stronger together

Last Monday I shared with you the monumental task that our back2school project is this year. Helping 1,500 kids and their families. The cost is roughly $12 per child. Do the math. It is huge, but it is a God thing.

Several days I have sat and thought through this project and simply put the pieces together. If we look at this and plan this from the point of view of man and without faith, it is not doable unless we know some rich people. Therefore this is a God thing and is God sized. Our church doesn't have endless money. What comes in is used to serve others. It has been a blessing to watch people give and even to receive a grant that will pay for about 24% of the project.

Yesterday I asked our people to make a strong commitment. I began with my wife and I making a commitment to adopt 10 of these kids. Then I asked others to do the same. That is to adopt 1 or more. You should have seen the people stand yesterday at The Community Fellowship. I was and am proud of our people. The look on their faces and their strong commitment amazes me daily.

But it takes all of us to meet the needs of the people we meet. It takes all of us to share real hope with people that live without hope. It takes all of us seeing what God is doing and joining Him in what He is doing. There is nothing more exciting than being part of what God is doing. That is when we are stronger together!

Exodus 15:2 (NLT)
The Lord is my strength and my song;he has given me victory.This is my God, and I will praise him—my father's God, and I will exalt him!

Acts 20:35 (NLT)
And I have been a constant example of how you can help those in need by working hard. You should remember the words of theLord Jesus: 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.'"

Will you join us in providing for the children of our community? They will receive new shoes, backpacks and school supplies as well as hair cuts and clothes from our clothes closet.

How can you help? Pray. Pray that God will save some children and their families and fill them with real hope! How can you help? Volunteer. We need hundreds of people willing to give their time and effort to love on these kids in Jesus' name. How can you help? Adopt some kids for this event. It is $12 per child. 20 kids is $240. 10 kids is $120. 5 kids is $60. And so on. How will you join us?

Remember, we are stronger together.

Psalm 60:12 (NLT)
With God's help we will do mighty things,for he will trample down our foes.

Francis Chan's "Forgotten God" (brand new book)

One of the most powerful preachers, writers and leaders of our time, in my opinion, is Francis Chan. His first book, Crazy Love , revolutionized my thoughts about God's love as well as my interacting with God. Now it is time for a brand new book from Chan being released tomorrow, September 1st. The book is Forgotten God . This is a phenomenal book about the power that Christians and the church can and must tap into. All of it is within the Holy Spirit. Francis talks about the power that was seen in the book of Acts when the Holy Spirit began to move among people. It is true that many have avoided or maybe forgotten what the Holy Spirit is all about. And like the Savior who poured out His life and blood so we have reason to rejoice, we were made to lay down our lives and give until it hurts. We are most alive when we are loving and actively giving of ourselves because we were made to do these things. It is when we live like this that the Spirit of God moves and ac...

inspiration from C.S. Lewis

There are many people, past and present, who get our attention by what they write or say or share. For me C.S. Lewis is one of those. He was a prolific writer who continues to grab the attention of thinkers from many different points of view. Lewis first grabbed my attention when I was in 5 th grader, and our teacher, Mrs. Foy, shared The Chronicles of Narnia with our class. It was a powerful time that this dreamer opened doors to thinking like I had never lived before. He wrote of faith, of far off places and of strong figures who found their character rooted deep in God. C.S. Lewis was born in 1898 and died in 1963, 7 years before I was born. It wasn’t until his 30’s that under the influence of his friend Tolkien that he came to be a Christian. He was raised in a traditional church going home, turned away from God as an Atheist in his teen years and through trying to stay away from God and faith returned to God with...

Catalyst ticket arrived

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Michael Harrison's e-devotion

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