To God's Beloved At Cloverdale Baptist Church:
Summer ends on September 22, at least officially. Okay, we are not there yet, but on Sunday we kick off our FALL PROGRAMMING for 2018-19. Very exciting, and all are invited to join us on Sunday for Sticky Buns, and our attempt to show you where you can get plugged in, in the coming year. We would love for you all to join us on Sunday at 9:30 for this time of food, fellowship and finding a place to belong in the coming year. The food will be amazing, and even more important we will seek to deepen our, STICK to one another.
Remember: Men's Breakfast, Saturday Morning, 8:30, we will gather together for food and the opportunity to grow together as men. In keeping with my Sunday School class we are going to look together at the top 10 issues facing men in our culture, and seek to use this time together, not only to enjoy amazing food, but also to grow in our desire to live holy lives in the world, but not of the world as men. It is our desire to have this be a growing opportunity for men of all ages, and Pastor Rob will be speaking this Saturday on being FIRST LOVE MEN. From this everything else will overflow, so encourage you to join us, and enjoy this time together as men.
Someone shared with me a few weeks ago that our church has a reputation. I know this to be true, although we are not as well known as perhaps we would like. As I hear people share what they hear about us, some is from over 10 years ago, others from experiences they had with us just last week. Our reputation sometimes is better than we deserve, and sometimes worse, but thinking about it helped me reflect on what I would like us to be known for as a church family.
- A people fully devoted in LOVE to God. That we would be a people who obey the command to love God with all we have, and that we would live our lives for Him, as an overflow of our LOVE relationship with Him. That we would be driven and defined by our love relationship with God.
- A family that loves one another. That we would be a friendly place to visit, and that our family would be full of deeper relationships that we are constantly growing through growth groups and other opportunities. That our wonderful times of FELLOWSHIP on Sunday's would overflow and on display from us would be a deep love for other members of our family. That this love would also show with a Great Command love for our neighbours...as the Bible defines that term.
- A passionate commitment to God displayed by a devotion to His Word. That we would be a people who long to know God's Word and make it our priority to teach it in a way that can be applied in all of our ministries. That we would be WORD saturated, and that this would lead to taking a strong, loving, biblical stand on issues that are impacting our world. We want to be known for our strong stand on God's Word, passion to preach and teach it, and devotion to live it out without COMPROMISE!.
- That we would be those who live our lives 24/7 for God, on mission for Him. Each one, as we are growing in our relationship with Him, reaching out in our lives to impact others. EACH ONE REACH ONE. That we would be a GREAT COMMISSION obedient church where Jesus is being formed in us as an overflow of our gatherings. That we then also care about the Gospel impacting our nation and world.
- That each person who belongs to this family would have a place of service to build us up, and that together we would mature into all He wants us to be. That our first question when we gather would be one of heart felt SERVANTHOOD rather than selfish egocentricity. Looking for people to encourage and places to serve. On the eager look out for the good works that God has prepared for us to do. Each knowing they are a valued part of the whole.
If you let me continue, I would include a place filled with God exalting, joyful worship in song, a place where children are growing and have a safe place to learn to love Jesus, a place where youth and c and c are discipled to live in a messed up world for God's Glory...that we would display the beauty of being devoted to one another above ourselves in our multi-ethnic, multi-generational love and living together...and I could go on. However, if we get these top 5, the rest of the reputation I long for us to have will fall quickly into place.
When you think of CBC, I am not sure what you think of, however if you could choose with us to be a part of individually and corporately pursuing those top five, quickly our reputation will be well deserved, and those who would devalue us, would be devaluing our LORD.
Please BE IN PRAYER. We want this year to be so great that only God could get the GLORY...so we need to be those who are in prayer. PRAY! PRAY! PRAY! We are praying for Ryan and Katelynn Penner and their ministry in the Philippines. Please pray for safety, joy, learning and further community as they see to build relationships in this lovely nation that will maximize their impact for Jesus.
Sunday Is Coming:
Title: A Warning and A Way To Victory
Text: Hebrews 3:12-14
Read the greater context, Hebrews 3:1-4:14
- This is one of the great warning passages of Hebrews, what do you see that the writer of Hebrews warning us about?
- Why is this so important to God to place so strongly here?
This text is based strongly on Psalm 95, if you have the time reflect on how Hebrews uses this Psalm to warn us and encourage us...read Psalm 95, and see what true worship is.
- Why is it so important that we live in COMMUNITY as Christians, and how can you make sure you are doing this so that you don't die spiritually?
JOIN A GROWTH GROUP THIS YEAR!
Excited to be a part of this family of God, and to hear how others view us, and to see us growing to become who God wants us to be. We have a long way to go, and I am thrilled to be one who gets to pursue this conformity to CHRIST with you,
Pastor Rob