On Sunday, Javi was one of the first people at Hemphill. Instead of striving for position, he said, “I may not get to preach every week, but if you’ll let me be responsible for setting up the chairs, I’ll be the best Minister of Chairs you’ve ever seen.” WOW!

They have stepped up to lead a Connection Group, and on Sunday they filled the group in one day just by meeting people and inviting them to their group.

And then, I was totally humbled after everyone was gone to see Javi & Juanita in the broom closet mopping up water that had leaked all over the place (the water was there when we got there in the morning, and not even our mess).

Their enthusiasm, support, and encouragement are off the charts. So Castillo’s, you are our Jesus Freaks of the Week!

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I’m so thankful for the TCC team because they make me better than I could ever be on my own. That’s no big secret to those who know me But because I have so many gifted people who are serving beside me who own the vision of TCC, we are seeing lives changed all the time. I could never do it all on my own.

As we have found the right people serving in their sweet spots, I have been able to focus in on the things that I do best. At least, I’m trying to focus in on what I do best

Plus, it’s a whole lot more fun. Our team really loves to be together, hanging out, doing life. I can imagine that ministry would be pretty miserable if I didn’t love to be with our team.

I don’t say it often enough or well enough, but I want to take this opportunity to let you know how much I love and appreciate the TCC staff team!

How long has it been since you told your staff how much they mean to you? Connectors, you can show your thanks this week by bringing a note and dropping it at the table we have set up in the lobby so that our team knows how you feel. If you think it (and it’s good) why not say it, better yet, put it writing. It will mean so much.

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Zak will continue to serve with TCC through the end of June. And after that, I’m sure you’ll see him around. We plan to continue to partner together to make sure that it’s hard to get to Hell between Austin and San Antonio!

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About six months after The Connection Church started weekly services, we took a big step of faith to bring on a second full time staff member. Zak White came on board as our Pastor of Spiritual Development. From the moment he started with us, he has brought a lot to the table with his fresh creativity, unstoppable work ethic, and a heart of those who need Jesus.

I’ve seen Zak grow in so many ways right along with us in his leadership. He and Amber have been incredible partners in ministry with me and Pam. We’ve developed a relationship and partnership that I believe will last a lifetime.

God is now clearly leading him to a next step in his life. We’ve been working through this step and planning for many months now and this past Sunday, Zak shared that he and his family will be moving to start a brand new church in Schertz, Tx, just north of San Antonio. As someone who’s been in his shoes, I know the mixed emotions he is feeling, but also the determination to be in the center of God’s plan.

One of the greatest things a church can do is to raise up leaders and send them out to start new churches. I believe in Zak and his leadership and his call. And now, we’re going to be able to bookend this area between Austin and San Antonio and work our way inward. So Zak will be with us officially for another month, and then we’ll be helping him get started through prayer support, financial support, and sending people down to help with neighborhood surveys and community events.

Please be sure to let Zak, Amber and Couper know how much you love them and appreciate all that they’ve done to pour into each of our lives over the last few years.

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Tonight, I was totally reminded again of how blessed I am to have such an incredibly talented, passionate team of people to do life with. I never could have imagined in my wildest dreams the way God would build these people into my life to live out His purpose through us. At our annual Christmas party, we had our usual progressive dinner, with tons of incredible food. And we added a murder mystery game to figure out who killed Santa (okay, not the real Santa).

I though about how over the last year, we’ve added many of these people to our staff, some paid, some barely paid, and some not at all, but what they all have in common is commitment, first to Jesus, then to The Connection Church. We’ve taken some huge steps this last year, and I’m more excited about where we’re at as a team than ever before.

A couple of team members weren’t able to make it tonight, and they were missed, but the rest of us had a blast. Thank You Team for moving forward with me as we take ground for Jesus Christ!

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We joke that for fun we open up a bag of M&Ms and watch her frantically sort them by color and order of flavor. In Kristi world, every penny is accounted for and nothing gets past her without knowing exactly what's happening with it. Someone mentioned at last night's meeting, "So we're starting to see how the money is spent around here." And it was like, "No, from day 1 with Kristi in the house, we've had a solid grasp on how every dime is used."

For a church with very limited resources doing very BIG things, there's not a better person on the face of the planet than Kristi to oversee our budget! For all of us, that means that we know that what we're investing in God's kingdom will no doubt be used for God's purpose for changed lives. Next time you see Kristi, let her know how much you appreciate her commitment to use her mad skills for the Lord.

As a side note, if you want to check out how and why you can give online, go here.

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