you about myself than I am in learning anything about you.

Sound pretty bad? Yeah, I think so too. Hopefully you have not ever experienced a dinner invitation like this fictional scenario I set up. Sadly however, this isn't too far fetched for what a family can experience when they decide to visit a new church this weekend.

I spent this week as a parking lot greeter for our church's VBS program. I had a great time interacting with many of you, your wonderful kids, and your numerous comments about "finally seeing the Pastor do something around here!" :-)

Being out there, and interacting with people was a great reminder of 3 things that most people forget about a parking lot whether it be at a church, at a soccer tournament, or at a elementary school function. 

1. People decide in the parking lot. 

2. People care when you care. 

3. People love to be loved!

This weekend, how can you be intentional about being kind and hospitable with others from the moment they drive on to the church campus? I don't mean everyone has to put on a reflective vest and carry an umbrella. I do mean however, that if we are not conscious about positive human to human interaction in those first moments, the rest of our time together is hard to recover.

Are parking lots the most important facet of our ministries? Absolutely not. Not even close. But they can be used of God toward making an eternal difference. 

I am a difference maker.

Pastor Milo

@milowilson

Surprisingly when a person trains for endurance rides, only a small portion of the training is physical. Most of the effort is actually mental. When your body has become fatigued, and things don't make a lot of sense, can you continue to press onward? Where is your focus?

These are the questions that the local church need to consider: Will the Church continue to pursue God for strength and motivation when the going gets tough? Will we raise up the next generation to do the same? As the author of Hebrews states, will we look to Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith?

In 2026, Randall Church will be 200 years old. In these next 9 years, the facilities we enjoy may not be in disrepair, the people we recognize may still greet one another each Sunday, and the programs we know may not have reached the end of their usefulness. But in 59 years they certainly will have. So, we can rest easy for the next 9 years, or we can choose to pursue. Pursue a heritage of faith that leaves a legacy. Pursue a heritage of faith that leaves His name on their lips. I choose to pursue. I choose to believe that the best is yet to come!

Pastor Milo
@milowilson

by Guest Blogger Bryan Long

We had a wonderful Easter morning at Randall Church last Sunday! We saw 375 people come through our doors with almost 100 kids. Aside from the numbers, there was a buzz in the air as people welcomed each other. There was a new look to our signage and branding. There was a sense of excitement around the building. God is moving at Randall Church!

After big events like this, it is natural for us to pull back. The “event” is over so our job is done. But in the Biblical narrative, Easter isn’t the end of the story. Jesus then commissions His followers to be His “witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” (Acts 1:8) When it comes to “finding your place” OUTward, we are moving away from an event-based mindset to this lifestyle mindset. We use the word “Presence” to help communicate this. We believe every follower of Jesus is a missionary who is present with those in their corridor, workspace, and social circles to bear witness to Jesus in word and deed. Whether the people in your circles came to Easter or not, here are some easy-to-remember ways to be present:

1.     Prayer: We remember that it is God’s work to bring people to Himself. So, our first job is to join God is prayer for those we are present with. My street has become my primary place of presence. I have a Google Map picture of our street framed on my desk with neighbor’s names I have gotten to know. It is a way to remember my first responsibility.

2.     Care: Care is any way you can make yourself available. It can be as simple as listening, inviting people over for dinner, or helping shovel a driveway. I find intentional availability key to learning the needs of others. So, our family says yes to any invite we get from our street – even when we would rather stay home. We invite neighbors to dinners and parties. We hang out in the front yard more than the backyard. Last weekend a few kids came out to join us, then their parents came out, then other neighbors stopped by. By the time we knew it, 20 people were on our front yard. We were available and able to hear the needs of our community.

3.     Share: As we build relationships, we earn the right to speak into their lives. It’s sensing when the Holy Spirit brings about a “conversation bridge” to the Gospel. This could be a co-worker who is going through a hard time, a neighbor who shares a moment of vulnerability, or a friend whose parent is dying. At our spontaneous street party, I told the story from my sermon last week about Mia getting under someone else’s bedroom sheets. When I finished, someone from the group asked: “What was the point of your story?” Conversation bridge. I was able to share that in the season of Easter we celebrate the gift of access to the God between the sheets.

It was a wonderful Easter morning last week. But Easter isn’t the end of the story. It’s just the beginning...

Bryan Long

I had the privilege of getting away with our family from Wednesday to Wednesday this last week, driving far enough south to get the exposed back of my neck and ears sunburned at the beach in GA, even though I was still wearing a long sleeved shirt and pants. We really had a great time together camping, biking, and exploring Jekyll Island as a family before heading inland to visit extended family on the return trip.

We wound up worshipping Palm Sunday with my cousin and church planter Jacob Edwards in Aiken, SC at Crossroads Church for the first time in 3 years. It was so encouraging to see what God has been doing in the life of that particular expression of faith. Conversations were buzzing about opportunities for purchasing a permanent facility where they would really capitalize on sustained community presence and exposure to build relationships and proclaim the Gospel.

Then, we pit stopped in Asheville, NC where my brother in law and church planter John Mark Redwine was gearing up for a major community outreach event for The Gathering Church. Their office white board was absolutely full of to-do lists and volunteer team responsibilities. Boxes of Easter eggs, invite cards and stack of event stick signs filled the workspace, and phone calls, emails, and excited communication efforts spun in every direction.

In fact, our family traveled some 2,300 miles over the last 7 days. Preparations for Easter, and various forms Gospel saturation were evident at churches and neighborhoods along the entire route. To my delight upon my arrival at our church this morning, I found our facility to have a similar flurry of activity. We are full of anticipation for a meaningful Good Friday Service followed by a glorious Resurrection Sunday Morning celebration! 

At Randall Church, as an organization, we are preparing ourselves. Easter can be a focused season of opportunity for inviting new people to hear clear communication of the Good News for those who may not already have a meaningful relationship with Jesus. 

If you would be willing to do your part in inviting your friends, neighbors, and co-workers, we commit to do our part in not embarrassing you. We commit to doing things with excellence and intentionality, so that first they have a great experience in our worship gathering, but more importantly that they clearly hear the Gospel.

We invite you to invite others to celebrate with us this weekend! He is Risen!

Three days our Savior suffered

In the depth of hell alone

His Father could not join Him

For our sins had to be atoned.

That's not the end of this story

For a dead Savior would not do

He conquered death in all His glory

His resurrection gives us life anew!

Hallelujah - What a Saviour!

He is risen - He is risen indeed! 

     -- Betty Amon Goehle 2006

Rutgers University recently released a report that showed that the family dinner up until 2003 was on the decline in the United States. Since that time, it has been encouraging to see that the percentage of American families sharing the family dinner ritual has begun to rise again.

The family meal provides anchoring for everyone's day. It emphasizes the importance of the family. The dinner table is one way in which a family provides stability and support to its members by combining combining two basic needs: nourishment and connection! And there's nothing else quite like it.

Similarly, the local church needs ways to help emphasize the importance of the church body, and provide stability and support for her own friends and family. Gathering for a meal is a great way to do this, and setting the time aside will have to be intentional.

It seems that getting everyone around the table can be a huge juggling exercise for overworked parents and overscheduled children. However, many parents have begun marshaling their best organizational skills to carve out a few more family meals. The local church would be wise to do the same.

At Randall Church, we have set aside three friends and family meals a year in order to assist every man, woman, and child to find their place. Here is what we are trying to be intentional about when we share a meal:

  1. Orientation for our new friends and guests

  2. Communication for our core families and partners

  3. Unification for our entire body of believers

We invite you to join us Sunday, April 2nd following our 10:15 Worship Gathering. We commit to respect your time. We look forward to getting to know you better!

Pastor Milo

   

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My family loves to hike. Last year we made a trip to the Adirondacks, and did some family hiking up legitimate elevation for the very first time. Because our kids are still very small, we had to carry the two youngest ones on our backs. With all that additional weight, it may have been one of the most difficult hikes of my life. But, the reward was worth it!

Mark Batterson, a pastor and author, tells a great story of hiking the Grand Canyon with his sons. He use this experience as a right of passage for his teenage boys. It took them two days of hard fought hiking, to traverse from one side of the canyon to the other.

To Batterson's surprise, Mark found the hike much more difficult than he expected as an avid climber. When they reached the other rim, this author encountered an interesting sight, different from the breathtaking views that spread out before him. He called them "Rim Huggers."

While he and his sons took in the views between gasps of breath, quick water swigs, and protein bar bites, there was also the people who got out of their air conditioned vehicles and strolled over to the edge in their khakis and saw the exact same  glorious views. 

What was the difference? The hike! Missing the hike is missing the whole experience. Men, today's challenge for you. God has build each of you uniquely with a desire for the epic. We believe that chics dig scars, and that strong men respect a firm handshake. 

Men, don't miss the hike! Don't miss out on raising your kids to understand the beautiful mystery of the Gospel. Don't miss the hike! Don't miss out on banding together with other men to lead Christ's bride; the Church to a place of unity, relevancy, and vibrancy. Men, the time is now. Are you a "Rim Walker" or a Rim Hiker?"

Pastor Milo

This week in a kid's life was incredible! Monday was a half day for parent-teacher conferences, Tuesday was a snow day, Wednesday was a snow day, Thursday was a full day of school, and Friday is off for a teacher workday. For a kid, it just doesn't get a whole lot better than that!

This particular storm was forecasted way out in advance. However, for our kids, similar forecasts have come and gone and yet they haven't had a day off of school in the Buffalo - WNY region in almost 2 years. The 1st grader next door had never experienced a snow day at all since she started school.

As an adult, I don't get as excited about the possibility of snow as the rest of my household. However, this was a great reminder to see life through the eyes of a child. In fact, Scripture tells us to "grow up" spiritually to the point that we have the faith of a child. Interesting isn't it?

You see, the return of Christ has been forecasted for 2,000 years. Yet, we tend to think about the coming of our Savior with the ho-hum approach of tax day on the horizon. Like a child watching the evening news report with sudden interest, checking their parent's smart phone weather app incessantly, or looking out the window every 20 minutes hoping for flurries in the sky, we are told to live in anticipation for the arrival of King Jesus for His bride, the Church.

How prepared are you? Do you have your "play clothes" ready at the door?

It will happen in a moment, in the blink of an eye, when the last trumpet is blown... 1 Corinthians 15:52.

Pastor Milo

@milowilson

Our family loves to be outside and play sports. Specifically right now, we have spent our Sunday afternoons on the ski slopes learning the art of carving nice turns and good form while parallel skiing. Now, as the weather turns so does our focus. Our kids are involved in travel soccer, and its so much fun to see them progress on and off the field as a team.

The two sports are quite different. While both have elements of social interaction, one is clearly an individual sport while excelling in the other can only be accomplished by a team. And conversely, an individualist who is only focused on their own play, will stick out like a sore thumb in a team environment. Learning to work as a team is a process. But a beautiful thing when it all comes together!

Church is a team sport. In fact, the Church is God's sole strategy for reaching the world with the Gospel, and he intended for it to be done in a way that utilizes the entire body of Christ; utilizing the entire team. 

How are you at being a team player?

Pastor Milo

@milowilson

I am a person who fills every moment of every day with activity if left to my own devices. When I was responsible for planning youth retreats, I often disbursed the itinerary for a ski weekend and it was nothing to have a full 36 hours programmed without a moment to spare. Often, after twisting parent's arms to allow me to take their teenagers out of school a day early over a holiday weekend, the same parents would keep their kids home the day after the trip to recover and regroup from the trip. Over time, I'm learning that in ministry and in life, less is more, and more is better.  

A few years back I read a great book by Dave Browning called Deliberate Simplicity. I picked it up again this week, and was challenged once again to think about what is most important, and make deliberate efforts to laser focus there. On the book jacket it quotes Einstein who noted once that any intelligent fool can make things bigger and more complex, but that it takes a touch of genius... to move in the opposite direction. I often feel like an intelligent fool.

In true minimalistic form, the following statements encapsulate how less is more in regards to the local church. How is your church doing?

Keep it simple. Keep it missional. Keep it real.

Keep it simple.

Are we doing things as a church that are hard to explain to a guest in a few sentences? Or, are things done in a simple DNA that can be reproduced rapidly, and expand quickly? Are we built for growth? Notice I did not say simplistic, or robotic. Our human bodies are built around simple building blocks we call cells, yet the result is anything bland and ordinary.

Keep it missional.

Are we doing things as a church that are directionless and purposeless in regards to reaching people for Jesus Christ? Or, are we asking ourselves regularly to live out their faith in the "ordinary" ways of life? Our hope is to see "ordinary" people engaging in evangelistic missional efforts locally and globally.

Keep it real.

Are we doing things as a church that could be describes as impression management? Are we wearing clothes, listening to music, and using a vernacular that we wouldn't use with the rest of the week? Or, are willing to be a people of authenticity. Is what you see what you get? Our desire should be for genuine people and real relationships full of imperfections, colorations, and textures where we invite anyone to "come as your are."

What about you? 

How could you do more by doing less? Maybe your specific group or ministry area should spend some time to think along these lines? What would it look like if you chose to be deliberately simple?

Pastor Milo

@milowilson

What is it you have to do when you're not preaching?

Must be nice to only work one day a week.

I'd like to come see you this afternoon. It's not Sunday, I'm assuming you're free.

So what is it that a pastor actually does? The answer for any pastors is — lots of things. Lots. A day is seldom the same. The pastor wears many hats, and for many, the roles are ever changing. Sometimes things can get a bit overwhelming.

This unease however, isn't unique to the pastorate. I had lunch today with a friend whose company is undergoing an organizational overhaul, leaving thousands of employees wondering what their role will be in the new structure as it comes into focus. On a national level, as I watch the re-shaping of the presidential cabinet, I see many high level leaders wondering what their role in the new administration. 

Many people are aware of the role a pastor plays as a counselor, a coach, or a volunteer coordinator, but what about the role of community ambassador? Our nation sends ambassadors to posts around the world to represent us and our ideals in a concise and positive manner. The role of the pastor in the community is similar.

The pastor represents the church in the community in many ways. First and foremost he is to represents the name of Christ to the neighborhood, as is the mandate of every follower of Jesus, but he also represents the name of the local church when he moves about the neighborhood. This is also a high calling.

In our context, I meet regularly with our Forest Elementary School Principal and look for opportunities for our church to meet practical needs of the under-served and under-fed children in his care. I speak often at the Christian Central Academy chapel services, as well as meet with the Fire Chief in the Village of Williamsville for coffee from time to time.

We are active in our church networks as well, where I have the honor of representing Randall in a more formal sense. While we remain an autonomous church, grounded in Baptist roots, these partnerships give us tremendous impact in WNY and around the world. 

We are interacting on a weekly basis with the Frontier Baptist Association whose goals are to empower people for missions, encourage pastors for leadership, equip planters for disciple-making, and energize partner churches for kingdom thinking. I serve as a volunteer church planting catalyst, where I have the opportunity to survey new areas in our city where churches are needed and connect them with planters that have a burning in their heart to see people come to Christ, and establish a new gathering of believers.

We also engage on a quarterly basis with the Church of Western New York, an initiative piloted by the Chapel at Crosspoint for the purpose of seeing our region completely saturated with the Gospel. This is not a denomination or a building, but rather a collaborative of churches, church leaders, and pastors who long to see the Gospel proclaimed throughout our communities. I am grateful to be in network with these fine men and women of God.

It is my honor to represent Randall church in these spheres in our community. I am reminded regularly of the weight and responsibility of the role I have to play, and I pray that I would "exemplify a disciplined life doing what is right and just and fair" (Prov 1:3). If you are a part of our church, I hope you would pray for me often, and for the places I go throughout the week. In addition, if you know another pastor that serves in a bi-vocational, or volunteer manner please say an extra prayer for him. The number of hats in his closet are even greater.

I love my job! Thank you for serving Christ with me!

Pastor Milo

@milowilson

I am the eldest of four siblings which has framed a lot of things in my life. Many studies have shown that birth order is often believed to have a profound and lasting effect on psychological development. I tend to agree.

Simply by virtue of being a couple's first child, a firstborn will naturally be a sort of experiment for the new parents, a mixture of instinct and trial-and-error. Perhaps this will cause the parents to become by-the-book caregivers who are extremely attentive and stringent with rules. Therefore, firstborns tend to like structure, and prefer rule following. Firstborns believe they should be the leaders.

Early on I decided I wanted to be a rule follower. I thought if I lived "rightly"' all my dreams would go just as planned. Instead, my self-righteousness grew like a cancer, slow and undetectable, hidden by a life focused on pleasing others.

There is so much irony in self-righteousness because it is exactly the self-righteous who don't think they have a problem. That's why it can be a toxic sin, one that creeps into our lives without our awareness. Today, I find it most apparent in my marriage. When I'm having a bad day, God forbid my wife sneeze too loudly, miss a phone call, or accidentally leave the stove on. I'm quick to point out or dwell on minor flaws while ignoring the far bigger issue: my critical spirit.

In the parable of the prodigal son, the older brother starts a long argument with his father. He mentions that he never had a party; meaning that deep down, he felt he deserved one. I know I'm the older brother—heart hardened and locked up tight—so inflexible that I'll move over for no person, not even a brother returning home. I need to repent just as much as the Prodigal does.

What about you? Are you willing to move over? To make some space for what the Father is making space for? Are you willing to move over when a friend needs an un-planned hand? When the phone rings and your ID reminds you that the person is complicated? When a neighbor you barely know suddenly asks you over for a certain football game? 

Move over. There is room for all of us at His table.

Pastor Milo

@milowilson

(adapted from article Making Room for the Self-Righteous by Claire Gibson)

It is estimated that 40% of Americans can trace their history back to Ellis Island. In fact, www.EllisIslandRecords.org attracts forty to sixty thousand unique visitors every day. Gary L. McIntosh reports that genealogists indicate that 6 in 10 of Americans are employing multiple types of sources, researching their family history to shed light on the past - and the future! 

In most communities the local church is a wealth of history, both in it's archived monuments and in it's active membership. Ironically however, multigenerational churches are rare and rapidly disappearing even while the next generation is actively searching for their roots.

Does your church know how to connect these two camps? Most likely not. But are they willing to embrace and engage in the discussion? I certainly hope so. As developing leaders we are to be desperate in our search for wisdom and counsel as we make the tough decisions that affect generations to come. So there has to be a way. There has to be connecting points along the journey doesn't there? 

Here is our attempt at providing a pathway that a multigenerational church can travel together. We invite every man, woman and child "find their place"  in three relationships: UPward in Christ, INward in the Church and OUTward in the Community. 

Where else but the local church do a 9 year old and a 99 year old have a place to be on a weekly basis? Where else but the local church are people of every generation at a place unified behind a common mission and common purpose? Where else but the local church will you find a place developing people with Jesus' expectation they are to reach the world with the Gospel?

We are a heritage of faith for the next generation. Find your place.

Pastor Milo

@milowilson

At Randall, we have established that "Fifth Sunday is Family Sunday." We have kids involved in greeting, ushering, music, as well as our tech team. One addition this month we are adding is the family choir. Now, when it comes to the mission and focus of the local church, it should be noted that "choir singing," or children's ministry" cannot be found anywhere in the book of Acts. Why do we do it then?

While children are not part of a specific missions strategy plan, we do see in Paul in Acts 16 take young Timothy under his wing and begin training him and developing him for carrying on the mission of making the name of Jesus famous to everyone, Jew or Gentile. As well, this passage concludes by saying "So the churches were strengthened in the faith and grew daily in numbers" (Acts 16:5). God was blessing this approach to reaching the lost!

Just like young Timothy, we are able to celebrate generations later the legacy and heritage of faith of those spiritual giants who have gone before us. But what do each these individuals all have in common regardless of their specific time slot in history? An intentional drive and purpose for being certain that the mission of God is carried out not just a year from now, or ten years from now, but a hundred years from now. Now that is a legacy. What about you? What is your heritage of faith?

As I stated earlier, choir singing or a worship band are not necessarily part of the mission of God. However the church functioning as the healthy body of Christ is! The reason we worship each Sunday is not to elevate one another, but to elevate the One Almighty. The direct purpose of singing together is not musical quality, but missional community. This is why we take four Sundays a year to incorporate multiple generational preferences all into one space. We want to be a heritage of faith for the next generation. We invite every man, woman, and child to "find your place." Maybe your "place" is in the choir?

Stretch yourself. Try something different. It will be fun! We are making it easy for singers of all ages to join us. Two songs, and two rehearsals. Bring your voice and bring your entire family to practice Thursday, January 26th at 7PM, and Sunday January 29th at 8:30AM.

Pastor Milo

@milowilson

Easter Sunday 2016 marked the beginning of my tenure and relationship with the congregation at Randall Church as Lead Pastor. When I was called, it was understood by all that this would be a church in transition, a church with a beautiful heritage of faith that needed to be revitalized for the next generation. We made a few minor adjustments to start, but in August 2016 we looked at the fall with great expectation, hiring two new staff members, Mario Delgado and Bryan Long. Where have we gone since then?

The Short Game: The Last 6 Months

One theme that remains consistent in the life of a church going through tremendous transition, is that change will always be happening! Can you believe it is already 2017? Can you believe that we have already run two cycles of Sunday Electives since August? That we have two new staff members completing now six months of ministry with us? That we journeyed through 26 weeks of sermon series on Forgiveness, Finances, the books of Ecclesiastes Ephesians, and now continuing in Hebrews? That we have organized ourselves in care corridors to disciple and encourage one another as well as meet practical needs in our community? That our enrollment in Randall Kids is at an all-time high in recent memory? Can you believe that we baptized four in the last six months, and voted in two sessions of DNA membership to our church?  While change is difficult, God is at work, and it has been an unbelievable ride!

The Long Game: Church Revitalization

Tom Cheyney, author and speaker for church revitalization says this: Revitalization and transformation is difficult. If it were not so difficult you would already be doing it! Church revitalization takes some time. Nearsighted consultants believe it can be wrapped into a six-month period. I have discovered that if you are not willing to invest a minimum of 1,000 days you should not get into the effort of revitalization and renewal.  

As a leadership team, we are taking church revitalization seriously. Guess what 1000 days from my start date of Easter 2016 is? I didn't know, so I figured it out today. 1000 days lines up exactly to Christmas Eve 2018. So there is the target. I pray that you are in this for the long game with me. I pray that while you are excited for what God has done in the last six months, that you will have a Holy-Ghost-longing for what he will do with a revitalized body of believers. I pray that we will not short-circuit the process and begin patting ourselves on the back too soon. Why? Because I truly believe that the best is yet to come! 

I believe that if you are every man, woman, and child within our church's geography, that you will have an opportunity to find your place UPward in Christ, INward in the Church, and OUTward in the Community.

That is what a truly revitalized church looks like.

Start the countdown. Start praring with us. Let the revitalization start with me.

Pastor Milo

@milowilson

The opening line to my favorite Christmas album of all time starts like this: 

Gather 'round, ye children, come

Listen to the old, old story

Of the pow'r of Death undone

By an infant born of glory

Son of God, Son of Man

 - by Andrew Peterson

Christmastime means gathering with your family and friends to enjoy chilly nights, Christmas trees, and a warm fire. It's lights on the front porch welcoming you home and the snow covered yard to make a snowman. What a great time to gather round!

As you and yours spend time together this season, I pray that you would do all you can to share the reason for the season, Jesus, with the ones you love. Find ways to celebrate His birth, and show His love to others in a practical way. For those who struggle during this season due to grief and loss, family discord, or simply a geographical separation; I hope that you can find your place in the local church this weekend.

At Randall Church, we will be having a 6:30pm Christmas Eve Service, as well as a 11:15am Christmas Day Gathering. We are working hard to create an environment that feels like family and home, and we want to be intentional that it feels that way for everyone, even if it is their first time. That said, bring your families, friends, and neighbors to gather together this Christmas. We will have a warm cup of hot cider for everyone! 

Merry Christmas!

Pastor Milo

@milowilson

I love a good story. I love telling a good story as well as hearing a good story. And this time of year, the stories are plentiful. Whether it's the classic Christmas stories of  "It's a Wonderful Life," or "The Grinch Who Stole Christmas," or even if it's the song "Christmas Shoes," that unrelentingly resurfaces on countless Christmas radio stations and finds success again, each of these stories have something compelling in common. Do you know what it is? A changed life.

Changed lives have to power to change the world. This week if you missed it, we had the honor of baptizing two more individuals who decided to publicly proclaim their faith in Jesus Christ through immersion. Today we share with you the Grace Stories and changed lives of Dawn Stewart and Daniel Tyson. We expect your heart to be touched by the way God is at work in our region, and in our congregation. 

Dawn Stewart Grace Story

https://youtu.be/Dfdvttfr_RM

Daniel Tyson Grace Story

https://youtu.be/qYUO1JuU6SI 

Equally exciting, we were happy to extend the right hand of fellowship to our newest DNA Members at Randall Church. Like Dawn and Daniel, the following individuals took a public step and partnered with us on mission to help every man, woman, and child find your place Upward in Christ, Inward in the Church, and Outward in the Community. They believe that we truly are #BetterTogether!

Kevin and Jenn Lamb

Tim and Sue McDowell

Steven and Katherine Waldvogel

Jen Atten

Peter Barone

Bryan Long

Dawn Stewart

It's just unbelievable. And yet, we are convinced that the best is yet to come!

Won't you join us and come 15 min early this coming Sunday at 10:00am, as we share the greatest story ever told through the mouths of children. They have worked incredibly hard on their lines, songs, and places on the stage. We have worked very hard to create an environment that will engage every person that comes through our doors. Invite a friend, take lots of pictures, listen to a relevant message, and stay for the cookie reception to follow. We'd love to have you.

And maybe, just maybe, this would be the way your story of life change begins...

See You Sunday! Merry Christmas 

Pastor Milo

@milowilson

For some who don't have kids fifth grade and below, you may not realize that the number of children in our Randall Kids Track have been growing in leaps and bounds!

Men, we need your help. We need your tool belts, your brains, and your brawn. We also believe this would be a great way for men to get to know one another. So Monday, December 12, we will have a Men's Connect Event and workday. There will be two primary times to join us. For those with a flexible work schedule we will begin construction in the morning from 9 to 12 and provide lunch.. For those who can join us in the evening we will provide dinner and work from 5 to 8 PM. The bottom line, we need to complete this project in one day.

The kids have a Christmas pageant coming up, and we are going to expand the stage to make more room for them. We are going to retrofit the choir loft by removing pews, and building some movable stage risers that will allow us to use that space in multiple ways at different times throughout the year. Chairs will be able to be used when the choir sings, and movable stage risers will allow us to accommodate band equipment, musicians with music stands, handbells, or even the Christmas tree.

These are exciting times for Randall Church. It's so encouraging to see our people investing themselves in the next generation. And it won't take long. Just blink, and these will be the leaders of our congregation. Come help us "set the stage" for them. :-)

Pastor Milo
@milowilson