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!

Hero Honor Night and How To

At our church we had a special night to honor all of our Children/Nursery workers.  We had a great time as we grilled out, played games and just had fun.  Our theme for the party was "Heroes" because our workers truly are that, our heroes.  One of the nights activities consisted of nominating others who did an outstanding job.  The winners of each of the four categories received a personal trophy and $10 gift card to Chic-fil-A.

Many have asked that I give some "how to" on the awards, and as you'll see these were made from common household items, some paint and a little imagination.

Cake for Everyone!

Kids Dressed up for Fun!!!  So did some adults.

 "Hammer of Thor" Award given to the Children Coaches who are the best at keeping the peace,John and Sylvia West.  The handle is the bottom of a yard light, and the main hammer part is simply foam board, some hot glue and gold spray paint resting on a "take home" container.

The "Wonderous Job" award went to Stephanie Kellett.  These Wonder Woman wristbands represent the wonderful job  performed each week in the nursery.  A wet wipe contain cut in half and painted rest beautifully on a class base.

The "Super Supporter" award was given to, Dottie Gernon.  Superman's underwear is  kept safe and secure in this "Kryptonite" jar.

"Iron Man" trophy was awarded to, Yolanda Palmer.  She is a huge encourager, and what better way to show the "iron sharpens iron" understanding than with Iron Man himself plated in gold.....spraypaint.

Using a non-working yard lamp, I simply painted it gold.

Iron Man toy to top and perfect-O!

christcommunity.com

Word of God Speaks

Have you ever heard the voice of God?  I'll be honest, I have never heard an audible, out loud, from the Heavens, burning bush voice.  But I know God has indeed spoken to me.

I hear people say, "God spoke to me" and just naturally assume they heard God as if I was talking to them.

There have been more than a few times in my life where I have either had a dream, or a vision (which I would usually chalk up as an overactive imagination) and that very thing come to be true.  I remember several years ago when I was a youth pastor and the senior pastor was on a trip, I didn't know he had asked his wife to speak for him on Wednesday night service, but I woke up Wednesday morning with the faint remembrance of dreaming to be ready to speak to the church for Wednesday night service.  Going in the office doing my regular duties the Pastor's wife came in and looked distraught, I asked if everything was okay and she proceeded to tell me she didn't want to speak that night and didn't know what to do. I shared with her my "dream" and that night was able to ease her mind and speak to the church what I had prepared because of God's "unction."  There have been many times this has happened to me, sometimes at night while sleeping other times during the day in front of my open eyes in technicolor.

About a month ago I had one of those "God speaks" moments.

Over the last few weeks I've felt like my life has been one single focus of placing pieces of a jigsaw puzzle together.  Honestly, some of it has been exciting, like when you're working a puzzle and find that piece that completes the border so you can then start on the middle.  I look back at some of the messages I've shared and clearly see God's hand and what He orchestrated months later as more pieces come together.

While I've not heard God's voice like I think Moses did, "Moses! Moses! Take off your sandals for you are standing on Holy ground."  I do hear God speak, He confirms it in many ways.

As I type this I know I'm being very vague but I hope it helps someone out there to know, there is a God who loves you and if you'll listen He does speak.  For me, one day when the dust settles and all the pieces come in full connection to each other I'll be able to bring my children to this post and say, "remember when that thing happened and all that stuff happened that you thought or others thought didn't make sense?  Look I posted this long before those things happened because God was already at work, God already had given me courage to do what needed to be done, God already confirmed, God spoke and took care of things long before we ever even thought what should we do."  And my children and others will be able to look at the faithfulness of God even in the times they can't hear him speak.