Numbers
Dec 21, 2011 Uncategorized Hodge Podge
This has been an exciting year at Riverview as we expanded the capacity of our Holt Venue, launched a new Church Planting Residency with our MSU Venue, and began preparations for another church plant within the next year. We are also gearing up to send over 200 people to Mazatlan, Mexico on short term mission trips in 2012, including all six of our pastors.
While numbers aren’t everything, they do matter a great deal (there’s even a book of the Bible called “Numbers”). Here are a few numbers from this past year that I am humbled and floored by:
- 12,877: Number of online views of our message videos (not including downloads)
- 104: People went on a mission trip to Mexico
- 1,329: Children were involved in RivKids
- 150: Students were involved in our middle and high school ministries (Chaos and Element)
- 3,863: People attended services at our Holt Venue on Easter weekend (51% higher than 2010)
- 2,762: Average attendance at our Holt Venue (20% higher than 2010)
- 168: Average attendance at our MSU Venue (18% higher than 2010)
- 2: Riverview Church Planting Residents
- 86: People were baptized (that we know about)
- 101: Number of Life Groups (includes 913 people)
What do all these numbers have in common? They each represent specific individuals learning to become sacrificial followers of Jesus through the ministry at Riverview. By faith, we are making even bigger plans for spreading the message of Jesus in 2012. We know we can’t do this under our own strength, but we want to follow the lead of the Apostle Paul who wrote: “For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. And I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling, and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.” (1 Corinthians 1:2-5)
Would you prayerfully consider a year-end gift to help us spread the Gospel throughout the Lansing area and beyond in 2012?
Just click this link to give online.
Tags: baptism, church planting, Jesus, Mexico, money, riverview
The Woman Class
Oct 24, 2011 Uncategorized Hodge Podge
In the book of Titus, Paul throws down the gauntlet to a young pastor that he is to “teach what accords with sound doctrine” (Titus 2:1) and then he tells him how this plays out with different groups within the church. One of the challenges he is to give the church is this one:
“Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine. They are to teach what is good and so train the young women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled.” (Titus 2:3-5)
A group of Riverview women have taken up the challenge to teach this stuff and the response has been off the charts. This weekend, 100ish women jammed into a room to be challenged in a new class we are offering called “The Woman Class.” Taught by mature women of great faith and character, this is the beginning of what will hopefully be a groundswell of women pouring their lives into other women. I am so excited to see theology and practical life skills being taught in our church by women and for women.
This class is continuing for the next couple weeks, but it is way sold out! If you are interested in taking it the next time it pops up, make sure you keep an eye on the screens and the Riv website.
RivChurch Leadership Structure
Feb 9, 2011 1 Timothy, The Team
With all the talk about Elders and Deacons this past weekend at Riv, many people have asked about our leadership structure. Here is a quick 7 minute video from our LEAD event last year where I explained it in more detail.
If you would like to watch the entire teaching and see this in context, you can do so here.
Prayer
Feb 4, 2011 Uncategorized Hodge Podge
Each week at Riv, we get a lot of prayer requests. Some come in from people at the weekend services and some come in from our website. A group of elders and other leaders gather to pray through the requests each week but we wanted to open it up for more people to pray.
A few months ago, we offered to email the requests to anyone who wanted to pray and it’s been cool to see how many people have joined the team. This past weekend alone, over 100 people joined the prayer team (and yes…the majority were men).
If you would like to join the prayer team, just check off the appropriate box on the tear-off during our weekend services and give us your email address.
Here’s a sample of what we will email you each week if you join the team.
Beards of Riverview Calendar
Dec 11, 2010 Uncategorized Hodge Podge
Looking for the perfect last minute Christmas gift for your mother or girlfriend?
Download the Beards of Riverview Calendar, print it for her, and watch her face as it glows with delight when she opens it on Christmas morning.
You’re welcome.
If you need more convincing, just check out Mr. March:
Tags: riverview
Acceptable Sins
Sep 28, 2010 Uncategorized Hodge Podge
This past weekend at Riv, we continued our series on sins we think are acceptable in our culture. I shared the top ten results I got from my text message poll from the first week and a lot of people wanted to see the rest of the list. Here it is, listed from most common response to least.
Oh, and just because it appears on this list, doesn’t mean it’s a sin. It just means someone thinks it is. From my quick calculations, about 3% of the responses listed non sinful things as sins.
PreMarital Sex
Lying
Adultery
Drunkenness
Profanity
Homosexuality
Cheating
Gossiping
Divorce
Disobeying
Pornography
Lust
Pride
Stealing
Selfishness
The following all got <2% of the vote:
Drinking
Greed
Underage drinking
Blasphemy
Idolatry
Materialism
Gluttony
Coveting
Abortion
Self Righteousness
Vanity
Debt
Judging
Anxiety
Hatred
Immodesty
Kids before marriage
Bullying
Commercialism
Complaining
Defacing your body
Disrespect
Exggerating
Favoritism
Heartless Apology
Immoral
Making fun of Lindsey Lohan
Manipulation
Murder
Offending Other Religions
Plagiarism
Retribution
Spanking
Texting in church
Voting for Obama
War
Wearing Jeans to Church
Wives not being submissive
You can download the teachings here if you missed them.
Harvest Fest
Sep 27, 2010 Uncategorized Hodge Podge
I’m super excited about the Harvest Fest happening this Friday at Riv. There’s going to be live music and food and the whole deal is a benefit for the Compassion stuff Riv is doing.
Here’s the details. Hope to see you there.
When? Friday, October 1 at Riv’s Holt Venue (3585 Willoughby Road, Holt, MI 48842). Doors open at 6:30 pm and the event begins at 7:00 pm.
How Much? Tickets are $10/person or $25/family (which includes food and beverages). 25% of profits will directly benefit the Lansing Area AIDS Network, and the balance will benefit Compassion at Riv and its partnering organizations (Rebuilding Together Ingham County, Shared Pregnancy Women’s Center, The Holt Area Community Food Bank, Christ Lutheran Church Soup Kitchen, The Riv Meals Team, and Riv’s Thanksgiving Food & Christmas Gifts Projects).
Hit up Compassion.RivChurch.com for more info.
Tags: compassion, riverview, social justice
No Major Major Mistakes
Sep 16, 2010 Uncategorized Hodge Podge
Um…oops. But how often do we think the same about ourselves…at least a little bit. Maybe not about our past, but our present.
That’s what we’re talking about this weekend at Riv.
Theological Musing From Eminem
Sep 14, 2010 Uncategorized Hodge Podge
Every once in awhile, a song will strike a chord in me and I won’t be able to shake it. Lately, that song has been “Not Afraid” by Eminem. Now, obviously I don’t agree with everything he says or the language he uses to make his point, but there are little bits in this song that ring true for me. For instance, these lyrics:
And I just can’t keep living this way
So starting today, I’m breaking out of this cage
I’m standing up, Imma face my demons
I’m manning up, Imma hold my ground
I’ve had enough, now I’m so fed up
Time to put my life back together right now
I think this has been striking for me because of the series I am launching this weekend at Riv. We’ll be talking about sin, but not just any sin–we’re hitting on the sin that keeps hounding us and we think it’s OK.
Of course, I think his last line is missing a crucial component, but I wouldn’t want to spoil my message for this weekend…
LEAD
Aug 24, 2010 Uncategorized Hodge Podge
Just wanted to remind you that our next LEAD event is coming up on September 18, 2010 from 9am to 2pm.
This time around, we’re doing it a bit different. We’ll have a couple main sessions (one of which will consist entirely of music, communion, and prayer). We’ll also be offering specific training if you serve with RivKids, Chaos, The Element, EPIC, Life Groups, or Welcome Team. If you aren’t serving in one of those areas, we’ll also be offering our most popular class (Decision Making) and a new class on Interpersonal Communication you can take instead.
The cost is only $10 (to help cover lunch), but if you can’t afford that just let us know and we’ll cover you. We don’t want the cost to be the reason you can’t make it.
You can register now at http://LEAD.RivChurch.com
Just in case you still have doubts about joining us, here’s a little video where I pretty much say what you just read:
In case my video wasn’t enough to convince you, here are 10 more reasons to check out LEAD:
- 1. You’ll get specific training for how to lead in the area of ministry you are serving in.
- 2. Dan Price will be leading an intimate worship time with music, prayer, and communion. How intimate? You’ll have to come to find out.
- 3. Hang with other emerging leaders at Riv.
- 4. There will be coffee, of course.
- 5. Meet church planters from around Lansing and the rest of the state.
- 6. The MSU vs. Notre Dame home game isn’t on until 8pm that night (yes, we checked).
- 7. Get a pre-release version of a new Bible Study curriculum we’re working on.
- 8. It’s only $10 (to cover lunch).
- 9. If you can’t afford $10, it’s free for you.
- 10. Did I mention the game isn’t on until 8pm?
Tags: leadership, riverview
