Wanted to take 5 minutes and share with you the theme of this weekend
worship service and purpose for the songs and direction we are taking as
a worship team this weekend at Cottonwood Creek.
Theme - We Love - 1 John 4:19 - Building Relationships based on Love from Christ. Songs chosen for this are:
"O
Worship the King"
Great call to worship to get our people in the
mindset that we are gathered to worship the King of all kings!! Key
line in song is "You alone are the matchless King. To You alone be all
majesty. Your glories and wonders what tongue can recite? You breathe
in the air, You shine in the the light." Psalm 104:33 reads, "I will sing
to the Lord as long as I live; I will sing praise to my God while I
have being." So, let us worship the King today and celebrate His love as we call people into corporate worship.
"Because
of Your Love"
We have sung this song for a couple of years at CCBC and
it never gets old. We exist only because of His love and what Christ
did on the cross for us by taking our sins away. Listen to this
reminder from this song; "As we come into Your presence, we remember
every blessing that You poured out so FREELY from above. Lifting gratitude
and praises for compassion so amazing, Lord we've come to give You
thanks for all You've done. Because of your love - we are FORGIVEN, OUR
HEARTS ARE CLEAN, WE ARE FOREVER CHANGED - Because of Your love!"
Thank you Lord for your love that has set us free! Hallelujah!
"Glorious Day"
This song focuses on the love Christ showed humanity by being an example
for us, by going to the cross to die for our sins, and gives us the
hope that ONE DAY HE IS RETURNING - what a glorious day that will be!
Great wording in the chorus - "Living He loved me, dying he saved me,
buried He carried my sins far away. Rising He justified freely forever,
and one day He's coming, oh glorious day!!!" We will sing this song
with expectation and hope to lead our people to Christ - We are praying
for you Brady as you lead.
Offering song - NEW SONG called "Your Love Never Fails"
This song is a scripture song from 1 Corinthians 13:4-13 -
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it
is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it
is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not
delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always
trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.
But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are
tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass
away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when
completeness comes, what is in part disappears. When I was a child, I
talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child.
When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. For now we
see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face.
Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.
And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of
these is love.
I
love the verses of this song - very well written - "Nothing can
separate even if I run away - YOU LOVE NEVER FAILS. I know I still make
mistakes, You have new mercies for me everyday - YOUR LOVE NEVER
FAILS. The wind is strong and the water's deep, but I'm not alone here
in these open seas - YOUR LOVE NEVER FAILS. The chasm is far too wide, I
never though I'd reach the other side - YOUR LOVE NEVER FAILS." What a
great reminder to us all that no matter what our circumstance in life,
our past, our sin, our regret....His love has never given up on us.
Trust Him today with your life!!
So,
that is it! Pray with me as we look to the weekend and our time of
worship together as a church. God is going to move in a mighty way.
Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. We love because he first loved us.
Tuesday, February 11, 2014
Tuesday, February 4, 2014
How to Reach Your Community - Part 1
How can the Biblical Community Reach the Secular Community?
Define Community - social groups of any size whose members reside in a specific locality, share government, and often have a common cultural and historical heritage. Example – Stonebridge Community, Baylor Community, Church Community, Sports Community, and so on…
Our Need for Community
We were created for relationships – to have community with one another. We were not created to be isolated away from one another, but to share life with others. Example – ski trip – solo or group?
Secular Community – community groups that exist around life – where you live life and how you live life. Who you socialize with, play/coach ball games with, work with, have social parties with and more.
Biblical Community – community groups that exist where Christ is the leader of your group – a community on mission to fulfill the great commission of Christ – Matt. 28:19-20. It is purposeful, Christ-centered and focused on building the community of believers in Christ.
Fact - The church is not about building a secular community, but a biblical community, where people gather and live life together without a purpose. Our church is about engaging the secular community that we all live in by sharing Jesus and building the Kingdom of God. Ultimately growing a community of believers to reach the world for Christ.
STOP - In order to build this Biblical Community, there must be a point where you have surrendered your life to the leadership of someone other than yourself.
Question - Have you ever surrendered your life to Christ? If not, then this might be the starting point for you. You will never have a life of transformation until you recognize Jesus as your Lord, by repenting of your wrong doing, give your life to Jesus and allow Him to be the Lord of your life.
You will never engage your community until you have had life transformation yourself!! Begin there. If you are unsure about your relationship with Jesus, then now is the time to settle that matter. You can surrender your life to Christ today!
Begin with yourself and examine your relationship with Christ today.
Do you have a relationship with Christ? Have you surrendered your life to following Jesus as your Lord and Savior?
All of us struggle with sin, but have we surrendered that sin to Christ? Read Romans 3:23 and 1 John 1:8-10
Define Community - social groups of any size whose members reside in a specific locality, share government, and often have a common cultural and historical heritage. Example – Stonebridge Community, Baylor Community, Church Community, Sports Community, and so on…
Our Need for Community
We were created for relationships – to have community with one another. We were not created to be isolated away from one another, but to share life with others. Example – ski trip – solo or group?
- Genesis 2:18, ... “It is not good for the man to be alone...
- Ephesians 2:10, For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. Identify your community
Secular Community – community groups that exist around life – where you live life and how you live life. Who you socialize with, play/coach ball games with, work with, have social parties with and more.
Biblical Community – community groups that exist where Christ is the leader of your group – a community on mission to fulfill the great commission of Christ – Matt. 28:19-20. It is purposeful, Christ-centered and focused on building the community of believers in Christ.
- Matthew 28:18-20 - 18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
Fact - The church is not about building a secular community, but a biblical community, where people gather and live life together without a purpose. Our church is about engaging the secular community that we all live in by sharing Jesus and building the Kingdom of God. Ultimately growing a community of believers to reach the world for Christ.
STOP - In order to build this Biblical Community, there must be a point where you have surrendered your life to the leadership of someone other than yourself.
Question - Have you ever surrendered your life to Christ? If not, then this might be the starting point for you. You will never have a life of transformation until you recognize Jesus as your Lord, by repenting of your wrong doing, give your life to Jesus and allow Him to be the Lord of your life.
You will never engage your community until you have had life transformation yourself!! Begin there. If you are unsure about your relationship with Jesus, then now is the time to settle that matter. You can surrender your life to Christ today!
Begin with yourself and examine your relationship with Christ today.
Do you have a relationship with Christ? Have you surrendered your life to following Jesus as your Lord and Savior?
- Romans 10:9-10 - 9 If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.
All of us struggle with sin, but have we surrendered that sin to Christ? Read Romans 3:23 and 1 John 1:8-10
- Romans 3:23 - All have sinned and fallen short of the Glory of God.
- 1 John 1:8-10 8 If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word is not in us.