CCC Gainesville | Blog
(Please don’t miss the wonderful picture-filled post of our tremendous VBS that follows this lengthy post.)
Initiatives 2013-2014
Vision Night was such a memorable evening together. For those of you who were able to make it, I know you won’t soon forget it. I got so caught up in recounting God’s work through Christ Community in the year past that I ate into my time presenting this year’s initiatives. So here they be.
Remember that these are in addition to maintaining the five functions of every biblical church:
- 1.) Empowered Corporate Worship.
- 2.) Evangelistic Effectiveness.
- 3.) Counter-cultural Community.
- 4.) The integration of faith and work.
- 5.) The doing of justice and mercy.
Briefly, they are: become a people of prayer, train leaders, and specify our calling in the world.
Become a People of Prayer
Despite the view that we have a tremendously high view of God and are steeped in the Scriptures, we have not, as yet, become a church that prays.
Spurgeon: If a church is to be what it ought to be for the purposes of God, we must train it in the holy art of prayer.
We will pursue this in at least the following ways:
→ Corporate Prayer Meeting
The first Sunday of each month we gather to pray for God’s glory to be manifest through our church and in the world as outlined in the five functions above. This year we will mix in two prayer meetings that are almost entirely singing, led by Chris Hiatt and our musicians. We will also encourage community groups to join at least one meeting as a part of their group-life together.
→ Household Prayer
We created the “Take 5” document to encourage the little communities of Christ Community to gather in prayer a couple of times (or more) per week. Soon we’ll release a little “Here’s how easy it is” video on the blog.
→ Encouraging all of our groups (Community groups, men’s, women’s, Crossroads, Missions) to prioritize this in their normal gatherings.
→ Pastoral Prayers
This element was recently incorporated into our Sunday liturgy. The Pastoral Prayer is a continuation of Christ’s ministry in behalf of His people and participation in His work of furthering the kingdom.
→ After Service Prayer
We want to train an tribe of people who can be made available at the conclusion of each service for folks who’d like to receive prayer.
→ “In the moment” Prayer
On the immediacy theme, this is when each of you has another person tell you of a struggle or need. Stop! Right there and say, “Can I pray for you right now?” It is amazing how it:
a.) helps you to remember to pray for them later
b.) encourages them in the moment that they are not alone
These prayers can be a sentence or two and should normally be less than a minute.
Here’s one brief testimony from our community: “During the last week my younger brother experienced a heart attack. Paul is only 57 and is a stalwart for our family so I was shocked and a very worried. As I shared the news with my Christian friends on two occasions they stopped immediately and prayed for Paul and our family. What a blessing. What joy to have the presence of God the sense of peace. It is truly a privilege to have God’ s people to intercede for your family.”
→ Kingdom Prayer
The purpose of all of this prayer is to extend the gracious reign of Jesus Christ in the world. A helpful article is entitled “Pray Beyond the Sick List”
Train Leaders
Last year’s foundations encouraged us that training our leaders (in both bible knowledge and leadership skills) is so very important.
→ Foundations
Last year we stumbled on something that really seemed to help folks grow. This Spring we will be back to focus for another 8 weeks.
→ Biannual leadership community meetings
In January and August we bring officers, staff, group leaders and their spouses together to for training and encouragement and prayer together.
→ Group Leaders
The group of men and women who lead groups in our church is stellar. We want to see them grow even stronger and fruitful this year.
→ Select, equip, and deploy a community group coach.
This will be a major step forward for us. To see a lay leader begin to be a resource, providing care and leadership to our community group leaders.
→ Global Leadership Summit
August 14 and 15. The staff and some lay leaders have been to this two day event the last couple of years. This year, we make it a staple in our leadership training. Here’s a 4 minute highlight video from what your staff experienced August 2013.
→ Men
We need to focus on men. Our men’s ministry will establish a leadership team that resources and empowers the men of Christ Community to serve together and focus on the specific leadership roles that God calls men to embrace. We think this will benefit families, as well as our church family.
→ Assistant Pastor
We are hoping in the not-too-distant future to be in a position to call an Assistant Pastor who would have training leaders and leading teams as his primary area of ministry. There are two things to happen that will get us there. One, for us to be in a better financial position than we are to date, behind budget by $16,000. We need to have a very strong remainder of 2013 to begin to sniff at beginning a search. Two, the session needs to complete a job description that is 90% complete.
Specify Our Calling to be Faithful In the World
Jesus clearly stated that He wants His people to be “in the world but not of it.” What does it look like specifically for Christ Community to, by the power of His Spirit, walk this faithfully. We hear the call to re-present the great truths of Scripture to our day. That calls for us to listen to our world and seek to understand our context. To know the hurts, goodness, and idols of our neighbors we will need to grow, individually and corporately, in the art of discernment. We long to see Jesus adored and magnified and believe that comes as we tell and live the story of God right here and right now.
→ The Opus Project on Faith, Work, and Culture
The Opus Project on Faith, Work, and Culture, out of love for God and neighbor, nurtures reflection and conversation about our shared contribution to the flourishing of society and the renewal of all things. (Currently there is a class on food & faith meeting Sundays at 10:30am.) More on Opus
→ Adult education courses
Right now on Sundays at 9:00am there is a study of “The Gospel According to Job”.
Future classes include a study in apologetics.
→ Bible Overview Reading Plan
We’ve compiled a plan to take you on an overview the Scriptures. We’ll be posting thoughts to the blog, as well as seasoning each week’s worship service with a bit from the readings of the previous week. Get started now!
→ Making our facility an instrument of God’s blessing and outreach to our neighbors
The deacons and “facility” team are honing and overseeing the use of our building God’s building that we steward.
→ Global & Local Missions
October 18 and 20 is a great time of emphasizing the role each Christian has in the advancement of the world-wide church.
This ever-growing connection that we have been graciously given can use you in a variety of ways. Perhaps after reading this overview you might know how to jump in.
–Identifying our geographical neighbors
We plan to become more familiar with the people God has placed near us.
Spread the word!
