Traction

Love Handles: How Could You?

Mark Johnston — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 12:51:58 -0500

Love Handles continued this past Sunday with the toughest message of the series so far: “How Could You?” from the story of Hosea and Gomer. All of us who have been or are in a relationship have experienced the pain of betrayal at some level. What if we decided to forgive?

This week’s Next Step: Forgive

Sunday’s message may have brought to the surface questions about how to move forward in your specific situation. The Journey’s counseling partner, Safe Harbor, provides biblical, clinically sound counseling at our campus four days a week. They accept many forms of insurance, and where insurance does not apply, provide a discount to Journey members. To set up an appointment with a counselor, go to www.safeharborDE.com or call 302-239-4025.

Pastor Mark also recommends the book “Boundaries” by Henry Cloud and John Townsend.

Are you gathering, connecting, and serving? To sign up for the next Launch, click HERE. To join a volunteer team, click HERE, or to sign up for Discover, HERE. And remember that you can give online anytime by going HERE.

Don’t miss the final week of Love Handles! What should you do when the person you’re in a relationship with isn’t on the same spiritual wavelength you are? What if they don’t have the same faith you have? Or what if they use the “God” card too often? Find out this Sunday.

Enjoy The Journey!

Love Handles: Get a Room

Mark Johnston — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 09:46:29 -0500

Love Handles continued this past Sunday with the message, “Get a Room.” (You can hear the podcast HERE.) Great sex is exclusive, mutual, and generous. If you’re single, see your sexuality as a river flowing toward and into the ocean of marriage, instead of a swamp that spreads out prematurely and never reaches its destination. If you’re married… well, you know what to do.

This week’s Next Steps:

Invite God into my sexuality. Whatever you’ve done, wherever you’ve been, and however you may have fallen short, today’s a new day in Christ. Ask for forgiveness and start fresh.
Get a room. Valentine’s Day may be behind us, but why not make a week of it? We have our pastor’s blessing to fully enjoy our marriages this week.
Bring a friend to week three of Love Handles. This weekend, the series addresses some of the harder parts of our relationships. Do you know someone who needs encouragement? Hand them an invite card and bring them along.

Are you dating or engaged? “Saving Your Marriage Before It Starts” is an excellent, easy to read book that will help you get to know the person you’re getting serious with.

At The Journey, we grow spiritually when we gather, connect, and serve. To sign up for the next Launch, click HERE, or for Discover, HERE. And remember that you can give online anytime by going HERE.

See you this Sunday as Love Handles continues!

Enjoy The Journey.

Love Handles: Marriage is What Brings Us Together

Mark Johnston — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 10:18:42 -0500

Love Handles kicked off with a bang yesterday! Marriage is about connecting with each other where we’re similar and complementing each other where we’re different. To read about Adam and Eve, go to Genesis 2. To hear yesterday’s podcast, click HERE. Whether you’re single and waiting, married and learning, or divorced and healing, this series can help you get a grip on love, sex, and relationships.

(Want to dig deeper into the connection between marriage and spiritual growth? Pastor Mark recommends the book “Sacred Marriage” by Gary Thomas.)

This week’s Next Steps:

Revisit my “at last” moment. If you’re in a relationship, are you still excited?
Come back next Sunday as “Love Handles” continues
Sign up for a Life Group. There’s still time – go to www.yourjourney.tv/connect to sign up for a group now!

This past week, The Journey aired 80 ads on WSTW, 93.7fm. And yesterday we broke our previous attendance record – over 460 people were on campus among our three gatherings. This week, 60 more ads will play on WSTW, and two weeks later, billboards will start going up in our community. That’s all possible because of your generous giving. You can give toward the mission and vision of The Journey online anytime by going HERE.

This Sunday, Love Handles continues with “Get a Room,” a message that will help all of us uncover the truth about biblical sex. Don’t miss it – and bring a friend.

Enjoy The Journey!

I Love My Church...Because We're Real

Mark Johnston — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 12:22:23 -0500

“I Love My Church” concluded with a surge of vision Sunday as we were reminded of the power of our culture: real church for real people. We’re our best when we’re ourselves, with and God and with each other… and people will be attracted to that, just like they were in Acts 2. To hear the podcast, click HERE.

This week’s Next Steps:

Sign up for a Life Group (Our spring semester begins this week! Go to www.yourjourney.tv/connect to sign up for a group and get connected)
Be myself
Invite someone to “Love Handles”

It’s the final week of Awakening. Over a hundred Journeyers opted in for prayer and fasting, seeking God for our church and its leaders. Let’s finish strong. We’re praying especially this week for a new place so we can continue to grow. Join other Journeyers for a time of focused prayer in the auditorium this Saturday, from 8:00-9:00am.

Love Handles kicks off this coming Sunday. Whether you’re single and trying to find the right one, or married and it sometimes seems like you found the wrong one, join us as we go beyond the bedroom doors to uncover the truth about love, sex, and relationships. Find out more at http://www.yourjourney.tv/.

Want to invite a friend to Love Handles? Just copy the blurb above and post it to your Facebook page.

To sign up for this Sunday’s Launch, click HERE. To give toward the vision of The Journey online, click HERE.

Enjoy The Journey!

I Love My Church...Because We Serve

Mark Johnston — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 09:04:40 -0500

No one likes to share. In fact, the inner 2 year old in all of us cringes at the mention of that word. But what if sharing wasn’t just about Tonka trucks and Barbie dolls, and it was in important ingredient to our spiritual growth. During his message, Pastor Andrew builds the case that when we serve by sharing, it’s like pouring gasoline on the fire of our spiritual growth. We love our church because we serve! Acts 2:42-47. Check out the podcast of the message by clicking HERE.

Here are the next steps:

Sign up for a Life Group. Our Life Group semester begins the week of January 29th. Sign up now by clicking HERE.
Recognize that even though I may have something at the moment, doesn’t mean I own it.
Sign up to serve on a volunteer team at The Journey. To sign up now, click HERE.

Are you gathering, connecting, and serving? To sign up for the next Launch, click HERE or to sign up for Discover click, HERE. And remember that you can give online anytime by going HERE.

This Sunday, we wrap up the series “I Love My Church” by talking about the culture that makes our church so lovable. And we’re giving away stuff. For free!

See you then!

I Love My Church...Because We Connect

Mark Johnston — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 15:00:00 -0500

“I Love My Church” continued this past Sunday with a message about connecting, the link that furthers spiritual growth. We’re only as strong as our connection with God and our friends – we can’t have the best of one without the other.That’s why we love our church: because we connect!

This week’s Next Steps:

Participate in Awakening. The Journey has begun 21 days of seeking God for our church through prayer and fasting. You can be a part! Go to www.yourjourney.tv/home/awakening or http://www.awake21.org/ for resources and tips to make this a powerful start to your 2012. You can also join our Prayer Team in the auditorium any of the next three Saturdays from 8:00-9:00am for prayer.
Admit to myself that I need to have, and be, a friend
Sign up for a Life Group. Join the nearly 150 people who’ve already signed up for a group for the spring semester – click HERE to get connected.

To sign up for the next Launch, click HERE; or for Discover, HERE.

A revolution of generosity is continuing at The Journey. Your consistent, generous giving is helping people find Jesus and follow him fully and meet needs in our community. You can give online anytime by going HERE.

Take a moment and read Acts 2:42-47 – it’s the foundation for this series and for this year at The Journey. And invite a friend to join you this Sunday as we continue “I Love My Church.” See you then!

Enjoy The Journey.

I Love My Church...Because We Gather!

Mark Johnston — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 10:36:40 -0500

You love your football team, your coffee, and DVR: is it possible to love your church? If this past weekend was any indication, yes! Sunday, we were reminded of the power of gathering on the weekend for worship and teaching. Why do we gather? So people can experience God and become followers of Jesus.

This week’s Next Steps:

Read Acts 2. It’s the gripping story of the start of the very first church, and it’s where we’ll be hanging out for the rest of “I Love My Church.”
Participate in Awakening. Want to learn more about the 21 days of prayer and fasting The Journey is starting this weekend? You’ll have another chance to opt in on your connect card on Sunday.
Devote myself to gathering on the weekend in 2012. It’s the best chance we have to get off the ground spiritually this year – gathering.

Are you gathering, connecting, and serving? To sign up for the next Launch, click HERE. To find out more about Life Groups, click HERE. To volunteer, click HERE, or to sign up for Discover, HERE. And remember that you can give online anytime by going HERE.

The excitement and spiritual growth continues this Sunday with “I Love My Church… Because We Connect.” (You’ll have a chance to join a spring Life Group as well – don’t miss the Life Group fair in the lobby between gatherings.)

Enjoy The Journey!

Application is Everything

Mark Johnston — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 11:29:57 -0500

During the first gatherings of 2012, Andy Stanley preached the message “Application is Everything”. We learned that it’s what we do that matters. It was a fitting reminder to begin the new year. To check out other messages by Andy Stanley, click HERE.

Here are the next steps:

My next step is to take a next step (I know what that is).
Commit to applying God’s word to my life during the month of January.
Come back next Sunday for week one of “I Love My Church”. (Here’s a blurb for you to copy and paste to your Facebook page to invite your friends—remember the first Sunday of a new series is a great time to invite someone to The Journey):

"Love” is a big word. Some of us love football, coffee, our smartphones. Is it possible to love church? You might think it’s not possible. But what if it’s a church that’s making a difference – what if it’s real church for real people? This Sunday, come with me to find out why I love my church, The Journey. www.yourjourney.tv.

And because we love our church, we pray for it! That’s why from January 15th-February 4^thwe’ll be on a prayer journey, praying that people will find Jesus and follow him fully in 2012 at The Journey. Prayer works!

See you this Sunday as we kick off “I Love My Church”.

Enjoy the journey!

Christmas Shmishmas: Purpose

Mark Johnston — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 14:20:11 -0500

In The Journey’s final gatherings of 2011, we wrapped up “Christmas Shmishmas” by traveling all the way back to when Mary first heard the news that she was going to have a baby. All the ups and downs of the holiday season (and of our lives) ultimately fade away when we realize that we have a purpose… and that God will stop at nothing to help us fulfill it. Luke 1:26-38.

There were no next steps on Christmas Eve…just an invitation for you to find your purpose. Many people raised their hands during the gatherings that they were putting their faith in Jesus, and 3 people indicated that they had done that for the very first time that evening!

Are you gathering, connecting, and serving? To sign up for the next Launch (this Sunday), click HERE. To find out more about Life Groups, click HERE. To volunteer, click HERE, or to sign up for Discover, HERE. And remember that you can give online anytime by going HERE.

Don’t forget that there are only two gatherings this Sunday at 10:30 & noon. There is NO 9:30 gathering. See you on Sunday!

Happy New Year!

Seasons Traction

Mark Johnston — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 11:23:10 -0500

Christmas Shmishmas continued Sunday with a reminder that every season in life contains an opportunity to make the most of it. Check out the podcast HERE or re-read the text from Luke HERE.

This week’s Next Steps:

Share my “Give it Away” story. We’re collecting stories of how you’re making a difference for people who are near you and need you. Email them to us at giveitaway@yourjourney.tv
Ask God for direction for this season.
Bring someone to Christmas Eve at The Journey. The Journey’s final gatherings of 2011 are happening this Saturday, Christmas Eve, at 3:00 and 4:30pm. Make the most of this season – bring someone with you!

Are you gathering, connecting, and serving? Sign up for the first Launch of 2012 by clicking HERE. To volunteer, click HERE, or to sign up for Discover, HERE. And remember that you can give online anytime by going HERE.

See you Christmas Eve – it’s going to be amazing. Enjoy The Journey!