Recap from Sunday, Aug. 25th

Today at church was great!!!  Not only wonderful time together but a lot of little things happened that really just pushed today over the top.  For writing and understanding purposes I'll number the big "wins" and letter the huge details under them.

1.)  We had a total of 5 visiting families today!!!
        A.) One family returned from last weeks visit.  After speaking with several a couple people said, "we heard great things are happening here and wanted to come see."

2.) All of our ministry teams were in peek shape this morning.  The excellence and joy that filled the building today was pure electric.
       B.) I noticed a huge level of ownership in ministry today.  It wasn't just about filling a need but it was genuine joy in serving the God and others.

3.)  Church was just good fun today! People getting back into the swing of things and wanting to be together.
       C.) During the message there were a couple times where one would speak up that just caused the entire place to bust out in laughing.  I don't know how you feel about "feedback" during someone preaching, but I love it!

4.) Today was the Sunday that marks 2 years that we have been pastors of Christ Community Church and it's been amazing to get to be apart of what God is doing.  Last week and this week we have been bumping and waving at that "100" person mark and with so many visiting and being plugged in to the church; I'm excited to see that's the potential of 100 plus people loving God and loving others.
      D.)  Two years ago when I'd invite people to church their response often would be, "where is that church at?"  Today we hear people say, "we hear great things about this church."


5.)  Part 2 of Environments is up, pray you enjoy it as we dive into the whys of what we do.
     E.)  Click HERE to listen.

Celebration Sunday at CCC!

Today was nothing short of an AMAZING day of the church celebrating at church.  I have dreamed of the time when we come to church together and instead of using it as a "refill" gathering (although important) for our gathering to be more of a celebration encounter.  Today was that day.
Not only was the worship anointed and powerful this morning, but God's presence was evident for healing.  We prayed for and laid hands on several who need a touch from God.
Our speaker this morning, Chris Childers delivered a timely message as we concluded our "Faith Catalysts" series, you can listen online by clicking, HERE

All week our church has been, well--- being the church.  We kicked off Monday by delivering school supplies to our neighbors next door, Millbrooke Elementary.

We then continued on Wednesday to provide a fun,safe and meaningful "Wet and Wild Wednesday" to our neighbors with free food, water slides, backpack give-a-ways and just a great time together.

Another monumental thing happened today, before I became Pastor of Christ Community Church they were in a kitchen fundraising program.  Over the last two years we have spent our energy and resources focused on our Children's Ministry and building renovations such as parking lot resurfacing, and general updating.  However over the last few months we have challenged our people to give towards the installing and renovation for a practical and functional kitchen to meet the needs of the various ministries.

It's been a long journey and three weeks ago I shared we were $3000 away from getting it all paid for, then last week because of a "God idea" given to one of our members we only needed $1700.  Well this week another member stopped in before leaving town to make a donation and as of Friday we only needed $1000!!!

Saturday morning our men's ministry hosted a breakfast and they raised $150 to pay off that $1000 and TODAY the remaining $850. came in!!!!!!  Simply amazing what God does when there is unity in His house!

Love God, love others.   christcommunity.com

Recap from Sunday July 21st

Today was a great day at Christ Community Church.  Here are some quick thoughts from the day.

1) Seems the heat is getting to people.  While we had a solid core group there, you could tell the heat is affecting overall energies.
2)  Our worship team just gets better and better!!!  I'm so impressed with our team and their passion to lead people into the presence of God.  Just fantastic!!!

3) I shared a little about why we do what we do and why we do it that way.  We want to be a church culture that has a high level of both invitation and challenge.

4) There is a lot of excitment in the air for our upcoming Community Service event, "Wet and Wild Wednesday.  Click HERE for details.
5) We are coming to the final stretch as we have launched our much awaited kitchen renovation.  With new ministry groups such as our men and women's ministries, nursery department; this remodel is a real blessing long awaited for.
6)  This morning's message is online, we pray it's a blessing to you just as one lady in service gave a testamony this morning, "I was bound by wrong thinking and after God set me free with new way of thinking I now am able to enjoy the changes in this church and love the people God wants me too."  WOW!!!  Visit us at christcommunity.com or click HERE for message.

Sunday Recap July 14th

Worship was amazing this morning!  Such an awesome time together and there was an anointing for healing in the place today.

1)  I love what God is doing at Christ Community!  Was so good to see everyone fill the building with a real love for each other.
2) As with anything that grows, one has to put systems and structure in place and today I got to establish three individuals over various departments at the church.  AMAZING people with a heart to serve, very excited for the future!
3) Today I shared the news about the long awaited "kitchen remodel" project that started before I came and that at the end of the month it will be finished!!!
4) Shared updated renovation happening in our nursery department.

 

5) Hard to imagine that end of August will just be 2 years since we became Pastors of CCC.  I'm so honored to be a small part of God's big picture plan.

6) My wife made roast beef with all the sides and home made blackberry cobbler, so I'm out!!!!

As a church we need to start building circles rather than rows.    Today's Message HERE

Recap Sunday, July 7th

There are those moments when you stop, pause and thank God for what He has done and is doing.  Today was one of those moments.  Here are some highlights from service today.

1)  Besides the worship team, there were three people on stage today.  The reasons that's a big deal is because I'm all about some Ephesians 4:12--so I love seeing our people take ownership of ministry and challenging others to make it happen.
2) We had a great group there today despite it being a "holiday week."  As I was thanking God for today and thinking about the 75 singles, parents, children, grandparents there today; I thought, "wow, a year ago 75 was a high number for us and today it's a low number."
3) I cast vision for a fun end of the month--right before school starts neighborhood service project called, Wet and Wild Wednesday.
4) Friends bringing friends is an awesome sight to see.  It never gets old!
5) So proud of our ladies and men's ministries as they have worked so hard in providing school supplies for our neighbors next door.  If you feel impressed to help, click here>>> Support Millbrooke
6) I announced today that this week we will start demolition for our new kitchen remodel project.

Exciting things happening here at C.C.C!  Who says you've got to slow down in the summer???

We'd love to have you join what God is doing in us and though us, check us out at christcommunity.com

Recap from Sunday, June 30th

To put this morning in the words of one of our church partners, 

"What a great service this morning, followed by an AWESOME fellowship meal. If you missed it, you REALLY missed it!..."

It's really is awesome to see each week what God is doing.  Honestly, I knew with everyone who told me they'd be out this week that numerically we'd be low.  Even for our fellowship meal after service I only set about 60 chairs out.   Boy, was I wrong.  Here's a quick recap:

1) I expected a low crowd, due to holiday week but even with a dozen of our people out we still had 80 people!!!  

2) Every Sunday that has a fifth week we keep all the kids in adult service and have a fellowship meal afterwards.  We call it "Family Sunday" and today I think was the best one we've ever had.

3) Two years ago there were 4 children in the church, today there were 32.  Talk about alive atmosphere.  Kids also take up the offering on Family Sunday and wow, these kids are awesome.

4) Kicked off a message series inspired by one of my favorite Pastors, Andy Stanley, as we dive into looking at things God uses to build our faith.

5) Our ladies are really bringin' it with our Millbrooke Elementary outreach.  As of now we have raised about $800 to provided school  supplies for our neighbors.

6) We did something totally different in worship and the team did an amazing job, I really thing we "moved the ball forward" in teaching worship is not about style.  Such an amazing Spirit of God this morning during service.

Sunday, June 23rd

Reflections from Sunday

1.) Good friend of mine, Craig Johnson, spoke an amazing message on the topic and what it means to #fail.

2.) We welcomed two families into our church; we call it partnership rather than membership.  Members have rights, partners have responsibilities.  I'm in such awe of the people God is bringing to Christ Community who want to run with our simple approach, "love God, love others."

3.) Along with Craig, another good friend, Joey Berrios, came and spoke to our teens.  It was awesome to see a dozen young people hear the hope of Jesus and the plan He has for their lives.

4.) Despite the summer we are continuing to have people visit, come and come again! 

5.) We prayed for and blessed our teenagers going to youth camp this week, excited to join them.

6.) We've been without a drummer on our worship team for quite some time and within a matter of a few days we now have two that we can rotate between.  Today's worship was full and anointed. 

7.)  Church is fun again!  I think most churches can over time get stuck or lose it's ability to just.....just have fun.  I see all throughout scripture that Heave and salvation is paralleled to feast and parties and celebrations.  But somehow we tend to think only after we die.  Not me!  If it's not fun then I want out.  Christ Community is fun, filled with great loving people with more fun people coming every week.

Click on Image to Hear What Others are Saying

You're Not Going to Eat That....Are You???

I've often wondered, "which is more offensive: a chocolate bunny at Easter or a chocolate cross at Easter?"  Because I know Easter is not about a bunny, or eggs or all the stuff inside them it's easy for me to have fun with those things while celebrating the REAL reason for Easter.
A cross, however has special meaning to the Christian faith, it's the symbol of what our savior died on, we're told to "take up our cross" so I'd think it's not to be taken lightly or made into a causal everyday goody.

Don't get me wrong, I like chocolate and will eat it in pretty much any shape or form.  I don't believe on is "sinning" because they eat a chocolate cross anymore than a Christian hiding eggs or buying a chocolate bunny on Easter.


The truth be told, I really think the bigger issue is deciding between dark chocolate or milk chocolate.

Happy Resurrection Sunday!