Wednesday's Comin'! Alright, I will admit that the title is a bit cheesy given the last post, but I just couldn't help myself; it is a great title! Why you ask? Because Wednesday evening services are coming!!
Beginning in October we will have regular Wednesday night services at 7:15 at the church. This should be late enough in the evening for everyone to get home from work and get some dinner and we are also making arrangements for child care so put the excuses aside and come join us. Wednesday evenings are not intended to be "just another meeting"... as we pursue a deeper walk with the Lord, it is only natural to desire a deeper walk with His Spirit as well. Wednesday evenings will provide a format where the Holy Spirit can be free to lead and guide us as He wishes. Deeper levels of worship, more powerful times of prayer, and time to walk in (and practice) the gifts He has given each of us. There won't be a formal message; we are gathering to spend time with Him and the intention is to let Him run the meeting as He sees fit. Come and expect to be challenged to the next place in your walk with Him! Years ago I heard a fantastic message by Tony Compolo entitled "Sunday's Coming" which later became his trademark message. (You wouldn't have to look too hard on YouTube to locate it if you are interested and it would be well worth your time!) Basically, it is the story of how a another minister out preached him on a Sunday morning with the very simple phrase "It's Friday, but Sunday's Coming"... Tony tells it like this: He started nice and soft with, “It was Friday. It was Friday and my Jesus was dead on the cross, but that’s because it was Friday. Sunday’s coming.” This Sunday will be the first meeting in our new building and while that will be a sweet milestone, it's just the start, not the culmination of our faith. The city around us needs the life we have found in Christ... and from there to the uttermost ends of the earth. You may ask "but what can such a small group do?" Friends, that's Friday thinking... Yep! There is plenty wrong with the world these days, but I tend to think that God has called this humble cast together for just such a time as this. So let's take our stand! "It's only Friday" (translation: we are early on the curve). "But Sunday is coming" (translation: in due season, the victory and spoils will be sweeter than you can imagine). SUNDAY'S COMING! Let me begin by apologizing for the title... I realize it is a bit coarse, but there are just no better words to describe what I am about to share with you.
As I began the process of starting a church I quickly realized that there were a lot of little (but important) decisions that had to be made before I could get very far. One of the first barriers was the name of the church. I wanted a name that would convey our vision in just a few words; I wanted it to convey the miraculous and at the same time a closeness and compassion... no small order to be sure (and as if that were not enough, the domain had to be available too)! It seemed reasonable to me to ask those who have already been down this road, and as I know a few Godly men who have such experience, I reached out to them for advice and insight on this terribly important matter. I will spare you the majority of suggested names, but would like to share the top 2 with you here: 1. "The 2nd Avenue Church of Eternal Enlightenment and Power" 2. "The Church that Doesn't Suck" Now, I think it goes without saying that neither of these "suggestions" were of any help at all (other than for a few good laughs), and as the evening progressed there was more and more laughter as the names became more and more preposterous. In the end, I thanked my friends for their wonderful insights and moved forward with a more level-headed search on my own. A few weeks later I received an unexpected call from Peter (the proud father of suggestion #2) and he said something very profound. He said that while the suggested name was very much "tongue in cheek", there was a real truth there as well. You see, he said, folks don't want to go to a church that sucks, they want to go to a church that is real! If you tell me I have to go door to door and share my faith, that sucks... but if you tell me I can just be myself and share a real truth with people as the doors open, well that doesn't suck... I can do that. As we get closer to our first official service, I am filled with excitement about the places the Lord will take us and the things that only He can show us. I invite you to join with Bev and I through prayer, and soon in person, as we pursue the things God has laid before us. It is my sincere prayer that you will find a reality and a life in Desert Creek Fellowship that will challenge you and encourage you to a place with the Lord where you can tell your friends with confidence that you attend "A Church that Doesn't Suck". Tonight I published the website, and in doing so, take the first tangible step on the path He has called me to! As with all first steps, there is some natural uncertainty, but He who called us is faithful and He will do it.
The legal paperwork is almost completed and, in the coming weeks, we will be officially recognized by the state of Arizona as a legal entity and shortly thereafter will have charitable organization status! Lord willing, we intend to start holding weekly services in April. So, I encourage you to look around the site and let me know what you think. More than that though, I would ask you to join your faith with ours to see this fledgling church come to full fruit. Join with us in prayer asking the Father to prepare the way for the work He has called us to. |
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