Christmas time is here! And we celebrate it hard-core at OneLife. Here’s a glimpse of all that’s going on, starting with a huge kick-off this weekend!

• Knoxville Christmas Parade – Friday, December 3, 6:30 p.m. – The OneLife Band will be rockin’ its way down Gay Street on an unbelievable float made by OneLife Volunteers. The band will be playing an awesome version of Little Drummer Boy and promoting OneLife’s Christmas series and Christmas Eve Service. If you can’t make it downtown with the thousands to watch the parade live, watch it live on WVLT at 6:30 p.m.
• Powell Christmas Parade – Saturday, December 4, 5 p.m. – The same float will make its way down Emory Road in the heart of Powell, only this time we are allowed to have you walk with us! Come meet at Food City at 4 p.m. to line up with us and help us pass out invite cards and throw tons of candy.
• [re]gifted Christmas Series – Sundays, December 5, 12 and 19 at 10 and 11:30 – Dare to give differently this Christmas! Come learn how in this series complete with Christmas music, stories, videos and more.
• Volunteer Christmas Party – Sunday, December 5 at 6 p.m. – OneLife wouldn’t function without its volunteers so we want to say “Thanks!” and have a good time! Come for an incredible catered dinner (Fried Chicken, anyone?!), entertainment, and a Christmas gift especially for volunteers. Childcare will be provided. The party will be at Grace Baptist Church. RSVP now at pastor@onelifeknox.com.
• Powell Community Christmas Eve – Friday, December 24, 4 p.m. at Powell High School – Start a new tradition with your family this Christmas Eve at the Powell Community Christmas Eve Service. Candlelight, Christmas Carols, the Christmas Story and more will provide an experience for the entire family. Highlighted by a blend of both modern and traditional elements, this service will be one you won’t soon forget.

After all this celebrating, we’ll need some time off to let our volunteers and staff recuperate! So we will not have services on Sunday, December 26 to allow everyone a week to spend with family and get ready for an awesome 2011. Between now and then, do all that you can to share your faith stories and invite a friend to OneLife with you! Feel free to use this website to spread the word: www.powellchristmas.com.

Today I am thankful for…

• My awesome wife who supports me in everything I do and is an incredible mommy.
• A little girl who is healthy and has stolen my heart.
• A job that I wake up looking forward to every single day.
• A church that is making a difference in so many lives.
• My staff of dreamers who could all be making more money somewhere else but are sacrificing and committed to the end.
• Great family that loves us unconditionally.
• Most of all, Jesus for giving me second chances every day.

Roger Woods, FCA Leader and Athletics Chaplain at UT, preached at OneLife this past Sunday. It was a great day and a good kind of “different” for our church. Most exciting was his passion and vision for reaching college students in a unique way. He both challenged and inspired us as a church to be co-laborers with those who are in different churches and ministries.

One of the great things was that both sermons were pretty different and filled with different illustrations and stories. You can watch both of those online now.

One of the stories he told was of running back Tauren Poole. Last season Poole was pushed back to fourth string running back even though he was clearly one of the best on the team. Toward the end of the season he had an opportunity to play but refused to go in. He even had thoughts of transferring. But after meeting with “Chap” (Roger Woods’ nickname to athletes) he began to see that God might have a plan through it all. And sure enough, one year later, Poole is first string running back and breaking records for most 100-yard games in a season.

Even though I’m not at all athletic, I actually related to that very story. About a year before OneLife launched, not a lot was happening that made me think this new church would become a reality. And without looking for it, I got two job offers at larger churches to keep leading worship or be an associate worship leader. It was tempting. I wasn’t getting a lot of “playing time” so it felt like a good move.

But something kept me from giving up. Something kept me from selling out.

Andy Stanley says that many people who give up and sell out are right at the tip of something big when they do so. It’s the old “grass is greener on the other side” analogy. Had I given up or sold out, I would have more money and an easier job, but OneLife wouldn’t have started. If Tauren Poole had given up or sold out, he’d be at another school and would have escaped a coach he didn’t like, but he wouldn’t be here now breaking records and leaving a legacy.

Life will throw you opportunities to give up on your dreams. God may even test you to see how much you trust him right where you are. But don’t give up. Don’t sell out. In the end it will make sense and you’ll be glad that you stood strong.

I once worked at a job where I was expected to put the company’s needs first. Work on a weekend? Why wouldn’t you? Stay late, take work home, and be available 24 hours a day? It’s what everybody does. Get used to it!

At least that’s what was said. And I couldn’t figure out why.

One of the things that I’ve seen destroy more families and more people is the idea that our jobs and professions define us. If I don’t work 60 hours a week, I’ll be viewed as lazy. If I don’t make more money this year than last, I’m a failure. If I can’t be reached after hours, someone else will take my place. And quickly our jobs become our identities. We live to work.

The flip side to that is a much freer place to be. Where work is a means to an end, not the end itself. Where I work to live. It pays the bills. Nothing more and nothing less! It doesn’t mean you can’t love your job. It doesn’t mean your job can’t make a huge difference in the world. It simply means your job doesn’t define who you are.

Now don’t get me wrong. We all have to work. The Bible is very clear about that and has a lot to say about laziness. And trust me…there’s nothing that drives me crazier than someone making excuses as to why they don’t have to work hard! Especially in the church world! But the Bible also has a lot to say about our identities being in Christ. It has a lot to say about true life being found in Christ – not our jobs.

So ask yourself this question today. Do I live to work or work to live? One leads to destruction and identity crisis. The other leads to freedom.

Read more about the balance of work and life in this great, easy-to-read book.

We need your help! Kidz are taking over at OneLife! Volunteers needed to stop the insanity!