Richmond & NC

Congrats to Paul on the win at Richmond.

Congrats to Paul on the favorite driver win. It was all about Paul at Richmond.

Paul 8, Trey 5, Donna 5, Jeff 5, Terri 3, Tommy S 3, Tommy D 2, Carrie 2.

The launch service of The Well in Chapel Hill, NC was really neat and went really well. I have never been to a church launch before so I didn't know what to expect. They are renting a community performing arts center each Sunday to have their service in. Each Sunday they have to move all equipment in, re-arrange the center, and afterwords take it all back down. A lot of work will be done each Sunday to serve this area.

They are doing a dual purpose ministry here. They originally came to start a campus ministry at UNC. The town is labeled as the most liberal (in the political sense) town in America. The town is very green and they found out quickly they had a lot of work to do to minister and introduce Jesus to these people. Most of the target group had thrown a barrier up to Christianity (or maybe we threw the barrier up) by thinking you had to be a republican to be a Christian and so on. The sermon was about the woman at the well and it dealt with creating barriers and how Jesus doesn't like barriers that we create. The service consisted of singing, praying, testifying, communion, learning a lesson from Jesus, and giving. It was a little different than what I am used to but I do realize there are different ways to bring Jesus to people. We have to use different methods to different people. I think Paul said something about this (to the Jews I am a Jew, to the Gentiles, etc). I will admit that when I first walked in I saw a pamphet and it said "Is Jesus Green?". I immeditely threw up a barrier. The lesson must have been designed just for me.

Afterwords we went to eat supper with Matt, the preacher. He told us his story that led him to Chapel Hill and about the preperation he has done over the last year getting ready for this day. Very emotional and touching story. Matt will need lots of prayers as the work is just beginning.