Great services yesterday … several salvations at multiple campuses!!
Our new series, Faith Pirates, starts this week. We’ll looking at the things that can “steal” our faith. Don’t miss this opportunity to start 2011 off right! Bring a friend and expect God to speak into your life!!
I think our church continues to be “fueled” by the 24 hours of prayer that we experienced in December. Prayer definitely has a cumulative effect and a sustaining effect. We are seriously considering how RBCC continues to pray corporately and persistently as we give God no rest!!
Remember that starting this week we are DOUBLING our missions giving from 2010 levels!! This is a huge step of faith for our church but one we believe honors God as our Provider and our Savior who wants to provide salvation to all peoples to the ends of the earth!!
A few encouragements for the new year:
Seek to put God first in your finances.
Give regularly, each time you get paid.
Be a percentage giver.
Pray BEFORE you make big purchases.
Beth is doing well. We are prayerfully awaiting for the new marrow to begin producing healthy cells. This takes 7-14 days from when the transplant occurred. We appreciate the prayers and support!!
Today’s message was exciting and challenging for me to prepare and share as we learned about the judgment that awaits us at the 2nd Coming … we are judged by how we respond to God’s grace (I Corinthians 3:10-15). It’s amazing when you think about how much grace God gives us every day that we miss, ignore, or take for granted.
The greatest example of God’s grace is His gift of His Son, Jesus Christ given to us!!
Next week we will wrap up “Christmas: The Sequel” will a look at the new heaven & new earth. And I’m getting excited about the series for the new year …
There is so much “God” stuff going on around Rock Bridge right now … and it’s not just the typical attendance, offering, and baptism numbers … it is that stuff AND MORE –
We prayed and worshipped as a church for 24 straight hours … the presence of God was so real!
Our Calhoun campus is getting ready to move into a permanent facility … renovation is underway!
Momentum in our small groups is growing and building as we seek to “make disciples”.
Our sacrificial and generous giving through Less is More was incredible. So excited to our church trust & honor God with money.
This week alone we sent money to help train church planters in Iraq, to get Bibles to believers in Burma, to help fund church planting in America, and to resource several local missions agencies that will help needy persons this Christmas season.
I’m thanking God for our staff who is doing an amazing job leading our church right now. I’m learning all kinds of new tools to help me stay involved and connected while in NYC with Beth — FaceTime, Evernote, AwesomeNote, email, etc.
I got to spend a few hours with our boys this week and they are as amazing as ever. They are so resilient. Eyasu understands that “Mommy is sick and in New York getting better.”
We got this text one of our nieces: “Eyasu just told us that ‘My mommy & daddy are my best friends.’”
Update on Beth: She is still going through several tests in preparation for transplant. They found a cyst on her spleen Friday. We hope to know Monday if it is anything serious or will need to be removed which could delay transplant. We are praying BIG time that the transplant goes as scheduled.
Prayer requests:
For the cyst on Beth’s spleen to not be a problem or obstacle for transplant.
For Beth’s counts to go up … no transfusions prior to transplant is our specific request.
For our friends Edwin & John.
For the hope we have in Jesus Christ to be real to us and to seen through us!
Hope everyone has a Merry Christmas! We’ll be in NYC … hoping for our first white Christmas
Started our end of times series, Christmas: The Sequel … today. My hope and prayer is that this series is less about “information” and more about the application of believing that Jesus is coming back!!
Next week we discuss the antichrist!
Loving that people are reading the Bible DAILY during our 40 Days focus.
Praying for the Less is More offering on Dec. 2nd & 5th.
24 straight hours of prayer is coming … 6 pm to 6 pm, Dec. 1-2 in Stage 123 for all campuses.
I want to thank all the staff and volunteers that are keeping our Student Ministry running strong while Beth is on medical leave. This ministry has a strong vision and great people serving, discipling, and reaching students.
Harper, Kent, Kurt, Ben, and Daniel — THANK YOU!
Please keep praying for Beth: for miracles, for protection from any infection, for the donor process, for doctors, and for Beth’s blood counts to increase.
Great to be at our Calhoun campus today preaching the vision to step out, step up, and step together into the building opportunity we have!! Excited to see God move
We start CHRISTMAS: THE SEQUEL next week!! Don’t forget to invite a guest to church with you as we discuss the 2nd Coming of Christ.
Some great momentum in our small groups right now as we are hoping to launch lots of new groups between now and the new year.
Small groups are crucial to how we “make disciples” at Rock Bridge which is one of the non-negotiables Jesus gave us to do (Matthew 28:19-20).
Small groups have unlimited potential: no need for expensive buildings, just people; they are simple, reproducible, and biblical (Jesus and the first churches used small groups).
Beth & I head to NYC on Monday for a doctor’s visit that will tell us exactly what we are facing and what the next steps are. We should be home on Wednesday.
Thanks so much for your prayers. We will update with more specific requests as we get them.
Right now we are praying first and foremost for God to be glorified; for miraculous healing; for Beth to stay free from any infections, viruses, or sicknesses; for opportunities to share our hope in Christ with others we meet on our journey facing similar battles but without the “hope that does not disappoint.”
Final message (Part 9!!) of FOLLOW ME this weekend!! What a series!!
Today’s main point: Motivation to radically (and sacrificially) follow Jesus comes from the promise of reward. What is the reward? More of Christ now, and all of Him later! He is our superior Savior, treasure, and satisfaction!!
To all who asked for prayer this weekend — know that your church is praying for you and with you!!
New series, CHRISTMAS: THE SEQUEL, about the 2nd Coming of Jesus, starts in 2 weeks — start inviting a friend to join you in church!!
Abreham is officially walking now. This weekend he “officially” walked down the hall and into the bathroom while his brother was doing “#1″ … and proceeded to stick his hands into the toilet!! Our lives have changed once again
I think we’re putting the kids in daycare/school tomorrow for DATE DAY
Lots of continued interest in mission trips. Please submit an application if you are interested.
I love our church! I love what God is doing in our church!
Great staff retreat this week … more unified than ever! Very blessed to serve with our team!!
Calhoun Campus voted today to move into a permanent lease facility–100% in favor!!!!
Church chats are underway at all campuses.
Definitely a deeper work of the Holy Spirit going on in our church right now. We are really striving to follow the Jesus of the Bible in a bold, radical, and fresh way!!
Mark your calendars: 24 hours of prayer Dec. 1-2. Starting at 6 pm in Dalton Stage 123. Come pray anytime as we give God no rest as we pursue Him like never before (Isaiah 62:6-7).
Mission trips: if you are interested in a trip please turn in an application to start the process. We’ve have a lot of interest so far.
I took Eyasu to get shots on Friday … wow! I was scared watching that big needle get jabbed deep into his little thigh. It was awful because I had to help hold him down as he cried. Must be something like how God feels when He allows pain into our life temporarily knowing that ultimately it is for our good.
From my heart: God is stretching and challenging me (and I think our whole church) in a big time way. I’ve learned that these are some of the richest and most meaningful times in my walk with God … high mileage for Him to work. And the best part is … we can’t IMAGINE what He has in store!!
Today’s Message:
God is exclusive about HOW we are brought into His family (through Christ alone); but inclusive about WHO.
Hopefully, we will all marvel at His mercy for even providing a way to be made right with Him and then ponder how we should live as those who know that Christ is the way, the truth and the life!!
Go the FUEL web page for daily devotionals based on this past week’s message.
Follow Me-Part 2: The fullness of the Holy Spirit is so “undertaught” and “underrealized” in churches and Christians. I am praying today’s truth really grips us as a church and we take the time to claim and seek the promise from Luke 11:13.
Seek the Holy Spirit in prayer. Ask for “fullness” with passion and persistence. Believe there is no substitute or short cut other than God’s gift of the Holy Spirit.
Sign-up for 24-7 prayer initiative. Make it a point to come to First Wednesdays to seek God together with our church family. Take prayer seriously, believing what prayer can really accomplish.
Believe that through the Holy Spirit you can pray prayers that get answered, serve God with effectiveness, get rid of habitual sin, be the spouse/parent God wants you to be … we cannot live like God’s Word is not true.
Next week’s message: One of the more controversial aspects of following Jesus, but essential to understand. Scripture is Luke 13:22-30.
Please know that this series is one of the most important and fundamental set of messages and is part of an expanded vision for our church. If you miss a message, get a CD or listen/watch online!
What’s going on?
Lots of prayer for more of God!! We desperately need and want more of the Holy Spirit!!!
Working on our church’s 2011 budget. Very excited about the faith and vision found in the initial drafts. We will be challenged and stretched, AND God will be glorified.
All new staff should be in place by mid-October.
In Calhoun: continuing to work through the building opportunity.
Less is More: our December special offering is coming up. Please pray and plan now about how God wants you to participate!!
My prayers right now:
For healing and restoration in some marriages.
Isaiah 64:1-4 — for God to “rend” (open) the heavens and manifest Himself more at RBCC; for God to do “awesome things” we did not expect; for us to wait on Him in prayer.
For some specific people who are on the mission field overseas or about to go overseas
For someone that needs to hear the Gospel of Jesus Christ
For the spirit of mammon (‘more’) to be broken and the spirit of religion/tradition to be defeated and for people to passionately, radically and unconditionally follow the Jesus of the Bible!
My life right now:
Abreham is trying to/wanting to walk … he is getting so frustrated!
Eyasu is like a sponge! Having to watch my example before him ever so closely.
Struggling being a ‘Dawg fan!
Learning more and more what is means to be “full of the Spirit”!!
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:
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!
