Reflections from Sunday

Sunday Reflections

This past Sunday at @GFchurch our worship leader, Scott Finch was out so I had to lead worship and teach. I have to admit that it takes a toll on your body and mind having to do both but I am thankful the Lord gives me opportunity to do both.

This weeks message was part12 in our series called, James::The Essentials. If you were unable to attend, you can catch the service here

We have a huge community wide Easter event on Saturday, April3, 2010 from 10:00am to 2:00pm at the City Park in Royse City. There will be bounce houses, free food, egg hunts, and some awesome giveaways. Bring your family and bring your friends.

Join us for Easter Service on Sunday, April 4, 2010. We are currently meeting at Stonebrook Learning Center which is located at 3200 FM 548 South in Royse City, TX. Join us at 10:00 am for Coffee and Conversation followed by Worship at 10:30 am

I love our church
I love our people
I love what He is doing in us
I love what He is doing to us
I love what He is doing through us
I love that He is not done with us

A Multi-Site Church Road Trip:: Review

The Multi-Site Church Revolution, defines a multi-site church as:
…one church meeting in multiple locations – different rooms on the same campus, different locations in the same region, or in some instances different cities, states, or nations. A multi-site church shares a common vision, budget, leadership, and board. (p. 10)



This book walks you through a tour of 15 different churches and what they have done in an effort to reach more people and be more effective for Christ in the way in which they minister. Each church or campus has different visions and even implementation of the multi-site concept that is sweeping the nation. On page 24 it says, "Being one church with multiple locations has allowed Seacoast to grow larger and smaller at the same time". I love this concept. It is the concept we have adopted for our church plant in Royse City, TX called Gateway Fellowship. We have a deep desire to grow while at the same time keeping the atmosphere and attitude of an intimate, and authentic gathering of people who call themselves family while, "doing life together". We currently meet in "connect groups" throughout the week for Bible study, prayer and community development. We also join together on Sunday mornings for a time of coffee, conversation and celebration. These groups are helping us, "grow larger and smaller" even now in the beginning years of our journey as a church.

The book, "A Multi-Site Church Road Trip" takes us on a raod trip that looks like this:
1. The Multi-Site Variety Pack p.20
2. The Church Planting Versus Campus Launch Dilemma p.33
3. Getting Multi-Site Into Your Genes p.41
4. You Want To Launch a Campus Where p.56
5. Changing Your Community One Campus At A Time p.73
6. Internet Campuses - Virtual Or Real Reality? p.85
7. Fun With Technology p.101
8. Structure Morphing p114
9. Going Global p.129
10. Shared Communicator p.146
11. Merger Campuses- No Longer A Bad Idea p.158
12. Two-Or More-At Once p.173
13. Multiplied, Multiple Leaders p.186
14. Are You Sure This Isn't A Sin p.198
15. Grandchildren Already p.219

A portion of this road trip, gives us a glimpse at what we should look at when considering multiple campuses or church plants. When considering location look at:
1. Positive community image
......what is the perception of the location in the community
2. Location accessibility
......is the location near the people you want to reach
3. Facility accessibility
......how accessible is the facility in general?
4. Room for growth
......can you make the location inviting and comfortable as you anticipate future growth
5. Noise tolerance
......can the location accommodate loud music, loud preaching, crowds. In quiet moments, can it foster reflection?
6. Decent rent or purchase price
......be careful when the deal (purchase price) seems to be "too good to be true" it may very well be
7. Room for storage
......this is one of the biggest issues for portable, multi-site churches

I really enjoyed chapter 5, "Changing Your Community One Campus At A Time". It is the story of Healing Place Church in Baton Rouge, Louisiana and it is pastored by Dino Rizzo. On page 76 it states, "Everything at Healing Place Church is centered on taking care of the people no one else cares about". It goes on to say, on the next page, that the church has learned that when they begin to serve the least, help the lost, and meet the longings in a community, the community begins to respond- and change. The chapter goes on to give us the three multi-site benefits in community transformation. They are as follows:
1. Proximity
.....multi -site churches can go to where the people are
2. Resource Allocation
.....The campuses can "pool" their resources and often times can be more cost effective in the long run
3. Local Personalization
.....you can have an incarnational approach to the culture in which each campus or site is located

As the Lead pastor of our church plant, this book has served as a tool in helping equip our entire staff and elder body for what the Lord may have in store for us. We have prayed about and dreamed about launching other "sites" or campuses" from day one of our initial launch as a church. This book will show you how churches are enhancing their options for community, outreach, evangelism, and service in the local and global context.

Reflections From Sunday

Yesterday @GFchurch we continued our series called, James:: The Essentials. We walked through the scriptures found in James 3:13-18::

13Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. 14But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. 15Such "wisdom" does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil. 16For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.

17But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. 18Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness.

We looked at the difference between earthly and heavenly wisdom. According to the scriptures, earthly wisdom is earthly, natural or unspiritual, and it is demonic or of the devil. We talked about the fact that our selfish ambition and bitter jealousy leads to disorder and confusion and God is not about disorder or confusion. We then had to ask our selves the question, "are we harboring jealousy in our hearts towards someone or something?" and "are we living life full of selfish ambition?".

We then looked at heavenly wisdom and the fact that it is pure, peaceable, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and not hypocritical. We must pursue peace while at the same time holding to truth. Truth can not be compromised

If you missed the service, you can catch it at GatewayTV

Things coming up @GFchurch::
March 20 GFchurch Men's Breakfast
March 28 SHAPE class
April 3 5th Annual Egg Smash

ConnectGroup schedule::
TuesNite @ 7pm @ The Snow's
WedNite @ 7pm @ The Brown's
Wednite (youth) @ 7pm @ The Snow's
SunMorn @ 915am @ GFchurch

.. I love our church
.. I love our team
.. I love our people
.. I love our community
.. I love what He is doing in us
.. I love what He is doing through us
.. I love that He is not done with us

There are some awesome things coming up in the life of Gateway Fellowship.
.. new ConnectGroup video studies by Zach Snow
.. new Creative Arts stuff being led by Scott Finch
.. new way to stay connected with GFchurch Facebook Page

Reflections From Sunday

This past Sunday @GFchurch we walked through James 3:1-12.

1 Let not many of you become teachers, my brethren, knowing that as such we will incur a stricter judgment.
2 For we all stumble in many ways If anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to bridle the whole body as well.
3 Now if we put the bits into the horses' mouths so that they will obey us, we direct their entire body as well.
4 Look at the ships also, though they are so great and are driven by strong winds, are still directed by a very small rudder wherever the inclination of the pilot desires.
5 So also the tongue is a small part of the body, and yet it boasts of great things See how great a forest is set aflame by such a small fire!
6 And the tongue is a fire, the very world of iniquity; the tongue is set among our members as that which defiles the entire body, and sets on fire the course of our life, and is set on fire by hell.
7 For every species of beasts and birds, of reptiles and creatures of the sea, is tamed and has been tamed by the human race.
8 But no one can tame the tongue; it is a restless evil and full of deadly poison.
9 With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the likeness of God;
10 from the same mouth come both blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be this way.
11 Does a fountain send out from the same opening both fresh and bitter water?
12 Can a fig tree, my brethren, produce olives, or a vine produce figs? Nor can salt water produce fresh.

Here are some of the things we looked at concerning the Tongue::

* we must control it (it is very influential) verses 3-4
* we must discipline it (it is very powerful and can cause harm) verses 5-6
* we need help (humanly uncontrollable) verses 7-8
* we see the conflict (inconsistencies) verses 8-10
* we see what is in the heart (our speech can be hypocritical) verses 11-12



If you were not able to attend service, you can catch it here

Things coming up this month::
March 6 GFchurch Ladies Night "Bunco"
March 20 GFchurch Men's Breakfast
March 28 SHAPE class

ConnectGroup schedule::
TuesNite @ 7pm @ The Snow's
WedNite @ 7pm @ The Brown's
Wednite (youth) @ 7pm @ The Snow's
SunMorn @ 915am @ GFchurch

.. I love our church
.. I love our team
.. I love our people
.. I love our community
.. I love what He is doing in us
.. I love what He is doing through us
.. I love that He is not done with us

There are some awesome things coming up in the life of Gateway Fellowship.
.. new ConnectGroup video studies by Zach Snow
.. new Creative Arts stuff being led by Scott Finch
.. new way to stay connected with GFchurch Facebook Page