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SUNDAY NIGHT ENGAGE
The attendance trend for Sunday evenings at Canyon Creek has shifted downward over the past several years and has gained a larger momentum over the last 18 months. Despite the temptation to change Sunday evenings to something that would simply increase attendance, the better approach is to provide a ministry that gives opportunity for people to glorify God by being a growing disciple of Jesus Christ. This approach reaches far beyond the needs of adults only and includes all, from preschoolers to senior adults.
The purpose of Sunday Night Engage is to help believers mature in their faith, encouraging them to takes steps in their faith, to grow into their ministries, and to become disciples who make disciples.
Canyon Creek will see several benefits from this new approach to Sunday evenings.
1. This change in schedule and ministry allows CCBC to fulfill its mission statement of being a church that glorifies God by helping its members be and make disciples.
2. This change in schedule maintains a tie to what is known as the current Sunday evening worship while shaping the evening for focused discipleship needs.
3. This change in schedule enhances the visitor friendly atmosphere by providing appropriate age-based discipleship and open worship and bible study at the same time.
4. Because discipleship needs are most often unrelated to age, the schedule provides opportunity for a variety of ages to participate in a small group setting, helping bridge the gap between generations.
With the church’s goal to reach 100 families by the end of 2010, Sunday Night Engage will prove to be a vital ministry in making it happen. It is the staff’s hope and prayer that Engage will become not simply a way for people to put new notches on their belts which represent completed bible studies, but that it will also become an avenue for outreach or onramps for new people to become involved in the life of the church.
Who Would Have Thought It Was Possible
From the very beginning, nobody gave this bunch much of a chance to succeed. After all, it had been quite a while since they had any success whatsoever. As a matter of fact, some might say that the only success they had was simply in being created. They hadn’t been around for very long, especially compared to most of the other groups that do what they do. This particular group has a few veterans helping guide the way and a stable of youngsters who have dreamed of this for a long time. Their accomplishment to this date is amazing and yet they still have a long way to go to be “on the top.”
Congratulations to the Tampa Bay Devil Rays for an amazing baseball season. Last year they were in last place in their division. No body gave them a chance to win anything at all, much less an American League Pennant. Yet, with the careful guidance of their manager, and with the tender care by the trainer of many of their young hitters and pitchers, the Rays now see themselves with a chance to win won of sports most heralded championships, the World Series. Just as the Texas Rangers how difficult it is to make it all the way.
Maybe our church is a bit like this. Could this small bunch of believers do something that no one has thought possible? Yes we can. Yes we can, if we place ourselves in the hands of God. Yes we can, if we commit together. Yes we can, if we be sure to take care of one another along the way. Yes we can, if we keep our eyes looking forward and upward.
Who thinks it’s possible?
PICTURES OF A MOTHER
One mom dresses her newborn in the prettiest outfit she has. She herself is dressed in that one dress that he loves most. He comes around the corner. “It’s time.” He looked so handsome in his uniform. On the way, not much is spoken. They didn’t have to. The ceremony was beautiful. The hugs lasted a lifetime. The tears could have filled the ocean. Once he is out of sight, she holds her little girl. She whispers, “It’s okay. He’ll be back. . . He will.” Life if fragile.
One mom sits at the kitchen table in her one-bedroom apartment. It’s past midnight and she wonders where her seventh grader is. Will he walk through the door soon? Is he at a friend’s place? Is he walking the streets? Will the phone ring again with “the law” on the other end? She wonders how it all happened. Just a year ago she had a perfect marriage, a perfect family. His death was so sudden; they had been unprepared. Everything is falling apart. Life is fleeting.
One mom sits behind the wheel with three younglings in the back. The rain on the windshield makes it hard to see in the moonlit night, let alone the tears that flow, dripping from her cheeks. Piercing the darkness comes a small voice, “Mommy, where are we going?” She had been asking herself that same question, yet answers were elusive. The one thing she did know was that she couldn’t go back. She wouldn’t. Never! But, where to now? Life is scary.
Four moms. They live in different worlds though they breathe the same air, travel the same roads. They hurt. They struggle.
Four moms enter through the doors. They sit in different places though they hug the same people, sing the same songs, hear the same message. They dream. They hope. Their faith carries them through, clinging to his promise, “never will I leave you, never will I forsake you.” Life is hectic, but at peace. Life is fragile, but so precious. Life is fleeting, but full. Life is scary, but endurable. The message brings hope. The songs provide faith. The hugs supply love.
I Like What I See
It has been exciting to see how many of the adult Sunday School classes have embraced the vision that Josh Hunt shared with us about growing and dividing. Josh reminded us that church is not about us. It never has been and it never will be. In fact, if church is about us, then it has ceased to be church. One may call it whatever he or she wants, but it would be in error to call it church. Church is about God. Church was established by God. Church is for His honor, His glory, His majesty. Church is for reaching His world, His children. Again, many of our classes are getting it now.
Of course, most of the people in our church would probably agree to the statements above or to something very similar to them. If someone, however, is not driven to action because of his belief, then the belief comes into question. A belief – derived from Scripture, inspired by God, heard by the person, understood in the heart – is not a belief unless it is expressed through faith in action.
By October 7, the adult Sunday School division will be on track to create four new classes. These classes are or will be healthy, enjoyable, meaningful, vibrant, spiritual, social groups that intend on growing and dividing. The people in these classes look forward to meeting new people, having incredible relationships with people they’ve not yet met. In doing so, these classes will have been obedient to God’s desire in bringing His world into the fold of His people.
Each of the other three divisions, preschool, children, and youth, are also looking to expand by adding at least one class each. There are two hurdles to making this happen – space and workers. Pray that God will unfold His ideal and His ideas to those in leadership and those who should be in leadership.
In addition to all of this, God has also seen fit to entrust to our care for brief periods of time on Sunday morning and Wednesday evening special needs adults from three area group homes. What a gift from God! The work in this area may be difficult, but it is certainly rewarding for those involved with this ministry. It seems that with this ministry, the parable of the talents holds true. Should one remain faithful with a little, God will grant much more.
Let’s pray together for God’s desire to be our desire. May they become so one together that we no longer realize the difference between His and ours.
God Bless,
Jason
Challenged
I have been challenged by the words I heard yesterday from Dr. Sarker and from the follow-up message our pastor gave last night. I think about what I have given up to be a follower of Jesus. I have given up a way of life that I might or might not have enjoyed. I changed schools. I changed vocational directions. I wonder, does a change in direction really constitute the sacrifice of something.
I think about what I have ‘given-up’ only for a few moments as the flood of thought enters my mind on what I have gained. I did not become a follower of Jesus because of what I might gain. But God has nonetheless seen fit to give me so much more than I deserve. Just look at my family. I have come so close to really messing things up in the past, and I am just so thankful that God has allowed me to keep my family. Just look at my church family. What a gift. There are other intagible things as well — peace in my heart, assurance of the future even in unsure times, the comfort and guidance of the Holy Spirit, an underlying joy to all of life, and the list could go on and on.
So then. . . the challenge. For all that God has done for me, why do I not share my faith with others? You’d know if I were sharing my faith with people because every once in a while there would be someone join my church because of my witness. It has been a good while since anyone became a Christian and joined my church because of my personal witness. This is not a very good testimony and it is quite a challenge. (I wonder if these thoughts have been echoing in anyone else’s heart. I have these thoughts because it makes me wonder if anyone is really sharing their faith. It seems as if someone were, then we would at least see a few adults coming to know Christ every so often.)
Challenges are good. And my response is urgent. God has recently let me have a relationship with a couple of men who will keep this message in front of me as I will be keeping this message in front of them.
Is my light shining. If so, how bright? Is so, who is seeing it? If so. . .
Ramblings of an EM
Do people really need Sunday School anymore?
In this day and age where bible study is at our finger tips, I really wonder. You can go to store and get all the bible studies you want — marriage, parenting, singleness, senior adultness, teen help, preteen help, particular books of the bible, Beth Moore, Henry Blackaby. You can wonderful books by standard Christian writers like Charles Stanley and John MacArthur, by edgy writers like Rob Bell and Donald Miller, and the list goes on and on.
Do people really need to come and sit through one more bible study on the meaning of the temple in the book of Hebrews? Or, the difference between justification, sanctification, and glorification? Or, whether or not….you insert the latest buzzword or fashionable tip for Christian living?
I think what frustrates me is when people live on the surface. You don’t know me and I don’t know you. We smile, shake hands, give a hug, share prayer requests about a friend’s aunt who just found out she has cancer, open the word, learn a few things, forget a few things, pat one another on the back, and go live our lives only to return again to repeat the same process.
Is this really helpful? Is it really needed?
If Sunday School is how I described above, then it is a waste of my time and yours. I know, I know, when the Word of God goes out, it does not return void. I am not talking about that.
We are strongly isolated from one another. I don’t know how it got this way, or maybe it has always been this way. Maybe the glory days of the 50s were all a facade as well. Believe me, I am not looking for feely, feely, gushy, gushy kum bay ya moment. I simply do not see people being real with one another. I don’t see that people really like each other. And I really don’t see people accept one from the outside all that often. We prefer to stay isolated. It’s comfortable. It’s cozy. It’s easy. It takes no effort. We are tired because we are so busy. We have no energy because we don’t take care of ourselves. And we carry this into our Sunday morning experience.
I cannot speak for anyone else. And really don’t want this blog to frustrate you or hurt you because despite knowing better, I do care what others think about me. I want people to like me and I don’t want to disappoint anyone.
I cannot speak for anyone else. But I do know that I need to be real with people. I need to show my hurts, my failures, my successes, my dreams. Before you go thinking that I am on some ego, narcissistic rant….I am simply talking about laying my life bare before everyone, God and people included. And I wish others would do the same.
If Sunday School were like this. Then yes, I would say that it is not only needed, I would say that it is vital. More than vital. Whatever word could be used to describe more than vital would be a good one to use here. Sunday School should be a can’t miss opportunity. Jesus laid bare his life to all mankind. I wonder if we shouldn’t do the same.
In light of what I just said, I invite you to struggle along with me.