• Part 3 of “All-American Family Feud” was for the boys.
• Last week we talked about moms. This week I talked about the dad that I want to be.
• I hope that everybody took away the main principle – especially all the guys.
• The main principle was that Great American Heroes (aka men doing what God has called us to do) will choose to cheat!
• That means we will choose to cheat work, not home. Hobbies, not home. Friends, not home.
• Our families need us!
• God – the perfect Father – gave us the best example of this when he chose to cheat himself and his comfort, not us, when he gave Jesus!
• The family series wraps up next week with a message about marriage.
• If you are married, have been married, or ever will be married – don’t miss this!
• Attendance this week was lower than it’s been since before Easter.
• So was the giving!
• It’s amazing what a difference the college students make. This was our first Sunday with them gone for the summer.
• Worship was great. The band was the most engaging from stage that they’ve ever been.
• Lots of new volunteers, too! Big thanks to all those who stepped up and filled in the gap while our college students are out.
• Can’t wait to wrap up the series this Sunday. Gonna be a great way to end it!
• Hope to see YOU there!

We are very blessed to have a staff full of people who believe in the vision of OneLife so much that they are willing to be volunteer staff, verrrrrry part-time staff, or bare-bones-living-on-love full-time staff. In fact, talking with a larger church a couple months ago it was discovered that our entire staff gets paid barely more than one pastor at a church they planted.

Now don’t get me wrong. We don’t always want to stay here!

But for now it’s amazing to see people willing to do whatever it takes to see us reach our dreams and goals of being the church God has called us to be. This week we added two more people in official roles. Once again, they are either doing it for free or next-to-nothing!

Dylan Martin – Student Ministry

Dylan started attending OneLife a few months ago and quickly hit the ground running. He has a heart for students like none I have ever seen and over the past couple of weeks has taken this opportunity to run wild with his passion. Dylan has served at several other churches in the role of student pastor and brings that experience to OneLife.

What got me excited about Dylan is his shared passion that he has to lead a ministry that fits what OneLife is already doing. He has no desire to create a “church-within-a-church” kind of student ministry that happens at so many churches. Our student ministry will be small groups based and encourage students to volunteer and serve with other OneLifers.

I don’t think I’ve been this excited since we launched 8 months ago! Contact Dylan at students@onelifeknox.com or call the church office at 865.238.4242.

Natalie Dixon – Assistant to Lead Pastor

Natalie is a life saver! Her job is to protect me from myself. One thing I didn’t anticipate when we launched this church is just how much time I would end up spending on administrative duties and tasks. Things like returning emails, scheduling meetings, tracking expenses, returning phone calls, answering basic questions, etc. that kept me from focusing on studying for Sundays, leading the staff, and doing what only I could do as pastor.

So enter Natalie. She is now managing my calendar, email (which all of you who have waited weeks for a response – if you ever got one – are excited about!), answering basic questions, tracking my credit card receipts (which will also make our bookkeeper very happy…since 3 months of statements are on my desk!) and setting up any meetings that are needed along the way. So basically, if you need me – she is the one to go to! I won’t have a clue otherwise To do just that, email her at pastor@onelifeknox.com or call the church office at 865.238.4242.

I am so thankful for the staff God has brought together at OneLife and their heart to reach the disconnected and unchurched in our community. Why don’t you do me a favor? Visit www.onelifeknox.com/staff and pray for each of these folks. And even though I’m not listed on that same page, I could use a prayer too!

Thanks OneLife. I truly love each of you with all of my heart!

• Part 2 of “All-American Family Feud” was Mother’s Day at the OLC.
• So naturally, we focused on moms today!
• But what’s awesome about the Bible is that its principles apply to everyone.
• We looked at the story of James and John’s mom who came to Jesus and prayed a big prayer.
• She catches a lot of flack for asking what she did in some people’s sermons, but I think it’s actually pretty cool.
• Her top priority for her kids was that they end up with Jesus in his Kingdom.
• And what did Jesus answer? “I can’t tell you if that will happen, but my dad’s got this! He’s already prepared and chosen what will happen.”
• What a hope for all of us! Whether you are a mom or not, He’s got this! Turn your “this” over to him.
• My mom joined me on stage to help answer some questions that moms have. She did an awesome job!
• The questions came from moms at OneLife. They submitted their questions over the past few weeks.
• That sure was better than me trying to act like I know what it’s like to be a mom! Not hardly.
• If you missed it and want to stay up to date on the series, check out www.onelifeknox.com/watchonline
• Next Sunday we turn to the men. Don’t miss this one, Guys!!!
• I’m not sure what’s happening, but this week attendance at the 10:00 service was much higher than the 11:30.
• Two weeks ago 11:30 was much higher than 10:00.
• Either our church is schitzophrenic (i have no clue if I spelled that right or not!) or our folks just love options.
• We announced student ministry that is coming to OneLife! I am so pumped about this. Can’t wait to see more lives changed!
• Also, two new staff members will be announced this week. Fortunately for us we continue to attract free labor and very cheap labor!
• OneLife’s generocity is awesome. I don’t have the final number yet, but we’ll be cutting a pretty decent check to the Tennessee Baptist Children’s Homes to keep orphans in Tennessee off the streets. Thanks for giving above and beyond!!!
• So totally stoked about the coming week. Invite someone and don’t miss it!!!

I love starting new series! This one was especially fun for several reasons…

• This is a family series which means we get to be really practical. And what I love about practical series is not that we get a step-by-step, how-to-do-better sermons (those just mess people up!). But we get to really see the heart of God in how he is in control of our lives.
• Being a family series, we wanted to have fun with it. So our awesome creative team branded it “All-American Family Feud.”
• Check out the promo video here for a good laugh: www.onelifeknox.com/series
• And check out the first sermon (at least just the first minute) for the awesome bumper: www.onelifeknox.com/watchonline
• Two services continues to go well. The split was once again dead even this past Sunday. But the second service feels fuller in the auditorium because we have more adults and fewer kiddos.
• Speaking of kiddos, the volunteers back there are wearing it out! 4 kids gave their lives to Jesus this past Sunday!
• Most of our regular band was out but the subs we found did a great job. The first service was honestly a little shaky but the second service was smoking. God was truly worshipped.
• This coming Sunday is Mother’s Day and I am pumped! Since I’ve never been a mother, I’m getting a little extra help to learn what it means to be a godly mother. Come see it for yourself!
• And what if you’re a guy or a female that doesn’t have kids? Come anyway! We all will learn a pretty awesome principle about who God is from this message. Don’t miss it! I promise you will grow.
• Don’t forget to take mom out for lunch, too!