The Foray

Coming Soon to MVB: A Beautiful New Outdoor Sign!

Two items.

Item #1: As everyone knows, we're now wrapping up a tremendous amount of work on the INSIDE of the building formerly known as "the gym." The result? A wonderful new multi-purpose facility that will accommodate 500+ people, and that's already seen some incredible worship services, including more than a dozen baptisms!

But, from the outside of the building, you have to be really paying attention to know we've done anything at all. A drive up Crabtree Rd toward Cross Timbers allows only Middle Valley's most "alert" drivers to notice that an extension (of some kind) has been added to the rear of the building.

Otherwise, that's about it.

Wouldn't you agree that too much good has been done INSIDE to let it go unnoticed OUTSIDE?

Which brings me to Item #2: As everyone also knows, the old sign out front that has faithfully welcomed people to MVB for the past 25 years has seen its better days. (YOU try standing outside in the summer heat and winter cold for decades and see how YOU look!) It has served us long and well. But the time has come for a replacement. That's why, as part of "All for the Call," we budgeted for a new sign.

And not just any sign, but one that helps the church communicate to people today the excellence of the gospel, and that also says, "By the mercy and goodness of God, this church is alive -- inside AND out!"

Such a replacement is on the way! In fact, the work has already begun!

By the first or second week of December (if all goes according to schedule), a beautiful new, full-color digital sign will help us welcome our community to Middle Valley Baptist. It will also allow us to display multiple messages (Scripture verses, announcements, invitations, etc.) daily to passers-by. A wireless connection will mean no more standing on the side of a pickup bed and straining to strategically place difficult-to-maneuver plastic letters; we'll now be able to program messages from inside the building. We'll also be able to add or change messages instantly. And the new sign will bear the church's new "mark," signifying our intention to truly "love God, love people, and serve the world."

Believe me: This new sign WILL get read by everyone who passes our way. And it will also be something that, in the Lord, everyone at MVB can truly be proud of. After all, we want outsiders to know that we're serious about our message and dedicated to presenting it clearly, with the kind of excellence that becomes the gospel.

Greg

Goose Bumps In The Commons!

Harold Jennings and I just got goose bumps in The Commons!

We met together in my study this afternoon to practice some guitar and banjo in preparation for tomorrow's gathering of the Senior Adults in the Fellowship Hall (5pm).

Anyhow, when we finished practicing, I asked Harold if he'd like to walk up to The Commons and see if the guys were working on the sound system and if we could get them to play a bluegrass gospel song on a CD through the new speakers.

"Sure," he said.

So we left my study and headed up the hill. Sure enough, Jeff Martin was there with his Mac, along with some men from Sound Post! 

"No problem," Jeff said, "I can play that CD."

He plopped it in, and suddenly, we heard the crystal clear sound of a mandolin and guitar, along with the voices of two men -- one singing lead and the other tenor. 

And that's when it happened: Goose bumps in The Commons!

We compared arms -- and there they were: Some of the finest goose bumps you've ever seen, glistening in all their resplendent, pimply glory!

Oh, you should've heard it! 

Harold exclaimed, "I can't believe how good that sounds! It's amazing!" "Oh," said the Sound Post technician who was sitting in front of us, "it's still not fine tuned yet."

I thought, "You mean it can sound even better than this?!"

All Harold and I can say is that we THANK GOD for today's amazing technology that allows sound to be heard so purely! 

Greg

A Great First Impression!

Get ready for a great first impression when you enter The Commons this Sunday! The foyer looks BEAUTIFUL!

Thanks to a group of wonderful volunteers last night (naming names places me at risk of leaving someone out), the furniture in the foyer is now in place and the room smartly accented. 

The couches, chairs, rugs, mirror, accent pieces -- as Gomer Pyle famously put it about Thelma Lou's visiting cousin, Mary Grace Gossage: "Nice ... real nice!" (Episode 105, "A Date for Gomer," The Andy Griffith Show)

I GUARANTEE you'll like what you see when you walk in this Sunday -- especially, if you happen to know what that area looked like before the remodeling!

The transformation is amazing!

As we've said before, we want everything about The Commons to reflect the excellence of the gospel message. 

When you step into the foyer this Sunday, you'll see that we're on target.

Greg

We've Got Stage Lights!

And, like everything else connected with this project, they look really good! 

These particular lights won't actually be visible, except to those on stage, because they're mounted on the inside of one of the ceiling beams near the stage. However, everyone will definitely be able to see their effect.

Lighting is so important! If only it could help my preaching sound better.

Greg

PS The good news is that the lighting is actually going to get even better in the coming weeks! Additional stage lighting will be installed AND the rest of all the lights above the floor will also be replaced and vastly improved. 

If You'd Like to Help

This Friday night at 7pm we're going to do some more Sunday preparation work in The Commons. We're having to delay some things until tomorrow night because of the lighting work being done overhead. However, that stuff will be wrapped up for the week by tomorrow night.

If you'd like to help in any way, please know that we'd be mighty glad!

Thanks!

Greg

Is That Wonderful or What?!

During our prayer time in Community Group last night, one of our members shared about an unchurched relative for whom she has been praying years.

"I told my niece about our launch in The Commons this Sunday and invited her to come, and she said, 'Okay, I'll be there!'"

She was thrilled to tell us this, and we were thrilled to hear it! By the mercy of God, YEARS of prayers and gentle invitations may be about to result in a young woman both hearing and seeing the gospel, in the baptisms of more than a half-dozen people! 

Is that wonderful or what?!

Now we all know how Satan will likely work, don't we? He will attempt to place obstacles in this woman's path to prevent her from carrying through with her intention. 

What must we do? 

Pray against him! 

Pray that Satan will hear the thunderous sound of God's footsteps behind him and scurry away from this young lady. Ask the Lord to be merciful and to gain a mighty victory over his and our enemy!

"Mighty is our God!"

Greg

A Tremendous Group of Workers

If this evening's "work night" is any indication of what's ahead, we're in for some good stuff! 

We had a tremendous group of workers that turned out to help us get a BUNCH of stuff done. Among other things we ...

1. Installed hand towel dispensers 
   
2. Mopped floors 
3. Vacuumed floors 
4. Wiped down walls 
5. Unpackaged and moved 500 chairs 
6. Set up the new portable baptistery 
7. Prepared a changing room for baptisms   
8. Disposed of packaging and trash 

Senior adults to children were finding ways to pitch in. It was a truly a "team effort" and a real blessing to see.

Thanks everyone for doing a great job!

Greg  

Heard Our New Sound System in The Commons!

Late yesterday afternoon, I got my first chance to hear our new sound system in The Commons. 

My reaction? WOW!!!

The sound was incredible! The technician from Sound Post (the company doing the installation) said he was "extremely pleased" with what he was hearing, adding that, "We've not even fined tuned the system yet; we just turned it on." 

He then said this: "What you've got here is one of the most sophisticated sound systems in Chattanooga! Maybe Abba's House rivals it; I don't know. Maybe."

Let me tell you: From a purely technical point of view, that's a compliment!

Do you know why comments about the excellence of our equipment and set-up excite me? Because God has also blessed us with people capable of getting the best out of the best equipment! 

What I'm trying to say is that, for years, we've been using audio/visual equipment that hasn't quite measured up to our capabilities. Call it a "mismatch" if you wish. But no more! Now we've got a perfect match: Great operators AND great equipment! 

The resulting excellence will be instantly discernible. Just you wait and see!

Does this mean we've gone to "worshiping" technology and modern sound systems? Of course not! But it does mean we will not hesitate to use them to their full potential, to help us proclaim our message clearly and (under God) effectively to people in the context of America 2008. 

My view is that EVERYTHING we do should testify to the excellence of the gospel -- including the way people see and hear in our services.

The bottom line? 

I can't wait for all of you to hear what I heard yesterday!

Greg

Talking Through Issues

Spent 75 minutes last night in The Commons with two great guys, David and Jeff, talking through issues related to our move on Oct 5! 

It's truly exciting ... and challenging!

One thing we realize is that our transition is going to involve some real "firsts" for Middle Valley Baptist. In a sense, we're going to seem like a "mission church" -- which, really, is a good thing! The vast majority of 76-year-old churches lose their sense of mission along the way and with it their ability to impact their communities with the gospel. 

But in God's sovereign wisdom he is sparing MVB from such a plight. His plan for us appears to include a renewal of "missional awareness." And this is cause for real praise!

Like I said, exciting ... and challenging!

Greg

Just 15 More Days!

In a way, it's hard to believe we're almost ready to move to The Commons. Just 15 more days!

And what a ride it has been! 

Seems like we've had more problems than Britney Spears, more delays than Delta Air Lines, and more frustrations than UT's football program the last decade.

And yet, HERE WE ARE: mere weeks from what we've been working toward for years!!!

All I can say is, October 5 is going to be a sweet and exciting day in the life of Middle Valley Baptist! As Prov 13:12 puts it: "Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a desire fulfilled is a tree of life."

Amen!

Greg