August 03, 2017

Watch Your Step

August 03, 2017/ Emily Neesley

Today is Tuesday. On Tuesday mornings, I run. This morning while I was running with my partner in crime/running buddy on St. Charles, I rolled my foot on a small patch of grass on the streetcar line. I kept going because I wasn’t in any pain and I felt fine — well, you know, besides the fact that it is a million degrees in New Orleans, even at 6am — but I was fine. Or so I thought.

I did my normal morning routine and went to the office. I had a two-hour conference call this afternoon and when I stood up from my desk, I was overwhelmed with pain — it hurt to put any pressure on my foot. (It should be noted that I am a person with a high pain tolerance, but y’all, this pain was next level.) I limped to my car at the end of the day and was hopeful that the pain would be gone by the time I got to the coffee shop where I was meeting my friend. Nope. The pain had actually gotten worse — even while sitting — so there goes that optimism. Fast forward a few hours to the present and I am sitting on my couch, my foot propped up, and an ice pack and a set of crutches nearby.

July 30, 2017

Announcement: Exciting Next Step for Vintage

July 30, 2017/ Vintage Church

As we have continued to move forward in our leadership transition since Pastor Rob Wilton’s important announcement, one of the most common questions has been concerning who will become the next Lead Pastor. After much prayer and discussion, we are excited to announce that Pastor Dustin Turner will be enlisted as the Interim Lead Pastor of Preaching and Equipping for Vintage Church of New Orleans beginning July 30, 2017.

July 27, 2017

I Want That

July 27, 2017/ Sarah Brichetto

Scene at my house last week:

Big Sister was playing with her Little Brother. Well, actually, they weren’t playing “together;” they were just sharing the same space. I was in the kitchen cooking dinner when I heard her scream at him, “No, Brother! That’s mine! I want that!” Walking into the playroom, I understood what had happened. She was contently playing with some dolls. He had been playing with some blocks, but then he saw it—the Magna Doodle. From the looks of the screen, he’d only barely got a start at drawing, but as soon as she saw him playing with something that she’d identified as “hers,” she lost it. She was perfectly happy with the toys she had, until she saw him playing with something else. She didn’t care about that Magna Doodle at all. Hadn’t played with it in months. That is, until Brother got it. After a few minutes of tears, I finally got her calmed down. We talked about it. I asked her why she got so upset. “Because he was playing with that toy and I wanted to play with it!” she whimpered. More tears. “But Sister, you were having so much fun playing with your dolls when Brother was playing with is blocks.” She thought for minute: “But, Mom! It just isn’t fair! That toy is too big for Brother!” I explained, “Then maybe you could show him how to use it. You’re the Big Sister.” That won her over (as it usually does because she LOVES being the Big Sister). Finally, the crisis was solved, peace was restored, and dinner was made.

June 15, 2017

Love Ya Pops!: A Father’s Day Reflection

June 15, 2017/ Matthew Weaver

Just like Mother’s Day, Father’s Day is such an important and significant day to honor our fathers and those who have been father-like to us. Personally, I have been fortunate to have an amazing father who has loved me, poured into me, and taught me what it means to be a man after God’s heart. If there has been anyone who has been a consistent support and encouragement in my life, it would be both of my parents. I could write an entire separate blog on how much I love my mom, but today is about dads (sorry mom!). I think that I take for granted the sacrifice that my dad has made in his life, in order for my sister and I to be where we are today. My dad has modeled what it looks like to put the Lord first before anything else. Of course my dad isn’t perfect, because no one is, but I honor and respect his pursuit of God and the wisdom he has given me over the years and still gives me this day.

June 11, 2017

Important Announcement: This Home is Growing

June 11, 2017/ Vintage Church

Pastor Rob Wilton and his family have accepted God’s call to become the Lead Pastor of Preaching and Vision for Downtown Baptist Church in Orlando, FL. He will be sent out at the end of 2017 to expand the Gx Network and ministry of Vintage Church. Pastor Rob will be officially presented to Downtown Baptist Church on June 25 and will remain in New Orleans serving as our Founding and Lead Pastor until the end of 2017.

May 11, 2017

Are You My Mother?

May 11, 2017/ Sarah Brichetto

I’ve been thinking a lot recently about what it means to be a mother—what exactly it is that makes one a mom. Technically speaking, a mother is “a female parent.” But I think we can all affirm that a mother is much more than that narrow definition. At the core, mothering is about nurturing. When you nurture or provide for the baby you just birthed, the baby someone else birthed but you are raising, or a baby who isn’t even yours at all, you are acting as a mother.

April 25, 2017

A Big 'Ole Slice of Humble Pie

April 25, 2017/ Bethany Schreiner

When I hear the word humility, I think of my grandfather, Narbey Khachaturian. We called him Poppi. Poppi was perhaps the most amazing man I have ever met. But you could never say that in front of him. If you google him, you will only find his obituary. And this blog. Perhaps this is because he lived most of his life prior to the age of technology. Or maybe he just didn't want anyone to think too highly of him. Whatever the case, I was unaware of his most amazing accomplishments until his memorial service. It was only then that we were allowed to brag on him freely!

April 15, 2017

Won't Be Held Down

April 15, 2017/ Dustin Turner

For Jesus’s disciples and his followers, the Saturday after his death was a dark day. Their hope, Jesus, had died, and now his corpse laid in a tomb. But they had no idea of what would await them the next morning. They had no idea that on Sunday morning, Jesus would not be there. In the power of God, Jesus had resurrected from the grave, defeating sin, death, and hell. Looking back, Peter says this on the day of Pentecost: “this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men. God raised him up, loosing the pang s of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it” (Acts 2:23–24). Death was not able to hold him! Unbelievable.

April 14, 2017

It's Not Too Late

April 14, 2017/ Dustin Turner

Today is Good Friday, the day our Lord Jesus Christ was crucified and died. When we read the Gospel accounts of his crucifixion and death, we see many similar elements of the story. Luke, however, tells an interesting story about the two criminals crucified next to Jesus. One of the criminals derides Jesus, like the rest of the crowd. The other criminal, however, has a different reaction. Turning to the criminal deriding Jesus, the other criminal asks, “Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed justly, for we are receiving the due regard of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong” (Luke 23:40–41). This criminal clearly understood something about Jesus. Despite Jesus’s mangled appearance, the criminal knew Jesus was the Messiah, the one who was to come and save the people. Because of who he knew Jesus to be, he called out , “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom” (Luke 23:43). Then Jesus replies, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise” (Luke 23:43).

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