"Footprints In The Sand"

There are some days where you feel so defeated and tired that you just don’t want to get out of bed.  If you’re like me, you start to pray and ask Jesus to give you a gift of strength to tackle the tasks and relationships that will be the great challenges.  

There is a famous poem entitled “Footprints In The Sand” that talks about walking down a beach and realizing that in the most difficult times in our life, looking back, there are only one set of footprints in the sand.  It brings to mind the question, “Why did you leave me Jesus in those times I needed you the most?”  Jesus replies, "My precious child, I love you and will never leave you, never, ever, during your trials and testings.  When you saw only one set of footprints, it was then that I carried you."

This week my heart has been so heavy and I am grieving.  In this season, I have felt alone at times and under the weight of life changing decisions with limited natural strength. 

Yesterday I was reading about my 24th great grandfather, William Marshal, who lived in the 1100’s in England, Wales and Ireland.  He served four different kings, Henry II, John, Richard the Lionheart, and finally Henry III.  During William’s eulogy, The Archbishop of Canterbury called him the “greatest knight who had ever lived.”  He was a statesman, a warrior, a leader, and most importantly a father of 10 children.  Though William was a strong nobleman, he realized the importance of serving others, and doing what a father would do to help others.

When Henry III was crowned king at age nine, William was chosen to act as regent and rule in Henry’s place until he was of age to take the throne.  Upon being granted this weighty responsibility William Marshal said,

“If all the world deserted the young boy, except me, do you know what I would do?  I would carry him on my shoulders and walk with him thus…and never let him down from island to island from land to land.”

William Marshal walked in that role as father, protector and burden bearer until Henry could rule the kingdom on his own.  Galatians 6:2 tells us, “Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.”  The law of Christ is the commandment to love one another.  The Marshal was willing to carry this young boy on his shoulders if necessary, he knew that was what the law of chivalry required and what love looks like. 

If you are struggling today under heavy burdens, you are not alone.  It is so important to let others know what your struggle is, so others can help carry you through times of pain.  When we walk in community in this way, the Lord begins to strengthen, heal and enliven our wounded and broken hearts again. 

So, be vulnerable and share with others, and be a listening ear and a loving contact for others who need you to help bear their burdens in love. 

- Andrew Burchett

Lead Pastor

December 7, 1941

75 years ago today, our president spoke of December 7, 1941 as a day that will live in infamy.  But for one man who was at Pearl Harbor that day, it was a day of salvation, both physically and spiritually.  I had the honor of officiating Bob Vilcone’s memorial service in 2013.  I want to share the story of December 7th with you to inspire you and help you understand that in the midst of the greatest trials, God is still moving and working on our behalf.

In 1940 at the age of 18 Bob Vilcone enlisted in the US Navy, and served in the Navy with his older brother Stan. Initially he was stationed in San Diego.   

War in Europe had broken out, and tensions were rising between the U.S. and Japan.  The U.S. Navy moved much of its fighting force to Hawaii, in preparation for a potential war with Japan.  The USS Maryland, a Colorado series battleship was docked on battleship row, with six other battleships.  Bob was aboard ship that December morning eating breakfast and preparing to go ashore at 9:00am when the men would be released for liberty.  The Maryland had a crew of over 1000 men. 

Bob was lounging around below the deck reading the Sunday paper when he heard the roar of the Japanese planes.  He didn’t realize that they were not friendly aircraft until the explosions of the first bombs next to the ship.

At 7:55am, the first bombs were dropped on Pearl Harbor, with a Japanese plane dropping torpedoes that found their mark on the hull of the USS Oklahoma, which was attached to the Maryland with ropes and a gangway.  The bugler on the USS Maryland played General Quarters, and the announcement went out:

"General quarters! General quarters!

Man your battle stations! THIS IS NO DRILL!"

 and men hurried to their stations. 

The USS Oklahoma was moored on the outside, shielding the Maryland, there were nine torpedoes that struck the USS Oklahoma in all, and within 20 minutes, the Oklahoma listed and turned upside-down.  Many of it’s men climbed aboard the USS Maryland, who got its anti-aircraft guns up and running immediately and fired on the enemy for two hours straight. 

Bob, was placed on the open quarter deck between two 16 inch guns, operating the radio, as an observer.  Bob later told a newspaper reporter, "I stood there rather stunned because the (battleship) Oklahoma had already been torpedoed and capsized."

During the attack, the Maryland was struck by two armor-piercing bombs which detonated low on her hull.  The first made a hole about 12 ft. by 20 ft. The second exploded after entering the hull & caused flooding.  The Japanese erroneously announced that Maryland had been sunk, but the Oklahoma had shielded it from torpedoes and the men fought valiantly to protect what was left of our fleet.

Bob was telling the man in the tower – “there is fire everywhere,” they were being swarmed by 356 Japanese planes raining bombs and torpedoes on the harbor.  Oil was on top of the water and was on fire.  The fire was approaching the ship, so it was Bob who called in for fire suppression that may have saved the Maryland from catching fire.

Between volleys of fire, Bob would hear on the other end of the radio –

“Bobby, are you still there?”

The man on the other end of the radio was the man in the tower, none other than Stan Vilone, Bob’s older brother.  

The guns continued to fire, and after the attack, the men onboard were sent in firefighting parties, especially attempting to rescue survivors from the capsized Oklahoma.

 At the end of the attack, it was said that Bob was covered with soot from head to toe and you could only see the whites of his eyes.  Bob later said that there was evidence that the deck was strafed by enemy bullets and he has no idea how he wasn’t harmed. 

That day Bob gave his life to Jesus and never turned to look back.  Bob knew that God had spared his life.  2400 Americans lost their lives and another 1200 were wounded.

After serving in the South Pacific, Bob needed medical attention, and it was in the military hospital in Southern California that he met Betty West, a nurse who he fell in love with and married.  Bob attended Westmont College, and connected to a group of churches known as the Christian and Missionary Alliance, which is our denomination.  The plan was for Bob & Betty to go overseas as missionaries to South America, but by the end of their training in linguistics there were concerns about Betty’s health, and with three small children, the CMA sent them to Feather Falls, CA, where Bob was assigned to pastor a small church. 

Bob lived in Chico, raised his family and is a hero.  He was saved, both physically and spiritually 75 years ago.  May God teach us through his life, and inspire us no matter what our circumstances look like to trust Him. 

Feeling Discouraged?

John 10:10 (NIV) says, 10  The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.

What is it that the enemy of our soul is trying to steal from us?  One of the things I have discovered that he wants to rob us of is our joy.  Whatever the dark one can do to discourage, destroy and pillage from our lives, he will most certainly do it. 

Whenever we are isolated from walking in community, we risk having our joy drained away by this lion that is prowling around.  There are times when the circumstances of our lives feel like a ton of bricks collapsing all around us, and courage is hard to find.  Have you ever felt defeated and you can’t shake the feeling of not measuring up – it begins to define who you are.  Before long, your joy has vanished and the life to the fullest that Jesus came to bring us seems like a cruel joke.

If you are experiencing these feelings – you aren’t alone.  Some of the greatest men and women of all time have struggled in the same way.  Let’s just mention a few from the Bible…

Moses:  “This job is too much for me…. If this is the way you’re going to treat me, just kill me now and end my miserable life.”  Numbers 11:14-15

Elijah:  “Elijah was afraid when he got her message… he walked a whole day into the desert… He begged the Lord, ‘I’ve had enough.  Just let me die!  I’m no better off then my ancestors.’” 1 Kings 19:3-4

Job:  “why didn’t I die at birth” Job 3:11

Jeremiah:  “Put a curse on the day I was born!  Don’t bless my mother.” 

Jonah:  “Now let me die!  I’d be better off dead.”  Jonah 4:3

All five of these men ultimately chose not to abandon their faith in God, though they had lost their joy, their hope and reason to live.   They were all honest about how they were feeling and expressed themselves.  These are great men of faith, who in the process of walking their faith out, felt lost, alone and were discouraged.  They realized that God’s plan was still intact, though they couldn’t see it.  God visited each of these five men and allowed them to see His faithfulness even though they went through great hardship. 

If this has been a particularly difficult season, realize that God’s plan for your life still remains.  He is asking you to obey your way into his destiny for your life (into the dreams that God has for you).  As you take each step of obedience into your future, your joy will begin to be restored.  This is part of what Jesus is pointing to in John 15…

John 15:9-11 (NIV)
9  "As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love.
10  If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father's commands and remain in his love.
11  I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.

Jesus has instructed us that the demonstration of our love for him is found in our obedience.  Every time we obey, joy is released into our lives.   Nehemiah tells us that the joy of the Lord is our strength… therefore, obedience brings the joy back to us which in turn strengthens us. 

Jesus is our high priest, who can sympathize with our weaknesses (Heb. 4:15).  He was a man of sorrows who was acquainted with grief (Is. 53:3).  Jesus is near; to walk with you and point you toward others who will be the fellowship you can journey with. 

May our heavenly Father encourage you and remind you of your true identity as His beloved child today.  

May the Lord Jesus strengthen your weary legs for the journey as you wait upon Him for strength. 

May the Holy Spirit lead you to the right travelling companions who will share the road to encourage you in the days ahead. 

-Andrew Burchett

Lead Pastor

Am I Too Responsible?

Is it possible that I’m too responsible? 

 I’ve been wrestling this week with that question.  As a firstborn child, and apt to try to please others, have I overreached in my efforts to be responsible? 

 We can’t get God to love us any more than He already does.  It is obvious to me that He wants me to grow in my knowledge of His love (Ephesians 3:18) and Jesus wants us to learn to trust Him more and more.  We can’t be swayed into thinking we need to perform more or better, to earn God’s love.  His grace is an ocean that we are swimming in every second of our lives.  This might be one reason we are “overreaching.”  We must remember this truth: we are sons and daughters of the King, and He has demonstrated His great love for us. 

 There are some voices in our world that will tell us that we need to take more responsibility.  These voices are often highly regarded by our society.  They are voices that are fixated on the roles we play instead of living out of our true identity.  The message to us is that we need to work harder, because what we are doing is not good enough.  When hearing this message, many Christians embrace this notion and equate their dissatisfaction with their failure to apply themselves.  This is the root of religion without relationship.  Others hear this call to work harder and rebel against it falling into a dependent state on others, failing to carry their own load (Gal. 6:5). 

 There is a measure of stewardship and responsibility we must take – but according to the Greek word in Galatians 6:5, it is backpack size, (the rations of a soldier for one day), it is doable and should be carried by that person.  Shoving it off on others is what our counseling friends would say, shows a level of codependency or enabling.  As followers of Christ, we are challenged to come into alignment with God’s purposes and plans every day – and make the necessary adjustments to obey God and follow Him.  This is the process of being made to look like Jesus more every day (2 Cor. 3:18). 

 So, what is the deal with my overreaching in responsibility?  I am convinced that the Lord is teaching me about this… so where do I need to adjust my thinking and my actions? 

 I think I am wrestling with a trust issue and a rest issue.

 God is calling us to go deeper in the ways that we trust Him.  He is looking for a ruthless trust that is risky and a little crazy, not calculated and safe (two things the world seems to reward).  Do I trust God to take care of others, or am I trying to protect them out of my own strength?  When I do this, it puts an overwhelming burden on my shoulders I wasn’t designed to carry (Matthew 11:28-30).  There is not enough time in the day to think through all the ways we would need to act on other’s behalf.  When we have this posture - we will be tempted constantly to control our surroundings and that is a never-ending drain on our energy and bears no good fruit.   I once had a dream where the Lord put His right hand on my left shoulder as we both looked at my children and he spoke and said, “I will keep them safe.”  Perhaps God knew that my wife and I would be tempted to try to protect our kids from every single harmful aspect of life and we needed to hear His truth about our family.  “Responsibility” can turn into a masked version of efforts to control in my life … if I am not careful.   It can be a sophisticated way of declaring with my thoughts and actions that if it wasn’t up to me, God couldn’t protect, lead, guide, or help others.  It’s very subtle but very real and worth taking inventory in your life. 

 God is also calling us to go deeper in the ways that we rest in Him.  Trust has a byproduct of rest in our hearts.  If I am struggling with trusting God, I’m not really entering into the rest that God has for me (Heb. 4:9-11).  Do you find a lack of peace in your life?  It might mean that you aren’t finding rest.  When we put Jesus back at the center of our lives, it begins to re-sort our priorities and challenges us to let go of people, events and circumstances.  As a leader you can use your influence in ways to avoid pain or struggle, and run straight into the arms of striving and working to make things happen on your own strength.  There is a fine line between leading and manipulating.  Leaders sometimes control or manipulate in fear that others will have pain – so they justify this behavior as good leadership that’s leading people to a better future, when in reality, they are just overpromising safety and peace in the middle of a warzone. 

 I want to find trust and rest at the center with Jesus and I am learning how to trust Jesus with the lives of others, because He is trustworthy and allows them to experience pain so that they will grow and look more and more like Him.  So, when I overreach in being “responsible,” most times I am leading others to a place where it can delay their development and make them even more disillusioned when bad things happen. 

 Lord, help me trust you with the hearts of others more completely as I rest in your sufficiency and love for us!   

 -Andrew Burchett

Lead Pastor

God Is Your Protector

God whispered to me when I quieted my heart before Him this morning.  I was bringing my burdens to Him and asking for wisdom.  There is a long list of urgent issues and needs in which  I am desperate to see his heart.  After reviewing a few prophetic words that our small group had given to me last week, there was a theme that stood out. 

 “Remember who you are, you are the strong protector of the people.”  This is just what my first and middle names (Andrew Edward) literally mean.  While this was a good reminder to me, it was at this point I sensed a quick little interjection of the Holy Spirit.  This is what I felt God was saying to me… “This is true of you, but don’t take it on as a burden.  These qualities in you are only a reflection of the fact that I (the Lord) am the real protector of the people.” 

 Immediately I felt relieved.  The pressure is off to have to run around and shield everyone I love and all of the people in our church.  It’s an impossible task that you can spend your whole life working toward, only to find that it is Jesus’ job to protect His people.   

 2 Thessalonians 3:3 (NIV) says,  “3  But the Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen and protect you from the evil one.”

 Psalm 46:1-2 (NIV) 1 God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. 2  Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea.

 When you are feeling anxious because you realize that you can’t control things around you, and you’re unsure about what the future might bring – remember that Jesus is your protector.  It is my prayer that I will reflect this characteristic of God’s well.  Sure, we should advocate for others, fight for justice, speak the truth in love and be willing to sacrifice to protect and help others – but the battle is not ours, but God’s (2 Chronicles 20:15). 

 This is a season of unprecedented fear and worry with all the demands of the fall pushing in on us and an election that is more volatile than any I can remember.  In the midst of all of the noise, the Lord is whispering, “I am still in control.  I am still on my throne.  I am your protector.  I will guard you and keep you.  I will give you perspective.  If you seek me, you will find me.  Take courage, I am your protector.”

 -Andrew Burchett

Lead Pastor

From the desk of Andrew Burchett...

Henry Blackaby writes, “Our world is not seeing God because we are not attempting anything that only God can do.”  

 This begs the question, what are we doing or going after that is God sized?  If we only pray for small things that we could accomplish on our own, we will rarely see the hand of God moving and working on our behalf.  God wants us to ask Him for things that are far beyond what makes sense in our natural world. 

 Praying for healing is a great example of this kind of reliance on God’s power and ability.  When we pray for healing for others, we do so realizing that it is the power of God that heals, not some amazing ability we have.   Whenever you seek God for healing, you are taking a step of faith, believing that God will do what He says He will do. 

 One evening when we were street pastoring downtown we came across a man who was limping.  We asked if we could pray for his knee, and he agreed.  We put our hands on the knee, and prayed a simple prayer of healing, and then asked him to try to do something he couldn’t do without pain before.  When he started bending his knee, he began repeatedly saying, “What did you do to me?”  He told us that all of his pain was gone and wondered how we had done this for him.  We explained that God was showing him love by healing his knee. 

 In astonishment, he then said,” If this is that real, then I need prayer for my marriage.”  As soon as this man watched God do a great physical healing work, he was open to getting prayer for the deeper heart issues of relationship. “When God’s people and the world see something only God can do, they come to know God” (Blackaby).

 Sometimes God prompts us to do things that are out of our comfort zone.  He wants us to step out and take risks to join Him in the work that He is already doing.   When God reveals a need to us and makes our heart beat just a bit faster because we know we need to step out of out in faith, it can feel a little bit like a mini crisis!  “When God tells you what He wants to do through you, you will face a crisis of belief” (Blackaby).  

 As we continue to work our way through our Experiencing God series this fall, we will focus on the fact that God doesn’t apologize for making us feel uncomfortable.  If we are willing to pray for outrageous things, attempt impossible tasks and pursue God’s power and provision for the needs that we encounter, then we will begin to see God move in a way we have never seen before.  For every crisis of faith moment, there is power from our God that will flow and God, Himself will be revealed when God comes through. 

 What are doing that “doesn’t pencil out?”  What are you trusting God for that only He could deliver on? 2 Cor. 5:7 says that we are to “live by faith and not by sight” and Heb. 11:1 adds, “Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.”   Obedience indicates faith in God.  

 What God sized thing are you going after?  It’s time step out in faith and experience God!

From the desk of Andrew Burchett...

We are coming to the end our Proverbs series during our tims on Sunday mornings and there are so many rich verses in Proverbs we didn’t have time to cover… one I’ve been pondering this week is…

Proverbs 29:18 (NASB)
18  Where there is no vision, the people are unrestrained, But happy is he who keeps the law.

The King James version says, “Where there is no vision, the people perish.”  It might be the version you hear quoted most. 

That sounds dire… If I don’t get some vision (maybe a better word is revelation), I’m going to fall over and die!!!  We have different translations of the Bible that attempt to help us understand what the authors were really saying when they wrote the Bible in Greek and Hebrew.  I appreciate getting an understanding of the nuances of a verse by reading it different versions.  You can do this for free on many bible study websites like biblehub.com. 

So, back to our verse – the word the NASB and NIV translations use in this verse as a consequence of lacking vision or revelation is “unrestrained.” This is the same word used in Exodus 32:25.  The context is that Moses has gone up the mountain to meet with God and receive the ten commandments.  The people wait with Aaron (the high priest), but in the meantime they decide Moses isn’t coming back and they make an idol in the form of Golden Calf.  They begin to celebrate and worship it, and this is the roar of chaos that Moses hears as he comes off the mountain.  The NIV said that they were “running wild” and they were “out of control.”

When we don’t sit with God and wait on Him to install a vision, a picture of where He is calling us, or what He is calling us to – we are like those Hebrews who ran around wildly, out of control, worshipping silly things that are not God. 

“Vision” is a word that is used a lot of ways, but as I meditate on this verse and seek God, I believe I have a thought.  I believe vision is a divine revelation to our heart – which contains a reflection of who we are (our true identity), with a picture of moving toward the plans and dreams that God has set just ahead of us.   

Just a few thoughts on this…

·         I do not create vision for my life, God authors vision and reveals it to me

·         When I have an “aha” moment where God helps me connect the dots, there is an excitement and life to the fullest I can feel

·         I must wait on the Lord, usually alone, to get quiet enough to see what God wants me to see, and hear what He wants to tell me

·         Vision is always tied to who God created me to be, although in the process of being directed by God I may discover new parts of my heart that I didn’t know existed

·         When I am clearer on what God wants me to step into, I doubt less, risk more, and find more faith to believe that God is already working and I am just joining Him in the work He is already doing. 

·         As vision is clearer, I am not running around putting things other than God first in my life (worship), but I am more focused, less distracted and excited about the future. 

What kind of “vision” or revelation is God showing you for this fall season?  You don’t’ have to get vision for the rest of your life on earth today… this is a long-term obedience in the same direction we are living out. 

Who has God called you to be in this season? 

What has God called you to do in this season?   

If you are having a hard time answering these questions, please consider joining us for Focused Living Workshop on September 16-17.  Visit http://www.ncchico.org/focused-living-workshop/ for registration and more information.

May God give you great clarity today as you seek Him and his purposes.

-Andrew Burchett

Lead Pastor

From the desk of Andrew Burchett...

A man once said, “Humility is the gateway into the grace and favor of God.”  While I know that humility attracts the presence of God, I feel like it is just one of the ways that we should position ourselves to experience the favor and blessings of God.   

In the end of the book of Deuteronomy, Moses is speaks a blessing over all the tribes of his people.  When he gets to the descendants of Joseph he makes a list of ways that God will bring increase to them.  After several specific areas of blessing, Moses says this…

Deuteronomy 33:16 (NIV)
16  with the best gifts of the earth and its fullness and the favor of him who dwelt in the burning bush. Let all these rest on the head of Joseph, on the brow of the prince among his brothers.

As Moses is speaks this blessing, I believe he had a mental flashback of an event that happened forty years earlier.  Moses had fled Egypt and was tending sheep for his father in law, when he noticed a bush that was on fire and he approached it (Exodus 3).  This encounter with God who manifested himself within the flames was a moment that would change Moses’ life forever.  

Moses felt many things in those terrifying moments in the presence of God, including a sense of divine favor.  Moses felt chosen, honored and blessed.  The Hebrew and Greek words for “favor” often translate to acceptance and grace from God.  This word, transliterated “ratson,” represents a concrete reaction of the superior to an inferior.  Isaiah uses this word when he speaks of the day, year or the time of divine favor – in other words, the time when the rewards and blessings would be heaped upon God’s people.  Proverbs 14:35 refers to what a king can or will do for someone he likes. 

Favor in this sense is the position or standing one enjoys before a superior who is favorably disposed to him/her.  As people who follow Jesus, Ephesians tells us that we are seated with Christ in heavenly realms.  As Christians we have received the favor of God and we are in a favored position, often with God pouring out tangible blessings on us. 

Another place this word for favor appears is in Proverbs 11:27.

 “The person seeking good will find favor, but anyone who searches for evil—it will find him!”

While we sit in a favored position with the King of Kings, this verse seems to indicate that there are blessings from his hand that we can receive when we go after the good things that please Him.  The word for favor here is again, “ratson.” 

There are three different words for seeking in this verse – at the beginning it is literally: “he who diligently seeks” or “makes his chief aim.”  This is not an accidental obedience, but this represents our intentional pursuit of what God values.   

As I reflect on this today, I am recommitting myself to run hard after the things of God that are good.  I want to feel that same feeling that Moses did at the burning bush.  As a loved son bowing before my King, I want to feel His pleasure.   Today I will go after the good, and I will start with thinking about the right things. 

Philippians 4:8 (NIV)
8  Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things.  

O Lord, renew my mind. 

Help me to focus my eyes on You, on your purposes and not my plans.

I choose today, to go after the good things that are on your heart.

In the process, change my heart and my mind that I might stand before you in a favored place. 

Amen. 

-Andrew Burchett

Lead Pastor

From the desk of Andrew Burchett

As one of God's people who delights in what He cares about, in many ways I can refer to myself as an "oak of righteousness" (Isaiah 61:3).   The oak tree is very much the symbol of our city.  As I look out my window, there are mighty oaks standing next to the stream that drink that cold water flowing by.  They are rooted in good dirt and are massive and provide lots of shade. 

How do I grow my spiritual roots deeper?

1) Deeper Trust

Jeremiah 17:7-8 (NIV) 
7  "But blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in him. 
8  He will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit."

One way to grow your roots deeper is found in Jeremiah 17, where it tells us that when we trust in the LORD more and more, we gain more and more confidence.  Finding a deeper place of trust in God brings confidence and anxiety and fear have no place.  We must learn to trust God more deeply if we want a more secure, unshakable spiritual foundation. 

2) Deeper Love

Ephesians 3:17-19 (NIV) 
17  so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 
18  may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 
19  and to know this love that surpasses knowledge--that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

The dirt we are planted in is the love of Christ.  Like the topsoil of our valley that can be as deep as 18 feet, the love of Jesus for us gives us room to grow and an environment where fear vanishes.  It is a safe place to stand and grow. 

3) Deeper Reflection

Psalm 1:2-3 (NIV) 
2  But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night. 
3  He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers.

When we think over and over about God's words, we are then positioned in a place where we can be nourished and grow.  This kind of growth leads to success and prosperity.  It means that your life is sure to bear fruit - starting with the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23).   How much time do you spend with no noise, listening for God's voice and reading and rereading God's words?  The time you spend in this practice of reflection will be like fertilizer to your life. 

Reflection will cause growth and fruit in the proper season - not in all seasons.  There is a time for everything (Ecclesiastes 3), and a season to be pruned, a season for new growth, and a season of bearing fruit in harvest time.  Spending time in God's word will cause your roots to go deep, preparing you to bear another crop of good fruit in the next season. 

Colossians 2:6-7 (NIV) 
6  So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, 
7  rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.

So, as ones rooted in trust, love and reflection on God's words, may your roots grow deep as oaks near a cold stream, and may you bear much fruit, all the while overflowing with thanksgiving!   

Andrew Burchett

Lead Pastor

From the desk of Andrew Burchett

We believe that God is still healing people today.

Probably every Christian church would agree with that statement, but the means by which they believe that God delivers healing would vary widely.  Some churches would say, "Sure, God heals us through modern medicine and doctors who care for us well."  That is certainly true.  I met with my doctor yesterday and he lovingly and carefully went over test results for me and helped me get a plan of attack in moving forward in a healthy way.  Other churches would say, "We pray for sick people and hope that they get lucky and God chooses to heal them."  This is what I call the "lucky lottery mindset."  Some believers find themselves begging God and fasting to see the sick healed - and sometimes they see results. 

As a church, we believe in boldly coming to the throne of grace and asking an incredibly generous God to bring health, healing and strength to broken bodies, hearts, mindsets, finances, marriages, jobs and situations.  We believe that God is always working and sometimes we don't have something simply because we have not asked him.  There are no long prayers necessary to see God move, in fact healing prayers in the New Testament are all very brief.  We are not afraid to pray multiple times for someone.  Praying more than once doesn't mean we are manipulating God or making the person feel guilty for not seeing a result, it simply means that we take Jesus seriously when he told us that when we pray for others we need to keep asking, keep seeking, & keep knocking on the door of heaven (Mt.6). 

There are some that say if you don't get healed - it means you don't have enough faith.  That mindset doesn't square with my understanding of Scripture nor my experience of seeing God move and heal even when my faith is challenged and the person praying has little to no faith either.  If you have faith the size of a mustard seed you can see God do great things. 

Small faith can be gained by hearing the testimony of what God has already done for another person.  This is why we are working harder and harder to share testimonies of God's faithfulness.  How are you doing sharing your testimonies of breakthrough?  I know I received a text message a few hours ago from someone in our congregation, which was a short testimony.  She was talking about a small area of breakthrough where she felt like she obeyed God in a small way, and He rewarded her obedience in a big way to encourage her.  Her message made my day.  It built up my faith that reminded me again that God loves us and is still moving. 

In all three of our worship services we had reports of backs, knees and migraines being healed on the spot.  The people who received the healing were so happy and so were those who were praying! 

May God bless you with a mustard seed of faith today to believe Him for great things! 

Andrew Burchett

Lead Pastor

The Lord Determines Our Steps

Proverbs 16:9 (NIV)
9  In his heart a man plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps.

It is really easy to make plans and as you are running out the door or leaving on the trip to quickly and flippantly ask God to bless your plans.  God is so gracious and gives us free choice and allows us to plan our course.  Just because God doesn’t stop us doesn’t mean that He will bless every step we take. 

Paul directs us in 1 Thessalonians to “pray continually.”  God is inviting us into a conversation that never stops, but has pauses between sentences.  Before I say yes to a request, I am learning to stop and pray a short prayer inviting the Lord into the decision.  Recently I have been leaning toward including some things in my schedule, but after pausing to pray I felt the urge to decline.  Although God is gracious to help me when I make unwise decisions, I have learned it is much better to seek His wisdom and His will before I say “yes.”

Do you ever feel pressure that you have to give an answer right away without taking a few minutes to ask for the Lord’s confirmation? Unless I have time to seek the Lord’s answer and be a peace with His decision, I’ve learned to practice answering “no.”

There is someone reading this post today that is wrestling with a decision, and you are being pressured to say “yes.”  You know that there is a cost involved in saying yes, and you are really paralyzed by the fear of “messing things up.”  Specifically I believe that you are most worried about losing relationship, not the fear of failure.  I urge you in this moment to quiet your heart, pray and ask the Holy Spirit to speak to you and confirm what His will is.  Pray and command any other voice besides the voice of God to be silent.  Write down what comes to your mind, and then confirm it with one person in your life that walks with Jesus and will tell you the truth in a loving way. 

I am praying for you now…

I bless you in the name of Jesus.  I ask that the voice of God would rise above all other competing voices and speak truth to your heart.  Thank you Jesus that you determine our steps.  Help us to choose obedience and be faithful today.  I believe that You will empower my friend to choose the right thing even when it is unpopular and unconventional.  Speak confirmation to our hearts through your written Word and the witness of your Holy Spirit.

Amen.

Andrew Burchett-

Lead Pastor

A Black Man's Lament

As I watch the news everyday my heart sinks lower and lower in grief.  When I read about world events it tugs at my emotions and causes me to utter short prayers of desperation.   It’s easy to keep ourselves separate emotionally from pain when there is an ocean between us and the tragedy occurring. 

When I see the unrest and the killing happening in our own country, I am grieved to the core because this is our land, and we have a responsibility to live differently.  As the church, we have been given a prophetic voice to cry out and live justly (Micah 6:8).   No matter the color of the skin or whether the people are peace officers, the violence is like a cheese grater scraping away my soul. 

Last weekend we talked about being a people who act justly, who stand for justice and speak out for others.  I encourage you to catch the podcast if you missed this powerful and timely message given by Chris and Liz Thrasher Wheatley. 

I want to challenge you, as the church of Jesus Christ.  Will you live differently?  When you see someone who doesn’t look like you, will you go out of your way to catch their eye, say hello and smile?  This is just a tiny start, but it could begin to change the way people feel – people who have a different skin color, are homeless or who don’t look like you.  It’s profoundly sad to me that there are people in our city who are looked at with suspicion first instead of love.  As the body of Christ, we can begin to change this in small ways.

We are a part of the Christian and Missionary Alliance.  A few of the leaders in our tribe issued statements on our website about the recent events.  The letter from Kelvin Walker carried the most weight with me.  I have included his letter and the poem that he wrote as it sums up beautifully the lament in our hearts.  May God lead you into a place of reflection and lament as you read it. 

From Rev. Kelvin Walker, pastor of Bedford Community Church (New York), president of the C&MA Association of African-American Churches, and C&MA Board member:

All morning long, I’ve been mentally debating what to do or say. My soul is weary, friends. Here we go again. I’ve found that writing is a way for me to process and relate what’s in my soul.

So please give me the space to simply relate the hurt, pain, and fear I’m feeling. And know I’m not the only one. Many of my friends—brothers you also know—feel the same. We’re your pastors, your teachers, your bankers, your neighbors. We sit by you in church and at work and at the ball field. Our kids play together. Yet we’re afraid to tell you what we live with every day. So please don’t brush this off. Take it seriously, and understand our hearts:

A BLACK MAN’S LAMENT

“License and registration . . .”

And within seconds, he’s dead

I’m sorry, y’all, please forgive me

But this is messin’ with my head

Two men in two days . . . this can’t possibly be real

Now we’re at 115 this year (or more—I’ve lost count)

I don’t even know how I feel

I think I’ve just kept quiet out of fear

Would I be treated like Williams and Lecrae

But as one who serves the God of love and justice

There is just no way

I can’t continue in quiet

While I’m weeping in silence

And not be a prophetic voice for change

Because, if I do not say something

Or do something

Or stand for something

Then Alton and Philando have both died in vain

It’s time to admit it and own it and deal with it

Or more black men will be lost

Without us addressing it

I can’t wake up another day like this

And before you think I’m over-dramatizing things

I HAVE been stopped for no reason

On MANY occasions

And when I go into the store, I’m ALWAYS aware

All eyes are on me for more than just a stare

This is not made up; this is for real

And as long as we’re silent, then nothing will heal

Or change

Or shift

And more lives will be lost

And I, for one, am tired

Tired of living in fear, so please hear

I’m not asking you to “get it”

I just want you to understand

This isn’t the rant of “an angry black man”

It’s a Black Man’s Lament

That won’t just go away

The shame of it is I wake up with it every day

What will I do? What mistake will I make?

What turn will I turn that puts my life at stake?

I try to think differently—believe me, it’s no fun

But with every news report I think

Will I be the next one?

Or my sons?

Or my grandsons, if nothing is done?

‘Cause I’m 50 years old

To date, nothing has changed

So why should I have hope for my grandsons?

Dear God! They CAN’T stay the same!

So I ask you, don’t debate me

Join my lament instead

And maybe, just maybe, you’ll get inside my head

And see what I see and live what I live

And feel what I feel and understand why I give

Or am giving my voice to say, “No more. This has to stop!”

And then, don’t just lament with me

Join me in saying, “NO MORE!’

Experience Adventure

Proverbs 2:7-8 says, “ 7 He holds victory in store for the upright, he is a shield to those whose walk is blameless, 8 for he guards the course of the just and protects the way of his faithful ones.”

God is a protector.  It is in His character and nature to protect those who follow Him.  Psalm 121 mentions His guardianship of His people six times in eight verses.  Certainly God also guards our hearts (emotions) and minds (thoughts) with His peace as well when we pray (Phil. 4:6-7). 

One of the ways that God protects us is through the agency of His angels.  They are messengers who are commanded by God to protect you.  We don’t fully understand how they protect us, but it is clear from God’s word that part of their job description involves ministering and helping His people.  Psalm 91:11 is one place in the Bible where we see this function mentioned.  Some people talk about having a “guardian angel” who goes with them… but I don’t know if one is enough for some of us. 

This past weekend our family rafted the Truckee River from Tahoe City to River Ranch.  It is largely a peaceful float punctuated by a few rocky rapids that aren’t very challenging.  If you asked me beforehand if the angels assigned to me would be working that day – I would have told you that they get today off.  No problem.  We’ve got this.

As we were finishing up the float, we were scooting down the last rapid as the river makes a turn and you get out of the river with your boat.  One of the not-so-expert rafting crews in front of us ended up wedged on a rock in the middle of the rapid. When our boat tried to move around the other boat,  the current took our boat into a hard collision, flipping our boat around so that my end (the back of the raft) hit the other boat.  I shot under the water, only to come springing up in an instant and launching through the air.  The next thing I realized was that I was underwater thinking, uh oh.  I don’t know if it was a perfect backflip or not, but I can tell you that I landed on my feet, and ended up straddling a rock in semi shallow water.  After pushing the boat off the rocks, our boat then was dislodged and finished the rapid. 

I was standing in the middle of the rapid with hundreds of concerned onlookers watching this situation unfold.  Fortunately I had the presence of mind to reassure my eight year old daughter that I was ok.  Then I realized that the next boat was about to run me over.  After playing dodgeball with that boat, I positioned myself feet first and floated the rest of the rapid – all the while praying really hard that I wouldn’t hit any rocks.

When I emerged from the water, I checked out my body – not a scratch to be found.  My angels were working overtime.  One was spotting me as my body flew through the air like a gymnast, making sure I would stick the landing.  Another had scuba gear on, literally moving my feet around the sharp rocks, a third one had kept me from landing on a sharp rock right between my legs.  1 Samuel 2 says that He will guide the feet of His saints. 

While I don’t fully understand how the angelic help us, I do believe what God’s Word says is true.  I don’t blame angels for not doing their job when I get hurt, I simply appreciate the fact that I can almost always say, “that could have been so much worse!” 

God is our protector.  I don’t want to live my life foolishly, but I will live this life to the fullest experiencing adventure.  So, go live out loud today.  Go try something new, interesting, and exciting.  Take a risk.  When you do, God’s angels will get a workout protecting you! 

Call2Fall

In the year 2000, Linda and I made the journey to Washington D.C. to take part in "the Call."  It was an event that was marked by fasting and prayer on the Capitol Mall.  It was a time of repentance and brokenness before God on behalf of our nation for walking away from Him.  Repentance is the decision to change your mind about how you are living and turning from your sinful ways toward God's ways.  That event 15 years ago has led to many other gatherings of Jesus followers doing the same thing. 

This practice of having a broken heart before God for the way our people have turned away from him is seen throughout the pages of the Bible and throughout all of history. 

2 Chronicles 7:14 (NIV) reads this way... 
14  if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.

Another "call" has gone out for an organic, simultaneous uprising of prayer for our nation and corresponding repentance.  This one is called the Call2fall.  It asks you to make the following commitment:

I will answer God's call to fall on my knees in humility and seek His face in repentance so that He might forgive my sins and heal our land.

More information about Call2Fall can be found here.  This Sunday, July 3rdmarks the day that we are called to get on our knees for 3-5 minutes as a church and pray for our nation.  It is a call to humble ourselves together.  Their goal is that 40,000 churches will participate, Neighborhood Church of Chico will be one of those churches.

During the worship services this week we will take the time to answer this call and kneel and pray.  Our country needs the Lord to move in a mighty way, and I am privileged to be a part of the larger body of Christ to seek Him together. 

While this is a specific opportunity to pray, my hope is that as Jesus followers, we are taking time every day to pray and seek God for our own lives, for our church, city, nation and the nations. 

So Sunday we will spend some time on our knees (if your knees are healthy enough)... O Lord, may your Kingdom come and Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven!      

 
-Andrew Burchett, Lead Pastor

Plan Your Epitaph Day?

Yesterday the guy on the radio let us know that it was “plan your epitaph day.”  An epitaph is a saying on your gravestone that says something about who you were, what you believed, what you accomplished or a message to those you left behind.

I don’t think I will be dictating what I want put on my tombstone… but I believe that every day I am contributing to what that piece of rock might say.  What will I be known for when I am gone?  Am I leaving a legacy?  What small things today line up with the larger goal and vision for my life? 

It’s so easy to let little things slide and think it won’t matter much at the end of your life.  Things like:  praising your spouse publically, going the extra mile to ask your kid another question when they have clammed up, praying with someone in need on the spot, using your last dollar to buy a homeless person a cup of coffee or resisting temptation to interrupt when someone is talking.   In the moment these small acts of love don’t always get noticed, but a lifetime of them will undoubtedly be seen and appreciated. 

I stand at the grave of many people for my job and hear the things that others say about their loved ones.  It is seldom generosity gifts that are mentioned, but people rave about thoughtful gifts given in a timely fashion.  Grieving ones don’t usually extol the fact that their loved one overworked and was away from home – they talk about the meaningful dinners, vacations, ball games and phone calls when their heart or their leg was broken.  I have never heard a family brag about how popular the one who died was with people in our city.  Fame is not a prize in death, but intimacy with a few friends and family leaves an example for generations to follow. 

Jesus’ entire life was marked by sacrifice (ending in his death).   As dearly loved children, we are to be imitators of God.  What kind of epitaph would you be writing if you started really giving yourself away?  What legacy will you leave in your family? 

You love others when you pay attention to the details of life.  What small things do you need to pay closer attention to so that you can love others better?  Perhaps noting the preferences of others & then coordinating and giving those things or experiences?  This all requires asking good questions, listening well and remembering so that you can be a blessing later. 

I don’t know what the full epitaph on my gravestone will be – but I am aiming for it to say something about love.  

- Andrew Burchett, Lead Pastor

Taking time to think, pray and meditate will change your life

I was studying Welsh history and looking at the ruins of the ancient Tintern Abbey that stands in the Wye valley in Wales.   Even in ruins, this majestic place of worship causes one to stop and reflect on one’s mortality, God’s grandeur and our place in this world.  The ancient structure dates to 1161, and it was destroyed in the 1500’s as Henry VIII went on a tour of destruction to try to force the allegiance of the people of Wales.  Today it is visited by thousands of tourists per day who still encounter the presence of God and peace that He brings in that quiet place.   Though the building is just a shell of what it once was – the peace of God can be found as you quiet your heart. 

In the 1700’s the poet William Wordsworth visited Tintern abbey and wrote: “I felt a presence that disturbs me with the joy of elevated thought.” 

There is something powerful about taking the time to reflect and meet up with God that will change you and help you get perspective about your life.  You don’t need to go to Europe to find a quiet place – there are opportunities that we turn down almost every day that could become a Tintern Abbey experience with God.

Your backyard, a stopover on the way home from the office along a back road, sitting in the car when you are a few minutes early for a meeting, a sunset up on old Honeyrun road or a walk through your neighborhood or in the park on a crisp morning can become such a significant moment.   Reading your Bible out in nature can be incredibly rich as well.

If you are inclined to ask God some questions and then journal what you think he is whispering to your heart, you may be surprised at what will come out on the page.  Some of us set a place setting and a cup of tea for Jesus and imagine speaking to him face to face as we pray and seek God. 

Whatever your method or pathway might look like – if you carve out time to reflect with God, He will help you grow and reveal Himself to you. 

On this Good Friday, will you take some time to reflect with God? 

-Andrew Burchett, Lead Pastor

St. Patrick is still teaching us...

St. Patrick, a Roman Brit, born in the late 300’s A.D., felt a call to return to Ireland, having been kidnapped and held captive there for years. He desired to bring the good news of Jesus to the people there.  The Celtic landscape was dominated by the worship of nature expressed by the druids.  These peoples were bitterly divided, and were often referred to as “barbarians.”  Patrick came with the good news of Jesus Christ – one of the parts of the trinity that was illustrated by the clover that grew across the Irish landscape. 

If you read accounts of Patrick’s ministry, he came in a posture of love and power.  When encountering the druids who claimed to be able to manipulate nature due to their worship of its elements as their gods – Patrick prayed and extraordinary miracles began to occur.  It was love in action and the power of prayer working together that started an unprecedented time of the nation and parts of the continent of Europe to turn to Jesus in faith. 

The love of God that flowed through Patrick and his missionary band of followers who settled in Ireland was shown in creating communities of faith.  While the culture of the land was resistant to organized, formal institutions of faith, people in the small villages were able to see the expression of the True God’s love through the believers.  These communities were first made up of monks and nuns who were relational teachers, craftsmen, farmers, artists, families and included children.

Since rural Ireland had no established towns and safe places for travelers, the settlements were built with hospitality in mind.  The place for worship was located in the center of the circular community, which also had a small structure we might call a guest house or apartment.  It was available to anyone who came to the community ready to welcome them with a warm bed and quiet safety.  It was called the “hospitium,” and it was in the choicest site.  It was within the enclosure for monks, but connected to the community spaces for feasting, meeting and friendship.  This space was itself a kind of “boundary place” between two worlds.

A visitor would be invited to eat, worship, serve the poor, work in the garden and pray alongside those in the community.  They were invited to build relationship and belong to the fellowship of people in the village before they were ever expected to make a decision to trust Jesus Christ with their lives.  They were encouraged to belong far before they believed. 

There are so many things we can learn from our ancestors who lived 1600 years ago.  Like Patrick, we are seeking to operate with the love and power of God active in our lives.  We are also trying to establish smaller communities of faith where the members of the community vary greatly as far as gifting and passion are concerned.  There is an inclusive nature to Patrick’s communities that showed the love of Jesus in tangible ways.  We want to create small groups that are like these communities in our church.

Linda and I will be joining a new small group in the next few weeks as Neighborhood Church launches new groups right after Easter.  I am looking forward to our tribe and those visiting to have a place to belong.  I want to encourage you to try a small group if you aren’t already involved in one.  As a church, we will be learning together through Sunday morning teachings which tie into the small group material and a book that you can read everyday.  The book will be available starting this Sunday for $10.  We are looking forward to new relationships and a greater sense of belonging in the days ahead. 

I leave you with a quote from St. Patrick that inspires boldness in me to live and tell others about the life to the fullest that Jesus has given me: 

“If I have any worth, it is to live my life for God so as to teach these peoples; even though some of them still look down on me.”

-Andrew Burchett

From the desk of Andrew Burchett...

From the desk of Andrew Burchett…

We belong. 

It occurred to me again today, as I sat in the National Office for the Christian and Missionary Alliance in Colorado Springs, that this is our tribe.  In so many ways our church reflects the values, culture and life of this 127-year-old movement. 

There have been some times that our “denomination” seemed like it was coming to a screeching halt, in danger of becoming a monolithic statue of what was – a monument of sorts.  In those days, many of us feared that this family of churches had lost its influence, passion and relevance in our culture. 

There are 6 million people in Alliance churches outside the United States and only about 500,000 of us who call themselves “Alliance” within our country.  No one ever questioned whether our movement was vibrant and growing overseas.  We needed a reformation of sorts in the national church here, and from what I can see; the positive changes continue to push us forward toward healthy momentum.   

A new president, Dr. John Stumbo, was elected two years ago. He has brought back a fire, a purpose and a heart to the movement.  Under his leadership he has reorganized the national office, brought different departments together that weren’t communicating and has inspired churches and leaders through his monthly video blogs.  Click here to see his video blogs.

http://www.cmalliance.org/video/series/john-stumbo-video-blog/

Today I had the privilege of joining a handful of leaders from around the United States to plan, dream, pray, plan and give feedback on a process of helping people know who we are as a tribe… as “the Alliance.”  It was an honor to help shape and dream about what that might look like.  Although this was only one step to a much longer journey, it was a very productive and fruitful time of serving the vision of our president and helping his team. 

A few things that I resonated with today follow:

1)      We are a multi-ethnic family in the U.S. with worship in 37 different languages.  I continue to pray that our church will be more and more ethnically diverse – a reflection of heaven.

2)      As the Alliance, we have 700 international workers in 70 of the darkest, least reached countries in the world.  I am proud that we support Alliance missions financially every month as a church.

3)      The work that our people are doing with Syrian refugees (especially in Jordan) is unmatched.   We were on the ground two years ago in Jordan and saw this incredible ministry with our own eyes.  It is an awesome effort of love we, as the Alliance are living out there.  

4)      Six alliance people died helping to fight against Ebola in Africa when that outbreak occurred.  I was grieved to hear this today, but proud that our people are willing to risk their lives to share the life to the fullest that Jesus came to give those in Africa.

5)      Authenticity is a value that was shared by each genuine person who sat around the table today.  There was a humility and grace about this tribe that I love.

There are many other reasons that it makes so much sense that we are a part of this movement – but the most powerful is relationship.  The key leaders of our church have genuine relationship with the people who are leading this movement.  I am known, loved, and valued by those who lead here in Colorado.  They see our church as a picture of love, prayer and passion. 

I can’t wait to continue to introduce you to our tribe.  Because it is clear that we belong. 

From the desk of Andrew Burchett...

What about Monday?  

Sunday gets all the attention.  Sunday can get filled up with social activities, bike rides in the park, trips to the city, basketball tournaments and trying to catch up on the homework that is due the next day.  For some families it is filled with shopping and laundry.  There are many of my younger generation friends that have no choice but to work on Sundays (that is if they want to keep their job).  Then of course there’s that little thing we call “church.”  

Good or bad, right or wrong, there can be a real struggle to make it to a church service on a Sunday morning.  

As we have prayed about how to continue to extend our reach into the community and help more people experience the life to the fullest that Jesus came to give us - the leadership have stacked hands and agreed that a non-weekend worship experience would be a blessing to our city.  There are many people in our city that can’t attend church on a weekend because of their work schedule and we want to help them be able to have a worship experience.  It is also agreed that Mondays might become what one friend called, “Make up Mondays.”  When your weekend is crammed with life events, travel or illness and you must miss a Sunday service - you can still catch a Monday evening service and hear the same message and get a very similar worship experience to the previous days’ time together.  

Starting in April, for the first time in 52 years, Neighborhood Church will offer a Monday Night worship service.  It will have the same flavor that our Sunday worship services do.  There will be a few differences to note.  School age kids will join us for the singing part of worship, and then be dismissed to their classes.  “Littles” (small children) will have their classes throughout the entire 90 minutes.  We will start at 7pm, and plan to be done at 8:30pm or so.  

We are really excited to empower you to invite your friends who work on the weekends to join us on Mondays.  We believe this is meeting an unmet need in our city and we believe that our church will grow by another 1/3!  While this represents more work for the staff and for many volunteers, there is a growing excitement among those who will be serving on Mondays.  We are choosing to do this and we are joyful about seeing God move and do great things.  

Will you pray with us about who you might invite on a Monday evening in April as we get this worship service started?  Our launch will be eight days after Easter, on Monday April 4th.  Both Easter and this Monday night worship will be excellent times to invite a friend who doesn’t know Jesus, or invite someone who does know Jesus but has dropped out of church altogether.  

May God bless Mondays as we explore a new day of the week to worship as a church family!  We can’t wait to see what God is going to do in expanding His Kingdom through us!  

From the desk of Andrew Burchett...

It’s getting pretty “cozy” on Sunday mornings during our two worship services.  As we have been meeting for over a year in the “old sanctuary” that we have referred to as “The Fellowship Hall,” it has helped our church feel more like a family.   There is something really special about meeting in a place that was largely constructed with volunteer labor and has been the place where thousands of people over the past forty years have given their lives to Jesus and grown in their faith. 

A few folks have asked why we don’t just move back into the dome for Sunday morning worship.  This is a fair question that I would like to speak to.   Here’s a few of the reasons why we aren’t meeting in the dome again.

1)      We value having multiple service times.  Our numbers would feel really sparse if we moved into a 1500+ seat auditorium with 250-300 people per service.  For convenience sake and for the sake of children’s & youth ministry workers it is also important to offer more than one service time.   

2)      We value the feeling of intimacy, warmth and togetherness that the smaller venue fosters.  It is really encouraging to hear others singing around you in worship.  The acoustics in the dome don’t really allow for that.  

3)      The dome is starting to show its age and needs some refreshing.  Whether it’s the restrooms or pews that squeak, there are quite a few things that need to be upgraded and updated after almost 30 years.  

4)      While finances have not driven this decision, we know that not having to heat and cool the larger space has saved us hundreds of dollars every month – meaning that we can spend that money on other ministry related needs. 

So, after being in the smaller space now for a year, and making continued upgrades to the space, cry room, acoustics, lights, sound, and feel – we are feeling the need to expand our capacity on Sundays. 

This is what has prompted us to pray, dream, and plan toward a “Video Café” venue down the hall in what we call the “Fireside Room.”  This space is a fantastic space with wood floors, lots of natural light, and a huge fireplace.   It has recently been remodeled and it will make a perfect extension of our worship space.  We are working to purchase flat screen monitors and speakers for the walls that will televise what is happening in the Fellowship Hall.  We are also upgrading our camera equipment and will have the ability to transmit a high quality signal (1080p) to be seen on a 75” monitor.  There will also be two 55” flat screens in that room that will show what appears on the screen in the worship service – lyrics for worship, slides that accompany the message and video clips. 

Since we are making these improvements, we are also improving the video signal and equipment in our upstairs cry room for moms with their babies.  We are estimating the improvements to cost about fifteen thousand dollars, but an additional twenty thousand may be needed to improve the heating and air system in the fireside room as well. 

As we make these improvements, we realize that this will also provide all of our ministries another excellent meeting space that is fully outfitted with the media necessary for all sorts of meetings and events. 

We know that the “Video Café” won’t be everyone’s favorite way to take in a worship experience, but we do believe that some will enjoy the feel, with some small tables sprinkled in that will be really great for those who love to take notes or put their bible open in front of them. 

All of this expansion is not in our current budget, so we have asked you, the church family to consider giving a monetary gift over and above what you usually give in your tithing.  We are trusting the Lord will continue to provide for the vision that we believe he has given us.  We are also committed to operate on cash only and not incur any more debt – in fact, we are excited about being debt free in the next 20 months! 

We are praying and hoping to have the Video Café up and running in March.