Book #24 - Simple Church

While I was away for the Thanksgiving holiday, I read Tom Rainer and Eric Geiger's book Simple Church: Returning to God's Process for Making Disciples.

I think the thing that struck me the most about this book is that it was as if the authors were looking into our Senior Management Team meetings for the last three months. This book has been on my reading list for a while now, but I just ordered it.

God's timing is perfect.

The title of the book definitely describes the book as well as what the authors believe is the best model for leading a congregation to become more like Jesus. It is definitely a good book for people who are pastors and/or staff to read and begin to ask some very difficult questions about what you believe about how the church should be structured to bring transformation in people's lives.

Isaiah 54:10

Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed," says the Lord, who has compassion on you.

Isaiah 52:7

How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, "Your God reigns!"

Isaiah 51:5

My righteousness draws near speedily, my salvation is on the way, and my arm will bring justice to the nations. The islands will look to me and wait in hope for my arm.

Christmas Past

Pastor Dave begins the Advent season this weekend with a new series - Christmas Past. We will also be kicking off this season with Communion at all four worship services.

There is no better time to invite your friends, relatives, co-workers, and neighbors to worship with you at Charter Oak Church.

Isaiah 50:9

It is the Sovereign Lord who helps me. Who is he that will condemn me? They will wear out like a garment; the moths will eat them up.

Isaiah 49:6

He says:

"It is too small a thing for you to be my servant to restore the tribes of Jacob and bring back those of Israel I have kept. I will also make you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring my salvation to the end of the earth."

2 Corinthians 7:11

See what this godly sorrow has produced in you: what earnestness, what eagerness to clear yourselves, what indignation, what alarm, what longing, what concern, what readiness to see justice done. At every point you have proved yourselves to be innocent in this matter.

He Gets It

This is Chris. He gets it. He gets what it means to have a heart for Jesus. He carried the bulk of the lines in the youth musical. He didn't need to really memorize anything. He already knows it, he lives it. His role in the musical was to share his faith with two students who don't get it. I was blown away by this guy.

Joyce and Jeff have served God well in the way they have raised their three boys. Chris hit it out of the park this weekend!

More Pics from the Youth Musical

Youth Musical - Incredible!

2 Corinthians 3:2-3

You yourselves are our letter, written on our hearts, known and read by everybody. You show that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.

On Mission for God - Part 1

The mission of Charter Oak Church is to reach out to those who are searching, and to equip believers to be fully-devoted followers of Jesus.

What does it really mean to reach out to those who are searching? What does it mean to be searching? How does the every day, ordinary follower of Jesus actually do this?

I believe in building relationships with people. I am a people person. I enjoy being around people, as a matter of fact I get my energy from being around people, not from being alone. That makes me an extrovert. That's how God wired me up.

I don't think that handing out tracks or standing on a street corner yelling at people to "turn or burn" shows much fruit. But it is my experience that when people invest themselves in others through building a relationship with them, then God gives opportunities for spiritual conversations. It may happen quickly or it may take years. That's why it is about the relationship and not "getting them saved." God has His responsibility in this process and we have our responsibility. When we try to do God's job, we will fail. We must be obedient to fulfilling our call as followers of Jesus to love others.

I believe people who are searching are those who for whatever reason have stepped away from a relationship with God. God has created in every person a desire to be in relationship with Him. Those who aren't are searching. They may not know what it is or who it is they are searching for, but none the less, they are searching. It is for these people that we have been placed in this location.

That is the first part of being on Mission for God at Charter Oak Church.

Nehemiah 7:2

I put in charge of Jerusalem my brother Hanani, along with Hananuah the commander of the citadel, because he was a man of integrity and feared God more than most men do.

Youth Musical This Weekend

Saturday @ 6:00pm

Sunday @ 9:30am

Our Mission

The mission of Charter Oak Church is to reach out to those searching and equip believers to be fully devoted followers of Jesus.

Are you on mission?

The rest of this week, I want to break down what this mission statement means.

As I study Nehemiah this week, there was a group of people that continually tried to get him off of the mission that God placed on his heart by distracting him. Last weekend we talked about how Satan tried to get Jesus off of mission through temptation. There are so many distractions to the mission. There is so much busyness. There are so many good things we can do and be about. The agenda of God is my primary responsibility.

Great Quote

"If the enemy can't stop you, he will just try to get you off mission."
- Mark Beeson

Nehemiah 6:8-9

I sent him this reply, "Nothing like what you are saying is happening; you are just making it up out of your head."

They were all trying to frighten us, thinking, "Their hands will get too weak for the work, and it will not be completed."

But I prayed, "Now strengthen my hands."

Nehemiah 5:19

Remember me with favor, O my God, for all I have done for these people.

Nehemiah 4:13-14

Therefore I stationed some of the people behind the lowest points of the wall at the exposed places, posting them by families, with their swords, spears and bows. After I looked things over, I stood up and said to the nobles, the officials and the rest of the people, "Don't be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your brothers, your sons and your daughters, your wives and your homes."