Even if the sun doesn't come out often as we move into summer, these three summer pastimes scream one thing. Slow down, take your time, spend time with other people and enjoy the experience. You've probably figured out that around Silver Creek, we really turn our focus to helping people connect with other people during the summer months. CONNECT is one of our Core Values and we desire for it to be happening and continuing all year round but during certain seasons it just makes more sense and occurs more naturally.
Can I encourage you to take advantage of this season of Connecting. This weekend we will have our first of three summer Family Camps. We have 28 first time Family Campers for this weekend, oh yeah, connections in the making. If you've not yet made plans to be at one of the other two camps, go get your calendar right now, follow this link to see when these camps happen and sign up - that might be a bit stronger than encouraging but I did just go there :)
Along with the camps, we've been talking and writing a ton about our Connect Groups. I want to be clear that these groups are not just for long time attenders of Silver Creek and they're not just for people that have been attending for a couple of weeks. Everyone needs to be a part of at least one group. From time to time you're not going to like the preaching, the worship might be to loud or to soft for your preference, the bread table might be out of the bread you take home each week or your favorite parking spot could be taken. All of these have been reasons that people have left churches in the past. Having good connections with other people has never been a reason someone has left or been dissatisfied with a church but it has allowed people the support to get through things they might not always agree with.
That's clearly not the only reason to develop connections with people at church, if you missed this past Sundays message take a listen. I provided several additional reasons that will also encourage you to make the effort, take the time and understand the benefits you'll experience when getting to know others.
If you're still in town this weekend, our Sunday service will still be as great as it always is. There will only be one service at 11am, so come by if you're around. If you're traveling, drive safe and we will see you in the coming weeks.
Brent
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
Almost Like We Know What We're Doing
You don't have to spend much time at Silver Creek to know that we aren't afraid to try new things, consider different approaches to ministry or experiment with ideas that might not seem conventional. Understand we don't just guess at options, or make changes because we're bored. There's lots of prayer, reading, studying, thinking, talking and anticipating that goes into pretty much every decision we make or program we implement. Sometimes we get it right, other times it's a miss and other times it works better than we could have imagined.
Just a little over a year ago, we launched a new adventure by starting our internship program. We felt a real call by God to use the ministry experience our pastoral staff possesses, the ministry opportunities our church can provide and a house with lots of rooms on our property to invest in individuals sensing God leading them into ministry. We did our best to develop a program that fit where Silver Creek is headed as a church but it was not something anyone of our pastors has been involved with before.
As a church, we certainly benefit from the time and energy the interns put into their areas of ministry. In that regard, the program is certainly working and we got it right. Watching young adults discover where God is taking them in ministry is what's most exciting. To start with, our intern Breanna has discovered that the area of ministry she thought she'd been called to isn't actually a good fit. That might sound like a failure but it is actually exactly what the internship program is designed to do. Helping people to find their calling and sort out what the next steps will be in developing a lifetime of ministry, was one goal. Our church's investment has saved her tons of money in schooling and starting into a career that would have been frustrating and disappointing. She's still looking at ministry but not in this particular area. That's a win.
We've also seen two of our interns, Ashley and Mandy, take huge leaps in their development of planning, giving spiritual talks to students and furthering their desire to pursue God's call on their lives. Travis, our other intern, has not only grown in his knowledge of ministry within the church but has enrolled in Fuller Seminary and will be taking classes in addition to the internship. In case you're not sure, those would each be considered a win!
Plus, to continue validating this was the right decision we have two new interns that will be joining us over the next month. Mac, has just graduated from Azusa Pacific University and will be heading to Seminary in the fall. The other intern, Chelsea, recently graduated from high school in Scotland and is just beginning to discover what God might have for her. Thinking back on how God brought us to know both of these individuals and what God is doing in their lives, would be two more wins for our intern program.
God is doing lots of amazing things at Silver Creek, the internship program is clearly one of those things. Thanks for supporting this program through your finances, prayer and encouraging words to our interns.
Let's keep dreaming of all that God wants to do,
Brent
Just a little over a year ago, we launched a new adventure by starting our internship program. We felt a real call by God to use the ministry experience our pastoral staff possesses, the ministry opportunities our church can provide and a house with lots of rooms on our property to invest in individuals sensing God leading them into ministry. We did our best to develop a program that fit where Silver Creek is headed as a church but it was not something anyone of our pastors has been involved with before.
As a church, we certainly benefit from the time and energy the interns put into their areas of ministry. In that regard, the program is certainly working and we got it right. Watching young adults discover where God is taking them in ministry is what's most exciting. To start with, our intern Breanna has discovered that the area of ministry she thought she'd been called to isn't actually a good fit. That might sound like a failure but it is actually exactly what the internship program is designed to do. Helping people to find their calling and sort out what the next steps will be in developing a lifetime of ministry, was one goal. Our church's investment has saved her tons of money in schooling and starting into a career that would have been frustrating and disappointing. She's still looking at ministry but not in this particular area. That's a win.
We've also seen two of our interns, Ashley and Mandy, take huge leaps in their development of planning, giving spiritual talks to students and furthering their desire to pursue God's call on their lives. Travis, our other intern, has not only grown in his knowledge of ministry within the church but has enrolled in Fuller Seminary and will be taking classes in addition to the internship. In case you're not sure, those would each be considered a win!
Plus, to continue validating this was the right decision we have two new interns that will be joining us over the next month. Mac, has just graduated from Azusa Pacific University and will be heading to Seminary in the fall. The other intern, Chelsea, recently graduated from high school in Scotland and is just beginning to discover what God might have for her. Thinking back on how God brought us to know both of these individuals and what God is doing in their lives, would be two more wins for our intern program.
God is doing lots of amazing things at Silver Creek, the internship program is clearly one of those things. Thanks for supporting this program through your finances, prayer and encouraging words to our interns.
Let's keep dreaming of all that God wants to do,
Brent
Thursday, May 12, 2011
It's All About Who You Know
We've all experienced that day just before you go on that big vacation. The vacation that you've been thinking, planning and dreaming about for months, maybe even years. Then, there you are the day before the trip. It's finally here and you're so excited about what the next days or weeks are about to bring. There are so many adventures to be had, stories to live and memories to be made.
As a church we are sitting on one of those days, right before something big happens. Ok, not really a day but a moment in time. We've been doing Connect Groups, (small groups, Sunday School classes, growth groups) for many years and have seen some people find incredible opportunities for strong, life changing and encouraging relationships. These groups have been positive and helpful for a few but we believe that everyone needs to be a part of Connect Groups, not just a handful. Those that get in a group typically find them very helpful but the difficulty has been getting people to join a group.
With that in mind, we are stepping into a new adventure with our Connect Groups. Every two to three months, we will be announcing an entire catalog full of new groups for people to choose from. This means that nobody has to be the "new person" trying to break into an established group that's been meeting since Moses led them across the Red Sea. Plus everyone has the security that the group is only going to meet for a couple of months, so if they happen to not feel comfortable with the group, the escape plan is built into the structure.
We will have groups that fit into one of three categories. Interest - things people like to do (hiking, crafts, golf, eating out). Service - helping others (feeding the homeless, home improvements, clothing drives). Study - reading, talking and learning from the Bible or another book. Groups can meet every week, every other week, monthly or maybe even just once. The days and times, locations and leaders will be so diverse I can't mention all the options. All of this makes it more likely and possible for anybody to join a group.
Out of these groups we believe will come relationships that grow and reach levels of depth and commitment that help individuals walk through anything life might throw at them. Each session of groups will have an ending point as we prepare to launch a new set of groups. The friendships and connections that happen within groups will never be expected to stop, when groups end. Our conviction is that more people than ever will now be provided with the real chance to find connections that can lead to relationships that can see them through the ups and downs of life.
This Sunday, at the Info Kiosk in the lobby, pick up your copy of the Connect Groups Catalog. The catalog lists our 17 new groups. Yep 17 new groups! You can join one or more groups. You can join groups with your spouse or by yourself. Really, truly we simply want to see every person at Silver Creek join at least one group. There's never been a better time to join. If you can't wait until Sunday to see the list of groups, you can check them out on our website, which also includes a link to register for groups.
If you have any questions you can contact me or my wife Julie (she's the brains behind getting this all put together). A special thanks to all of the leaders that have stepped up to make our very first round of groups in this new format an incredible collection of options.
Looking forward to what lies ahead,
Brent
As a church we are sitting on one of those days, right before something big happens. Ok, not really a day but a moment in time. We've been doing Connect Groups, (small groups, Sunday School classes, growth groups) for many years and have seen some people find incredible opportunities for strong, life changing and encouraging relationships. These groups have been positive and helpful for a few but we believe that everyone needs to be a part of Connect Groups, not just a handful. Those that get in a group typically find them very helpful but the difficulty has been getting people to join a group.
With that in mind, we are stepping into a new adventure with our Connect Groups. Every two to three months, we will be announcing an entire catalog full of new groups for people to choose from. This means that nobody has to be the "new person" trying to break into an established group that's been meeting since Moses led them across the Red Sea. Plus everyone has the security that the group is only going to meet for a couple of months, so if they happen to not feel comfortable with the group, the escape plan is built into the structure.
We will have groups that fit into one of three categories. Interest - things people like to do (hiking, crafts, golf, eating out). Service - helping others (feeding the homeless, home improvements, clothing drives). Study - reading, talking and learning from the Bible or another book. Groups can meet every week, every other week, monthly or maybe even just once. The days and times, locations and leaders will be so diverse I can't mention all the options. All of this makes it more likely and possible for anybody to join a group.
Out of these groups we believe will come relationships that grow and reach levels of depth and commitment that help individuals walk through anything life might throw at them. Each session of groups will have an ending point as we prepare to launch a new set of groups. The friendships and connections that happen within groups will never be expected to stop, when groups end. Our conviction is that more people than ever will now be provided with the real chance to find connections that can lead to relationships that can see them through the ups and downs of life.
This Sunday, at the Info Kiosk in the lobby, pick up your copy of the Connect Groups Catalog. The catalog lists our 17 new groups. Yep 17 new groups! You can join one or more groups. You can join groups with your spouse or by yourself. Really, truly we simply want to see every person at Silver Creek join at least one group. There's never been a better time to join. If you can't wait until Sunday to see the list of groups, you can check them out on our website, which also includes a link to register for groups.
If you have any questions you can contact me or my wife Julie (she's the brains behind getting this all put together). A special thanks to all of the leaders that have stepped up to make our very first round of groups in this new format an incredible collection of options.
Looking forward to what lies ahead,
Brent
Friday, May 6, 2011
One Inch...
Abandonment. Abuse. Abraham. Adam. Abortion. Addiction. Adultery. Alcohol. Angels. Anger. Apostles. Atonement. Baptism. Bethlehem. Betrayal. Bitterness. Blessing. Born again. Blood. Bread. Character. Choices. Church. Commitment. Compassion. Confession. Contentment. Conversion. Covenant. Creation. Cross. Crowns. David. Death. Demons. Depression. Discipleship. Discipline. Discrimination. Disobedience. Divorce. Doubts. Dreams. Election. Elijah. Encouragement. Enemies. Envy. Eternal life. Eternity. Eve. Evil. Exodus. Faith. Fame. Family. Fasting. Fear. Forgiveness. Friendship. Freedom. Generosity. Glory. God. Gospel. Gossip. Grace. Greed. Guilt. Happiness. Hate. Heart. Heaven. Hell. Holiness. Holy Spirit. Hope. Humility. Hypocrisy. Idolatry. Injustice. Intercession. Isaac. Israel. Jealousy. Jesus. Joy. Judgment. Justice. Justification. Kindness. Kingdom of God. Lazarus. Laziness. Life. Light. Love. Lying. Lord's Supper. Marriage. Martyrs. Materialism. Mercy. Messiah. Miracles. Money. Moses. Murder. Neighbor. Obedience. Offering. Pain. Parables. Parenting. Passover. Paul. Peace. Persecution. Perseverance. Peter. Pharisees. Poor. Power. Prayer. Pride. Priests. Promises. Prophets. Purity. Quiet time. Racism. Rape. Reconciliation. Redemption. Relationships. Repentance. Respect. Responsibility. Resurrection. Revelation. Righteousness. Sacrifices. Sadducees. Salvation. Satan. Second coming. Self. Servant. Sex. Shame. Sin. Slander. Sorrow. Soul. Spirit of God. Stealing. Submission. Suffering. Suicide. Talents. Temptation. Ten Commandments. Time. Tithing. Tongues. Trinity. Trust. Truth. Unbelief. Unity. Virgin birth. War. Water. Wealth. Widows. Will of God. Wisdom. Women. Word of God. Work. Worship.
So…
The above are roughly one hundred and ninety important subjects and/or people addressed directly in the Bible. It is nowhere near a comprehensive list of the important subjects and people in Scripture. On the contrary this is simply a very small portion of what the Bible has to offer. The purpose of this list is to reveal a gigantic elephant in the corner of the room: It is critical that we as a church recognize how we need to plan for the children and students that we come in contact with. We need to be intentional about what we want them to remember, understand and apply from the countless truths and principles flowing richly from these respective subjects? Better still, how do we propose to enable and encourage the next generation to live with passionate abandonment for the only One worthy of their lives?
May I suggest that it is a question worthy of your contemplation? Take a closer look at the listed subjects. Step back. What if Silver Creek sends a generation of children, of students, into a world without at least experiencing and understanding grace? What if in our striving to reach so many we neglect to help the next generation really understand and experience Jesus?
We live in a postmodern, post-Christian world. We are leading a generation that is generally rich in experience, yet relationally and Biblically bankrupt. We see the results of this "truth void" every day. Poor choices. Destructive friendships. Basic, fundamental truths that we assume are anchored in the hearts of the next generation, yet glaringly absent when their presence is most warranted.
Let me be brutally honest: As a church we realize that it is incomprehensible for us to effectively teach the next generation every single relevant and important subject addressed in the Scriptures. It is simply a logistical impossibility. We've got a long way to go and a short time to get there.
While the most recent Karate Kid movie starring Jaden Smith has become a family favorite in our home, I am reminded of a lesson Mr. Miyagi gave young Daniel LaRusso in the original Karate Kid. When showing Daniel how to throw a punch, he says, "Secret to punch, make power of whole body fit inside one inch." He directed him to focus all of his power behind the punch to one inch on his hand. That is the secret to the vast expanse of truth we have to invest in students.
This responsibility might seem daunting but the good news is we have God leading the way! We need to follow His lead, lean on His understanding and He will take us through the steps we need to influence the lives of kids and students at Silver Creek. We do a dynamic ministry for Children and Students because it is critical that we do our part in reaching the next generation. If you had kids or want to partner with us in reaching young lives, we have a place for you. Our church will train you, invest in you and coach you so that you can be effective in returning the favor and reaching the lives of kids.
We have an incredible group of volunteers that invest time and energy into the kids and Silver Creek. We are currently, however, looking for another handful of coaches to work with our Preschoolers or 1st-4th graders. We ask for 1-2 services a month and you have the opportunity to potentially impact eternity in the life of a student. Will you help?
Thanks for your consideration!
Elizabeth
So…
The above are roughly one hundred and ninety important subjects and/or people addressed directly in the Bible. It is nowhere near a comprehensive list of the important subjects and people in Scripture. On the contrary this is simply a very small portion of what the Bible has to offer. The purpose of this list is to reveal a gigantic elephant in the corner of the room: It is critical that we as a church recognize how we need to plan for the children and students that we come in contact with. We need to be intentional about what we want them to remember, understand and apply from the countless truths and principles flowing richly from these respective subjects? Better still, how do we propose to enable and encourage the next generation to live with passionate abandonment for the only One worthy of their lives?
May I suggest that it is a question worthy of your contemplation? Take a closer look at the listed subjects. Step back. What if Silver Creek sends a generation of children, of students, into a world without at least experiencing and understanding grace? What if in our striving to reach so many we neglect to help the next generation really understand and experience Jesus?
We live in a postmodern, post-Christian world. We are leading a generation that is generally rich in experience, yet relationally and Biblically bankrupt. We see the results of this "truth void" every day. Poor choices. Destructive friendships. Basic, fundamental truths that we assume are anchored in the hearts of the next generation, yet glaringly absent when their presence is most warranted.
Let me be brutally honest: As a church we realize that it is incomprehensible for us to effectively teach the next generation every single relevant and important subject addressed in the Scriptures. It is simply a logistical impossibility. We've got a long way to go and a short time to get there.
While the most recent Karate Kid movie starring Jaden Smith has become a family favorite in our home, I am reminded of a lesson Mr. Miyagi gave young Daniel LaRusso in the original Karate Kid. When showing Daniel how to throw a punch, he says, "Secret to punch, make power of whole body fit inside one inch." He directed him to focus all of his power behind the punch to one inch on his hand. That is the secret to the vast expanse of truth we have to invest in students.
This responsibility might seem daunting but the good news is we have God leading the way! We need to follow His lead, lean on His understanding and He will take us through the steps we need to influence the lives of kids and students at Silver Creek. We do a dynamic ministry for Children and Students because it is critical that we do our part in reaching the next generation. If you had kids or want to partner with us in reaching young lives, we have a place for you. Our church will train you, invest in you and coach you so that you can be effective in returning the favor and reaching the lives of kids.
We have an incredible group of volunteers that invest time and energy into the kids and Silver Creek. We are currently, however, looking for another handful of coaches to work with our Preschoolers or 1st-4th graders. We ask for 1-2 services a month and you have the opportunity to potentially impact eternity in the life of a student. Will you help?
Thanks for your consideration!
Elizabeth
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)
