Missions
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.
400!!
This weekend was OF God!!
Rock Bridge,
The heart of God flowed through you as 400 children were sponsored during Compassion Weekend!! Only by responding to the Gospel and the radical generosity of God is this possible!! This means 400 children will have food, water, medical care, and exposure to the Gospel. 400 children will soon learn that someone from northwest Georgia is loving them and praying for them.
PRAISE GOD!
Let me share two other reasons why this weekend is OF God –
First, Compassion International used our average attendance and the historical response of other churches to determine the number of packets to give us so that we would not run out of children to sponsor. Guess what?!?!?
We sponsored ALL of the children we were given!! The response exceeded expectations … but that is what the Gospel creates: new hearts that overflow with the generous, sacrificial love of God (2 Corinthians 5:14-15)!!
Second, in the middle of a terrible recession Rock Bridgers will be giving over $182,000 per year to meet the needs of children all over the world!!
All I can say is “To God be the glory!!”
Another Reason to Attend Church
If you are a Christian, somewhere along the way you’ve been taught to attend church or “meet together” with other believers. The biblical reasons for doing so are to receive encouragement (Hebrews 10:25), hear the preached Word of God (2 Timothy 4:2), be equipped to serve God (Ephesians 4:11-13), pray (I Timothy 2:1), and praise God (Colossians 3:16).
I want to suggest another extremely important reason: to evangelize. Yes, your attendance and active participation in a worship service can be an act of evangelism (evangelism is telling & showing others God’s worth as revealed through the Gospel of Jesus Christ or you could say that evangelism is simply recruiting more worshippers for God).
How is worship part of evangelism?
1-Unbelievers are present in most weekend worship services … so they are watching you!! This means your worship is a witness because how you are responding to God is showing unbelievers how much God means to you. While unbelievers cannot worship God because they do not yet know Who He really is, they are still worshipping something (we are all pre-wired to worship) so they understand passion, excitement, and authenticity. The fact is most unbelievers see more worship at a football game than in a church. Some suggestions to improve your worship witness:
a) Sit like you are interested and excited about what is going to happen. If someone offered you tickets on the 50-yard line or the end zone ‘nose bleeds’, you’ll take the 50 every time.
b) Sing. Read the psalms, read the OT, read the NT, and note how many times music is involved … you will see that music is like God’s “love language”. God loves for His people to sing His praises. He is drawn to it. A side benefit is that the more you participate in a service, the more you’ll tend to enjoy it.
At RBCC, we are very intentional about picking songs that are easy to sing and easy to learn. We talk about and evaluate this literally EVERY week because it is that important to our overall worship environment.
c) Take notes during the sermon. Again, you’ll get more out of it and you demonstrate the “weight” of God’s Word in your life.
2-God is attracted to worship and when God shows up in a service, people don’t tend to stay unaffected. In fact, the Apostle Paul taught that when worship is rightly focused, rightly ordered, and God’s Word rightly preached then unbelievers will be converted and become worshippers –
“…if an unbeliever or some inquirer comes in [to a worship service] … he will fall down and worship God, exclaiming, ‘God is really among you!‘” {I Cor. 14:24,25}
3-Worship fuels evangelism. When we worship God, we are declaring His infinite worth and value to us. This also should produce a burden in us for those who do not yet know the God we worship. So worship drives us to tell others (i.e.-evangelize) about the worth of God.
May people say every week at RBCC that “God is really among us!”
A Blog to Catch-up
So much has happened in the past 5 days that I felt like a quick blog just to catch-up would be worth it. From storm relief to the death of Osama to “How is Beth?” and the launch of a new series … here goes:
STORM RELIEF
The loss and grief is almost hard to bear, especially when this is home or so close to home. Please continue to pray for God’s comfort, strength, and hope to be alive in these affected areas.
The response of supplies and volunteers (and the necessary coordination efforts) have been amazing. Rock Bridge, we are BEING the church. You can stay updated via our web site and Facebook pages.
OSAMA’S DEATH
This blog post by Pastor J.D. Greear is worth the read. ”Thinking About Osama”
NEW SERIES: MODERN FAMILY
It appears Part 1 of this series struck a nerve in our church. I’m praying for all the conversations taking place right now, asking God to bring clarity and courage into families, marriages, and singles. I’ll address some questions that have already been raised at the start of Part 2 this weekend. This is a great series to invite a guest and to make sure your WHOLE family is in church! Please pray that God’s Word is made clear and God’s Spirit works in all our lives. I know some of what we have (and will) cover will be uncomfortable and challenging at times; however, if we keep our eyes on God, lean into His grace, and follow Him no matter what … it will be worth it!!
HOW IS BETH?
Still fighting the Epstein-Barr Virus which at times makes her very uncomfortable. We think the doctors will remove her tonsils on Friday since the bulk of the infection is in that area. We need prayer for healing, for comfort, and for strength. Someone called me several months ago and quoted a Scripture in a voice message to me that has been the basis for how I pray for her.
Isaiah 41:10-13 {NIV}
So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. “All who rage against you will surely be ashamed and disgraced; those who oppose you will be as nothing and perish. Though you search for your enemies, you will not find them. Those who wage war against you will be as nothing at all. For I am the LORD, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you.
Responding to the Storms
The devastation in our area is tremendous from the storms that ripped through NW Georgia. While much of Whitfield, Murray, and Gordon County was spared, our neighboring communities were not. So this is a “Good Samaritan moment” for our church to meet needs in Jesus’ Name and to be His hands, feet, and face to our hurting friends.
Our staff has been working fervently to develop an action plan and many of you have called asking what can be done. We are in communication with area churches, the Red Cross, as well as the “Rock Bridgers” who live in Catoosa County (as far as we know they are ok physically). Please know that as of now most of the affected area is closed to everyone but emergency personnel.
Pray. We can immediately ask God’s presence and Holy Spirit to touch people supernaturally with His grace, comfort, and strength.
Supplies: Our church is serving as a collection point for the Red Cross. You can bring items to the church office on the corner of Hamilton and Gordon Streets OR to any lobby space at any Rock Bridge venue during our weekend services. Right now the needs are:
- Hand sanitizer
- Feminine products
- Toilet paper
- Paper towels
- Wipes
- Bottled water
- Flashlights
- Tents and tarps
Financial Assistance: We will be giving from our missions budget. We are still working out details of how best to give. If you do wish to give additional money, you can make checks out to “Rock Bridge Community Church” and write ”Storm Relief” in the memo line.
GLOCAL Christians
From a Shaw truck right outside our apartment in NYC to an abundance of Coca-Cola in often drought-stricken Ethiopia, our world is smaller and more connected than ever. We experience this emotionally when we see images of suffering in Japan. We experience this economically when Middle East unrest causes “pain at the pump” at home. We are more aware and more affected by global events. As Christ-followers, what is our response? What does this mean for us?
The story of the Good Samaritan reminds us that AWARENESS + ABILITY = RESPONSIBILITY.
When we are aware of a need or issue and have the ability to meet that need, then we must respond … it is our responsibility, and it is part of our God-given mission. Once we overcome the temptation of apathy (indifference), then we can easily step into action … because (thanks be to God) we do have the ability to make a difference.
PRAYER: Long ago God ordained prayer as how we talk to Him and ask for His grace to be targeted to our needs. Prayer is like a walkie-talkie that we use to call in heavenly strikes of sufficient grace. Long before airplanes and the web gave us the ability to send resources and people to areas of need, God called us to pray … and He promises to respond.
The Missions section of our web site lists people groups that have yet to be impacted by the Good News of Jesus Christ. The Joshua Project is a great tool for learning about unreached people groups. The daily news cycle makes us aware of needs that we can respond to simply through prayer.
GIVING: How we steward money says a lot about what we think of our “Good Samaritan” responsibility. Today, you can send a text message and immediately donate to reputable organizations meeting needs in Jesus’ Name. The local church holds the biblical distinction of being the primary storehouse AND clearinghouse for collecting and distributing need-meeting, Christ-exalting resources.
GOING: All of us can “go” with the Gospel into our neighborhoods, workplace, and areas of social interaction. Some of us can “go” on trips. All of us should be open to God’s leading … and He will lead all of His followers to “go” in some way.
GLOCAL: Thanks to God we, more than any other generation, can overcome geographic limitations to be difference makers through the Gospel. So just as Shaw and Coke are with their products, let’s be “glocal” [local + global] with Christianity … and never forget–our product is best!!
Weekly Rundown (01.30.2011)
- Great to be back on the ground in Georgia for another 4 days: seeing our boys, being at church, seeing the N. GA mountains … priceless!
- January is always an interesting month. Attendance is usually up (which it is) but giving is usually down (which it is). Crazy how that works as a type of “calendar conspiracy”: new year of promise combined with fewer travel plans = higher attendance while the post-holiday budget is much tighter.
- We continue to seek God’s wisdom and favor over our church finances. Our local economy is still depressed but we have a budget that reflects faith in God’s economy as we seek to be even more generous as a congregation in the area of local and global missions.
- Next week we’ll conclude the Faith Pirates series by discussing a very challenging subject: suffering and what it can do to faith. This is obviously a very “raw” time and subject for my own family so I would appreciate the prayers. Also, many of you know people who are suffering and struggling, this is a GREAT time to bring them to church with you … and pray that they receive love and compassion!!
- Our staff is thinking through some great things about to simplify our process of communicating and connecting people into the life of our church and onto a path of spiritual growth.
- Had a great conference “skype” call this week with Jim Tomberlin. Jim is one of the leading voices and experts in the multi-site movement in the American church. He really helped us understand more about where we are as a multi-site church and how to continue thinking through the challenges and opportunities multi-site brings. A few highlights:
- Our multi-sites are doing well when compared to national averages.
- Multi-site campuses have higher growth %’s than the original campuses.
- Church mergers (two or more churches combining) is becoming more and more of a trend for a few reasons:
- Some churches are stuck and in decline; being adopted into another church helps leverage resources and infuse health.
- Churches are asking, “Could the kingdom advance farther and faster if we worked together?”
- Churches are seeing themselves as part of God’s kingdom as opposed to part of a denomination or an entity unto themselves.
- Lots of churches will start 1 or 2 sites; the leadership challenge is the steepest when operating 4+ campuses. However, getting to 4+ or more campuses starts to create a “movement” effect where a church’s impact for Christ goes beyond the local community and spreads into an entire region or state (or nation!).
- Beth continues to show remarkable progress! Our boys are doing great (and in great hands … thanks family!)! We cannot thank you enough for your prayers, love, and support.
Bonus Feature to Follow Me (Part 2): Local vs. Global
{You can read Part 1 of the Follow Me bonus feature blog here.}
In Follow Me to the World we talked about God calls us to be “on mission” locally AND globally. Sometimes we feel torn between meeting needs right around us with the needs around the world. As a result, the scope of missions becomes a debate (or preference) between local missions OR global missions.
The Bible never meant for this to be an issue. Instead of an “either/or” option, the Bible is clear that missions is a “both/and” command–
- Acts 1:8 teaches us the principle of the geographic expansion of missions.
- 2 Cor. 8-9 shows us the practice of a New Testament church doing more than local missions as the churches in Corinth gave to the church in Jerusalem.
- Matthew 28:19-20 shows us Jesus’ heart is for all the nations & commands us to “go” without geographic limitations.
- Psalm 67 assures us of God’s favor & blessing when we desire to make Him known and seek to bring Him glory to the ends of the earth.
Because we live in NW Georgia, we still feel burdened for our communities and desire to see needs met and Christ glorified here. Again, our choice is not local OR global, but BOTH local AND global. We have talked in great detail about our international missions expansion; here’s how we are seeking to expand our local missions impact:
- In 2011, the amount of missions dollars invested locally is set to almost triple!!
- We are working through our small groups to serve in the local community several times a year. (Currently, we have several groups already doing this; imagine if all or nearly all of our groups start doing this intentionally over the course of one year!! This greatly expands our investment of time in the area of local missions.)
- We will continue doing monthly local mission drives (similar to the blanket drive going on during October).
- We will continue taking a “loose change” offering at First Wednesday services. 100% of this offering goes to local mission causes/partners.
To God be the glory!
Less is More: Church Chats
{The date(s) for our Chatsworth & Calhoun campuses are TBD.}
We are in the middle of an exciting time in the history of Rock Bridge. In Calhoun we have seen more salvations than any other time and we are on the verge of perhaps moving into a long-term building lease to give us a permanent presence in Gordon County. In Chatsworth we are less than one year old and already seeing faith in Christ reinvigorated and lives being changed. In Dalton we are wrapping up our 3-year campus expansion campaign this winter.
Together at all our campuses we are learning to redefine Christianity away from culture and tradition and align ourselves with the God of the Bible through the Follow Me series. We’ll be taking a special Less is More offering in December as we seek to double our missions giving in 2011 and expand our efforts to fulfill the Great Commission locally and globally. We’ll be taking more short-term mission trips, planting more small groups, and increasing prayer like never before in our church. All of this is born from our desire to glorify Christ as we rely on the Holy Spirit to proclaim the Gospel and make disciples.
We want everyone in our church to be aligned and committed to these new initiatives as we move forward so we have scheduled several church “chats”. We’ll be explaining our vision and direction in more detail, answering your questions, and praying together. You can plan to attend one of these chats with your small group (talk to your group) or at a time that best fits your schedule. Below are the dates and times for the Dalton Campus (Calhoun & Chatsworth are TBD):
Wednesday, Oct. 20th at 6:00 pm in the Wink Theatre
Wednesday, Oct. 27th at 6:00 pm in the Wink Theatre
Wednesday, Nov. 10th at 6:00 pm in the Wink Theatre
Sunday, Nov. 14th (after the 11:00 service) in the Wink Theatre
Weekly Rundown (9.19.2010)
- From my heart: I really believe our church is on the verge of a greater manifestation of God. All I sense from God is to seek Him but wait for Him. Please pray with me for our church to walk in step with God, glorify Christ, and depend radically on the Holy Spirit. Please pray God’s Word is honored like never before.
- New on Staff:
- We hired Ben Honeycutt as a new part-time worship leader. Ben will be leading mostly in our student ministry but will lead occasionally during our adult weekend services.
- We hired Kent Boyd (part-time) as our Student Production & Outreach leader. Kent was in our FIRST youth group.
- We hired Jarred Owens as our new IT Director.
- Crazy but all of the above hires were replacement hires (We did split one full-time job into 2 part-time jobs)! Had several folks resign, move, etc over the summer and are just now filling their vacated positions. I am thanking God for faithfully providing these individuals so quickly. They have all hit the ground running!!
- Celebrating & thanking Him:
- For the 3rd straight year we have been named one of America’s Top 100 Fastest Growing Churches!! We are #46 … wow! But church is so much more than just the number of people attending … how many are we sending? How many disciples are we making? Is God being glorified?
- Baptism today was incredible … God’s grace, life change, God’s glory … does not get much better!!
- Seeing our Calhoun Student Minister, Kurt Kessler, baptize his son was awesome!
- Story after story of life change (overcoming pain, addiction, religion/legalism, etc.) … wow!!
- It never gets old to hear people proclaim Jesus as their Lord!!
- Missions: We continue to pursue local and global opportunities to partner and proclaim Christ. I am so excited to learn of God’s work that is occurring everywhere and in the most unlikely of places!
- Good meeting this week with church planters in the greater Chattanooga area.
- Hearing some interest about Rock Bridge going into Ringgold??!!??
- Had a conversation this about Rock Bridge helping plant churches by equipping potential church leaders in IRAQ!!
- Great discussion about incredible work in Whitfield County called, City of Refuge. We might come alongside a few other churches to help meet real needs in our community.
- We are continuing to press forward with doubling our missions budget/giving in 2011. We are committed to investing this kingdom money in the wisest and most strategic ways possible.
- These Scriptures are guiding my prayers regarding missions right now:
- Preaching:
- Follow Me: Part 2 — I love preaching about the purpose, power, and potential of Christ’s church!! Especially convicting is the thought that we have made the church more about our comfort than Jesus’ cross. Especially exciting is that the church holds the “keys” to help reveal Christ to the world!!
- Next week: Part 3 — I was personally “rocked” during my preparation for this message. It is changing my Christian walk. We’ll be talking about a subject that can be easily misunderstood and is seemingly hard to apply. The scripture for next week is John 14:12-27.
- What’s going on?
- Many of us continue to challenged by David Platt’s book Radical. You can get a copy in the lobby space of any of our worship venues.
- Preparing to unveil new opportunities to pray through a 24-7 prayer initiative.
- Pondering and praying about other ways to increase prayer in and through our church.
- Our new Technical Director has been hired. We can’t announce anything yet until he has had a chance to talk with his current church … but we are pumped!! This means Brian Holt will be moving into the Groups Pastor role in a few weeks.
- We need to multiply, reproduce, & plant NEW small groups!! We need to see a major breakthrough in this area.
- Exciting to hear our new Children’s Minister, Allen Bishop, share more of his thoughts and vision. Exciting possibilities on the horizon as we seek to enhance/improve an already amazing ministry in our church!!
- Calhoun Campus is looking intently about leasing a building!! God has been really manifesting Himself in that campus … several salvations and “God-stories”!!
- Asking this question a lot: Is there anything we are doing that is good, but keeping us from what is best?
- PLEASE let us know if you have questions — email justask@rockbridge.cc or my personal email is matt@rockbridge.cc.
- My life:
- Love my family and being a dad!
- Had to have my first (but definitely not last), “I made a mistake as your dad” conversation with Eyasu this week. He understood and I think (?) he forgave me. Being a father helps me see my sinfulness from another angle and gives me even more motivation to seek God’s grace!
- Georgia football … ugh! Go Navy!!