Sailors, Saints, & Sinners

Multi-Site: What We Are Learning

The Problems We Pray For

2012 has started fast and furious (the way we like it!).  We’ve seen LOTS of guests coming and (just as important) coming back! Each weekend we are having multiple decisions for people to follow Christ and people are signing up to be baptized, to become members, to serve, to get in a small group, and in general, get connected to the Body of Christ at Rock Bridge.

When we experience rapid increases in attendance like the past 2 weeks, it can create problems … good problems — there are people everywhere! We pray for problems like this! We want MORE people in church because that means MORE potential for God to be worshipped, Christ to be followed, and people to be loved. However, we need your help to make sure we stay prepared for what God has planned. So here’s what I’m asking:

1) Pray. Pray that God’s presence is known through our services into people’s hearts.

2) Put guests first. In Chatsworth, one extended family could not sit together because there were not enough empty seats!! We’ve had to add extra seats to Stage 123 the past two Sundays!!
Rock Bridge, you are bringing people to church with you … AWESOME!!

• So be alert, be helpful to others, and be willing to …
  • Sit closer to the front to make it easier on guests who may arrive later because they are unfamiliar with parking, children check-in, campus layout, etc
  • Sit somewhere differently than your preferred seat
  • Attend another service time or venue that might be less crowded

3) Follow-up with guests. I received an email this week from a church member who mentioned 4 new families to Rock Bridge and wanted to make sure we were following-up with them! That is dedication to connection, and connection is our mission!!

If someone comes to church because you invite them then please encourage them, thank them, and as they are ready point them to next steps of salvation, small groups, serving, membership, First Wednesday, etc. etc.
Let’s all of us help connect people from all walks of life to life in Christ!!

4) Keep inviting. If someone you invited has not responded yet, don’t give up … keep inviting and keep praying. Ask God to give you boldness and opportunities to point people to Christ and bring people to church. God loves to answer that prayer!!

For the renown of Jesus Christ in NW GA!!

Confessing Praylessness

Today during our staff prayer time (what we are starting to call “Staff Chapel”), we read Jesus’ rebuke of His disciples for doing ministry without prayer (see Mark 9:14-29) –

“This kind can come out by nothing but prayer … “ [Mark 9:29, HCSB]

Then we all confessed why we fail to pray as Jesus taught: busyness, fear of disappointment, selfishness, dullness, lack of love, impure motives, uncertainty about God … it was convicting and powerful at the same time.
We even recounted God’s favor and blessings on our church and asked ourselves, “What if we prayed as Jesus taught?” WOW! The fact that God ordains prayer as a primary means of accomplishing His will is mind boggling and mysterious, yet exciting and joyous. The fact that we could be missing aspects of God because we fail to pray … it all drives us back to prayer.

So we resolved/repented together to “stop” praylessness and to pray like little children.

My sons ask relentlessly and boldly. They ask with expectation. They ask persistently. And even when we say “no” or “not now”, they accept my explanations, and then ask for something else. Their asking is a sign of their trusting; their asking is a sign of their relying; their asking is honoring to Beth & I as their parents.
No wonder God wants the faith of a child … and perhaps, the “prayerfulness” of a child too.

Ask. Listen. Seek. Hope. Expect. Ask again … and again.

“So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him.”
[Luke 11:13, NLT]

10 Reasons to be Excited

10. Beth got an AMAZING report from her doctors in NYC this week. We are beyond grateful.

9.  You invited a BUNCH of new people last weekend — we had record attendance for non-Easter services!
Now what?! Keep inviting, invite people BACK with you, tell them about small groups, 1st Wednesday, membership, serving on a team, etc. Don’t let up because God’s Word PROMISES to fulfill its purpose.

8.  Joy Switch Part 2 is this week! We will be in Philippians chapter 1.

7. You don’t have to miss church if you work or are going to be out of town on Sunday! Why? Rock Bridge PM!

6.  We invested > $42,000 in local, national, and global missions this week!

5.  We’ve got some incredible videos, testimonies, and applications planned throughout Joy Switch … don’t miss church ’cause you don’t know what you might be missing!

4.  Our church is reading the Bible together for 25 devotional readings during Joy Switch. There is power in focus & unity AND there is great power in God’s Word. Like our eyes, the Bible helps us see, perceive, and enjoy spiritual beauty.

3. We are making progress to reach our goal of 125 small groups by 1/25; but we are not letting up!  If interesting in groups, email groups@rockbridge.cc

2. I love my church.

1. The tomb is empty!

Rock Bridge in 2012

A preview for our church in 2012 –

Renewed and rekindled efforts to “reach people”
Reaching people was the first core value we came up with as a church in 2002. It is why we exist. It’s why we don’t have dress codes, confusing worship services; it’s why we started Rock Bridge PM; it’s why we have multiple sites; it’s why we invest in local and global missions; it’s why we want to multiply and create new small groups (new spaces for new people); it’s why we have multiple service times; it’s why we have host teams/coffee teams … it’s also why Jesus came and what He commissioned the church to do.
**Would you pray for God to use you to help connect one person to Christ and His church in 2012?**
As long as one person does not know Jesus or have a church family, our mission is incomplete.

Intentional Efforts to Increase Serving in our Church
We are saved from our sins and saved to serve God. We want to make serving part of what it means to be a member of Rock Bridge. We want people to enjoy the significance of being used by God for His purposes. Don’t be deceived into thinking God can’t use you or that it is “someone else’s job”! We need passionate and committed people to make Rock Bridge happen. The Gospel of Jesus Christ creates those servants (see Ephesians 2:10) and the Church’s job is to mobilize them for significant service!
**Look for an announcement soon about “SERVO-LUTION” and we plan to strategically simplify and improve serving/volunteering.

10-year anniversary
We reach double digits this year!
We anticipate an all-campus worship service to celebrate and mark this time!!

New teaching translation for our church.
For 10-years we have used the New International Version (NIV) 1984 translation as the primary Bible for teaching. The publishers of the NIV have since come out with two revised translations: the  TNIV and the NIV 2011. The NIV 2011 is about 5% different than the 1984 translation. Changes in translations come as scholarship improves the understanding of ancient texts, archaeological findings provide more clarity, and technology enables greater collaboration among translators. Additionally, translators seek to ensure translations are able to be understood by people in today’s world.

The challenge for our leadership and staff is that many of us are uncomfortable with some of the translation decisions made in the newer NIV versions. So when someone asks what type of Bible we use and then go buy that Bible, they get typically the 2011 NIV since the 1984 NIV is becoming less available and they also get a translation that is not as close to the original, inspired texts as we would hope. However, we do appreciate and value that there are now improved translations available since 1984.
We also remain firmly committed to the inerrancy of the Bible in its original manuscripts and value teaching from a translation that is as close as possible to those inspired texts but is also easy to read, understand, preach from, and memorize.

Right now, we are considering switching to either the Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB) or the English Standard Version (ESV). Both are excellent, committed to staying as close as possible to the original meaning of the inspired texts, and being readable in modern English.

Missions
We continue to strengthen our commitment to local and global missions. We are in the process of searching for a Missions Pastor to help further this commitment and expand our efforts to minister to people locally & globally in Jesus’ Name.
We hope to take more trips overseas, partner to plant more churches, and look for opportunities to start future campuses in the coming year.

Radical Dependence
Finally, our resolve to live out the Core Value of Radical Dependence is as strong as every. If I survey my prayers for our church over the past several months, the overwhelming theme is that of reliance and dependence on the Holy Spirit. This dependence comes through death to self, repentance from sin, and prayer.
We are considering another 24/7 Prayer Service where prayer & worship are continual for an entire 24-hour day.
We realize that “apart from Christ” and His Spirit we can do nothing and in fact, come to nothing.

The Best is Yet to Come
I believe this with all my heart as I see in Scripture the overarching theme of hope that come from the promises of a faithful God whose love is steadfast. God is building His church, preparing His bride, saving the lost, rekindling the saved, using us as His ambassadors, and desiring us to expectantly wait, watch, pray, serve, and desire His presence.

So let’s be expectant …

Now to Him who is able to do above and beyond all that we ask or think according to the power that works in us — to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen. {Philippians 3:20-21}

Five Things to Remember This Week @ RBCC

1) Rock Bridge PM moves to Stage 123 this Thursday night @ 6:30 pm.
Please spread the word and tell people who work, travel, or otherwise don’t/won’t go to church on Sunday morning that Rock Bridge has a worship option for them.

2) We kick-off our new year series, JOY SWITCH, this weekend!!
Pray big, pray often, and pray bold for what God wants to do through this series!
Invite someone to church with you. Invite repeatedly and consistently. Don’t give up … God doesn’t give up on us!

3) First Wednesday is THIS week!!
Start off 2012 with big prayers, passionate worship, and by remembering Christ’s death through communion.

4) Be desperate for God.
Let’s plead with God to demonstrate His power, declare His righteousness, and give us His grace this week and this year. We need Him more than ever. We need His unfailing love, His amazing grace, His mighty salvation, His holy presence … we need Him. Ask God to use you, to use our church, to use our worship services, to use your small group … to accomplish His purposes.

5) Be expectant.
Expectancy is faith in action … and it honors God. Expectant people see God’s hand and experience His presence. Abandon “do your duty”, “check the box” religion. Forsake the tradition and the ritual of church for expectancy. See Him in His Word, His people, His creation, His Son, His Cross, His Spirit … and let’s be amazed THIS week at our God!

Making the Ask

Over and over again we hear that the #1 reason people first attend Rock Bridge is that they were invited!! Additionally, national research shows that the overwhelming majority of Americans are open and receptive to hear information about a church from a family member, friend, or neighbor. Historically, the new year represents a great opportunity to invite new people to church — new year, new resolutions, new habits, and a new openness.  (We are also starting a new series, “The Joy Switch” on January 5th & 8th.)

A big reason why people should be invited to church is because seeing Christians interact with one another and with God in worship is a key factor the Holy Spirit often uses in drawing them to salvation (John 17:21; I Cor. 14:24-25).  People are starving to see real love  in action and need to see it in a first hand experience. The reality of experiencing biblical community & authentic worship in a church blows away the false ideas of Christianity that the enemy has planted in the mind of society.

I am praying BIG for lots of invitations to be offered and to be accepted …

“Then the master told the slave, ‘Go out into the highways and lanes and make them come in, so that my house may be filled.” {Luke 14:23}

Here are some suggestions for inviting people to church with you:

1-Pray for specific people (neighbor, co-worker, your cousin) and for specific opportunities (at work, the store, the gym).
2-Eliminate specific fears they may have:
–Fear of being singled out; worry about dress codes; fear of speaking; concerns about child care; confusing or irrelevant services
3-Invite repeatedly.
–Research shows it may take 6 or more times for the invitation to even be seriously considered!
4-Invite relationally.
–Offer to meet them somewhere before church so they can sit with you; take them out to eat after church. Keep it personal.
5-Remember could be at stake …
–Their salvation? Having a church home & family? Understanding the full love of God? God’s amazing grace?
–More glory to God when more people praise His Name!

Dear God,
We pray in Jesus’ Name for Your house to be full. Put people on our minds and in our paths that need to see Jesus in us and need to encounter Him through Your body, the Church.  Give us great favor as we invite people to church in 2012. Let people see the love, grace, and superiority in Jesus. We are Your ambassadors, use us for Your purposes. Amen.

Elder Recommendations

At First Wednesday this week (Dec. 7th), we will have a short business meeting. One item for action will be to approve a group of new elders to begin serving in January. The selection process includes nominations from church members; review of church involvement (membership; small group; volunteering; giving); review by church staff; written interview questions; in person interview; background check; and lots of prayer.

The Elder Selection team of Matt Evans, Steven Hare, Gus Waters, Joann Middleton, and Amy McIntosh recommends the following three individuals to the church for approval and affirmation:

TONY HELTON (Dalton Campus)
Tony became a Christian as a child but really began “owning” his relationship with Jesus in his early 20s.  He leads a small group and serves in Children’s Ministry as a tech coordinator for large group environments.
Tony is committed to the vision of Rock Bridge, sees God moving here, and loves the focus that every Christian is “on the mission field”.

MICHAEL OGLES (Calhoun Campus)
Michael became a Christian as a teenager and has been at Rock Bridge since 2008. He is a small group leader, serves on the Host Team, and works to disciple/mentor men.  Michael recently went to Honduras with our church to dig a clean water well.
He values the “come as you are” atmosphere of RBCC and the focus on simplicity and excellence.

VIC WEBB (Chatsworth Campus)
Vic became a Christian in high school.  He had been out of church until the death of his father which brought him to RBCC where he has passionately attended and served. He serves in the Tech/Production team and leads a small group. Vic sees the biblical and strategic importance of strong small groups and values the friendly and exciting atmosphere of the church.

A Must Read Letter

For the past 2 years we have been privileged to support Dr. Rhett Shirley as a medical missionary to Kenya. Rhett’s service on the mission field has ended and he and his family have returned to the U.S.

Here is a letter from Rhett that summarizes his missionary service and reminds us that God’s glory drives us to go to the ends of the earth no matter the cost and no matter the circumstances because people matter to God.

Missions Letter from Rhett Shirley

Weekly Rundown (11.27.2011)

Been awhile since I’ve done a true rundown so here goes:

• We sponsored even MORE Compassion kids this weekend!! 400+++ and counting.
  • By reflecting the generosity of God and letting God’s love flow through us, God is giving hope, food, and medical care to children all over the world! One life at a time is how Jesus’ changes the world!
• Our 2012 Budget recommendation is ready. We’ll take a few minutes during December’s 1st Wednesday for a brief business meeting to act on this recommendation.
  • This budget reflects several priorities:
    • Increasing our missions giving
    • Budgeting for local outreach and evangelism efforts
    • Adding “margin” to our budget
    • Appropriately funding our core ministries: worship, groups/discipleship, students, and children
• Here are the dates we know for 2012 Mission trips:
  • Honduras (digging a well): May 19-26 & October 6-13
  • Ukraine (evangelism; Bible study): July 13-21
• Main idea from today’s sermon:
  • Point of Surrender: To give the Word of God more authority than my past experiences, present feelings, future expectations, and natural tendencies.
• Continue to pray for people who are out of church and/or missing life in Christ. Ask God for opportunities to invite and share God’s love and for the boldness to seize them!!