Life Church hosts Midland Comic-Con this March

Here’s something you don’t hear everyday: a church hosting a comic-con! Turns out the event we founded in 2020 has grown to become the state’s largest free comic-con. We’re proud to be part of this event and can’t wait to see it all unfold this March…

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Midland Mall Comic Con Adds Kids' Night, Expands Cosplay Events

Originally published in the Midland Daily News on February 3, 2025.

Article by Dominic Sevilla.

Pick up your cape from the dry cleaners, start preparing your cosplays, and get your Pokemon cards ready to trade at the March 7-9 Midland Mall Comic-Con.

Midland Mall Event Coordinator Sarah Thomas is looking forward to this year’s event.

"One of the things we really wanted to concentrate on this year was making it a real Comic-Con," Thomas said. "So when you walk in, you see everything you would see at a Comic-Con—comic collectors, toy collectors, cosplay accessories. You name it, we've got it this year."

The Midland Mall Comic-Con is now being run directly by mall staff, with volunteers and event staff provided by Life Church Midland after a change in event organization in 2024. 

Life Church Lead Pastor Jonathan Herron and Thomas said the emphasis this year is on being a family-friendly event, with the introduction of Kids' Night on Friday, March 7.

"What I'm really looking forward to is Kids' Night on Friday," Herron said. "We have a lot of local businesses coming together to provide a free, fun, family event with contests, games, inflatables, lightsaber-making, and all kinds of stuff."

"The other thing we really concentrated on this year was making it family-friendly," Thomas said. "I have four children, and everywhere we go, it is ridiculously expensive. One thing we really wanted to do was make it so families could come in, not pay a ridiculous amount, and have a good time. This year, we put a lot of emphasis on Kids' Night, and there are tons of businesses that stepped up to do activities for kids for free."

Families and kids can expect to see the following at Kids' Night:

• Wand making

• Face painting

• Lightsaber making

• Free Pokémon cards

• Make-a-superhero-mask station

• Make-a-superhero-cape station

• Temporary tattoos

Additionally, there will be a free show on Saturday for kids on the main stage, presented by Neverland Entertainment, along with a free kids' cosplay contest to help introduce them to the world of cosplay.

Speaking of cosplay, Thomas and Herron said they hope to make this event feel like a full Comic-Con experience by offering different cosplay contests, cosplay vendors, and more.

"There are five cosplay contests over the course of the weekend," Herron said. "It's really exciting that we've been able to expand to categories like group, furry, and things like that."

Other vendors will be on-site selling items, such as:

• Chainwear

• Furry costumes and accessories

• Jewelry

• 3D toys/gadgets, dice towers, helmets, and resin figures

• Original work from artists and authors

• Cosplay designs

• Lego

• Tabletop games

• Pokémon, Tamagotchi, Splatoon, and Ghibli items

• Handmade horror, paranormal, true crime, and pop culture vinyl decal stickers

• Potion bottles themed around Harry Potter and Greek gods and goddesses

• Pins, stickers, and posters

• Hand-painted dragons

• Plushies

• Oddities

• Knives and swords

• Anime merch

"I'm a voracious collector of Funko Pops," Herron said. "I'm definitely in the community of loving pop culture. What I think it means to us (at Life Church) is that we get to serve with no agenda. That's been our heartbeat the whole time. It helps that I'm a bit of a nerd myself, and my son is excited about Pokémon cards being exchanged. It's kind of bringing all of these passions together."

More information and a full schedule can be found on the Midland Mall Comic Con Facebook page.

Be Brave Enough to Suck at Something New

‘Wisdom comes to the heart that is hungry for God.’ (A.W. Tozer)

Whenever I feel discouraged and want to quit something, I remember the words of my then 3-year-old after she puked carrots all over the living room floor: “I’m gonna need more carrots.”

‘As a leader, you will have to make decisions that those whom you lead and even spectators won’t understand for years.’

(Dr. Eric Mason)

Leaders are targets for the Enemy. If you’re leading out front, then of course you’re going to be on the receiving end of fiery darts. Expect it.

Misunderstandings and miscommunications will happen.

You cannot control other people’s perceptions. You can only control your own actions and reactions.

Be careful with what you hear about someone. You might be hearing it from the problem.

As soon as we step into condemnation instead of conversation, we can no longer see that person clearly.

/ / /

‘A perverse man sows strife and a whisperer separates the best of friends.’ (Proverbs 16:28)

People don’t own you when they hurt you. They own you when your entire life is defined by that hurt.

If you’ve been burned, heal. If someone has an issue with you and they’re telling everyone except you, they don’t have a real issue with you. They just enjoy the attention they get from talking about you.

/ / /

‘Love God and He will enable you to love others even when they disappoint you.’ (Francine Rivers)

The only way to handle ‘prodigals’ is to let them go, give them to God, and pray for their return with tears. And when you see them on the horizon with their head hung low, wrap your arms around them and welcome them home.

We are all rough drafts of the person we are becoming.

Don’t be afraid to start over. It’s a chance to build something better this time!

Sure, the winds feel strong and your team is small.

Stand firm.

If you set your anchor, you won’t drift.

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You Can Do This, I Can Help

God's heart is to see you lead your church to growth.

You can do this.   I can help you GROW!

Let me personally coach you toward quickly reaching more people far from God.

🚀 LEARN MORE

Dream Big

I think we too often place limitations on our dreams because: A) We don't have a big enough God in our heads or B) We secretly fear failing.

In 2025, I want to challenge you to dream BIG.

God can do ANYTHING, you know—FAR MORE than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams! He does it not by pushing us around but by working within us, his Spirit deeply and gently within us."  (Ephesians 3:20-21, MSG)

Take a look around you and imagine what could be and what should be in this new year.

Seriously, take a deep breath and put pen to paper to write out your dreams for 2025.

And then God answered: “Write this.
Write what you see.
Write it out in big block letters
so that it can be read on the run.
This vision-message is a witness
pointing to what’s coming.
It aches for the coming—it can hardly wait!
And it doesn’t lie.
If it seems slow in coming, wait.
It’s on its way. It will come right on time."

(Habakkuk 2:2-3, MSG)

Write down your dreams for the future!  Did you know that it's been proven to increase the likelihood of achieving them? In a study conducted by Dr. Gail Matthews at Dominican University, participants who wrote down their goals were 42% more likely to achieve them than those who didn't write them down.

Buy a Moleskin, pray some big prayers, and then write out some big dreams.  

Now is not the time to shrink back in fear.

Playing it safe is too risky!

Dream big in 2025 and let's see what God can do through you...

Have You Considered a Church Merger?

We Are Better Together

Church mergers have become one of the most effective strategies for struggling churches to thrive again, for growing churches to amplify their reach, and for church facilities to be better utilized to advance the Gospel in a region.

What is a Church Merger?

When two or more churches become one through the combining, integrating, and unifying of people, structures, systems, and resources in order to better reach their community with the message of Jesus.

Three Types of Church Mergers

1. Rebirth
   Typically when a struggling church gets a second life by being restarted under a stronger, vibrant, usually larger church.
   

2. Adoption
   This occurs when a stable or stuck church is integrated under the leadership of a stronger, vibrant, usually larger church.
   

3. Marriage
   Typically when two growing churches realign with each other under a unified vision and new leadership configuration.

Questions to Consider

1. Could we accomplish more together than we could separately? Would we find more ministry synergy, created by the two churches joining with common vision and purpose?
   
   2. Would my congregation benefit from this merger? Would my individual congregation be better, healthier or stronger by joining with this church?
   
   3. Would our community be better served by us working together? By joining forces, can we make a bigger impact in our surrounding community?
   
   4. Could the Kingdom of God be further extended by us joining together? Would uniting help us make more and better disciples of Jesus?

INTERESTED IN LEARNING MORE?  Let Us Know!

WHAT IT TAKES TO BE A GREAT CHURCH CAMPUS LEADER

What it takes to be a GREAT Campus Leader

BIG IDEA: Campus Leaders have Hustle + Intensity about the Total Guest Experience

1. Hustle = Self-Led

• CHASES Jesus on their own with passion
  

• INITIATIVE - Does not need constant motivation
  Jon would rather REIGN IN a STALLION
  than MOTIVATE a MULE!
  

• Secure as a Son of the House (Old Testament Idea)
  
  - Son of the House > Hired Hand
  - As the House spreads out, the Sons have to protect the UNITY of the House
  
  - Heart of an Heir; Understands their role in the House
  - What we can do TOGETHER is GREATER than what we can do APART!
  
  - A Son is not focused on their title or accolades.
  - A Son understands their inheritance is in the future.
  
  - A Son works HARDER because they are a Son, not a Hired Hand
  - Hired Hands wants a paycheck; Sons sacrifice for what’s best for the House.
  - Sons have the right HEART Attitude
  

• Campus Leaders are not trying to build their OWN thing because they are HEIRS to the WHOLE thing!

2. Hustle + Intensity = Able to Gather More People to the Cause

• Sons draw MORE people into the House; Employees draw people to themselves.
  

• Charisma -- You gotta be likeable + Plant yourself where the Guests are!
  

• Become Intensely Hyper about what Guests FEEL when they arrive.
  

• We want every Guest to feel like a million bucks!
  

• You must be the SPARK that inspires your teams to love + serve Guests!
  

• Law of the Lid = YOU are the Lid of your campus. If you are only a 7, expect your volunteers to rise to 5’s or 6’s.
  

• Humor Over Hammer -- Leverage a fun personality to connect with Guests and in High Touch during the weekdays. People are attracted to fun-loving people!
  

• Make The Ask -- Many people are just waiting for YOU to DIRECTLY and CLEARLY ask them to join in!

3.  Hustle to Empower People

• You can have Control or Growth, but you can’t have BOTH.
  

• Give away ministry -- Ephesians 4:12: “Equip the Lifers for ministry!”
  

• It takes security to let go -- Success is having MORE volunteers on the team!
  

• Make sure your new team members FEEL equipped -- double-check/over-communicate training resources and that YOU are cheering for them!
  

• Empowered people have OWNERSHIP and are ALL IN!
  

• Empowered people meet new friends and develop relationships. Every first-time guest wants to feel known, first by YOU and then by OTHERS.
  

• Guests need 7 new friends in 6 months in order to STAY at your campus.

4.  Reproduce Yourself

• You are a Paul, recruit a Timothy (Ready Now) and a Titus (Ready in 6 Months).