Church at Canyon Creek - Austin Texas http://churchatcanyoncreek.com Fri, 24 May 2013 09:31:47 +0000 Fri, 24 May 2013 09:31:47 +0000 hourly 1 3600 SnapPages.com A Man's Influence with Those Who Don't Believe damon@churchatcanyoncreek.com damon@churchatcanyoncreek.com  
•          Some of us are naturally relational and love to [...]]]> http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2013/05/24/a-mans-influence-with-those-who-dont-believe Fri, 24 May 2013 09:31:47 +0000 http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2013/05/24/a-mans-influence-with-those-who-dont-believe  
•          Some of us are naturally relational and love to talk to people like Chris, but many of us are not. But all of us are responsible to look for opportunities to tell people how much Jesus means to us.
•          Another key in influencing people with the gospel is to see people as God sees people. Chris admitted that people can annoy him. We all know what he means. When people don’t do what we want or act like we want them to act or especially don’t treat us the way we think we deserve to be treated, they annoy us. But … a mature Christian learns how to see people as God sees people.
•          So, we should not focus on a person’s looks or language or lifestyle. People are in bondage. We should not expect them act any other way. So, look beyond the exterior and lovingly take the time to introduce them to Jesus, the only one who can free them from bondage.
•          We’re all busy. That’s the universal problem. So Chris challenged us to be intentional. If we want to influence our non-believing friends, we have to create time to be with them, to do life with them, to get to know them, and to care about them. It takes time! Chris and some of the guys from his small group intentionally invite their friends to a sports bar to watch Monday Night Football. That’s time away from family, but it’s intentional time investing in guys who do not know Christ.
•          Chris gave us a great reminder when it comes to evangelism. “It’s not up to me.” We can’t save anyone. We can’t convince anyone. Only God can do that. But we are called by God to partner with Him. As Chris said, “Our part is to be available and faithful.”
 
Donnie Dixon, discipleship pastor, was facilitating the panel at our men’s rally. And Donnie made a great statement to end this section. “How many people (non-Christians) would call me a good friend?” His point was that influence starts with engagement. As Christian men, we must engage those around us who are not believers, develop relationships, and look for an opportunity to tell them how much Jesus means to us. That’s what spiritual leaders do.
 
Thanks Chris for having a heart for people far from God and thanks for your wisdom.
 
The picture with this blog is the Summer Challenge for men. Print this out and commit to taking one of the steps under each section as a way to step up your spiritual leadership.
 
Monty



]]> http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2013/05/24/a-mans-influence-with-those-who-dont-believe#comments 0 Fathers Have to Say "NO" in Order to Say "YES" for the Good of Their Families damon@churchatcanyoncreek.com damon@churchatcanyoncreek.com  
I love the point Russ was making. Fathers have to say “no” to good [...]]]> http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2013/05/23/fathers-have-to-say-no-in-order-to-say-yes-for-the-good-of-their-families Thu, 23 May 2013 12:33:00 +0000 http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2013/05/23/fathers-have-to-say-no-in-order-to-say-yes-for-the-good-of-their-families  
I love the point Russ was making. Fathers have to say “no” to good activities in order to say “yes” to the best activities, the things that produce the greater spiritual fruit. Here are some other things Russ had to share.
 
•          Dads are the primary plan for the discipleship of children. The church can help, but fathers have the responsibility to introduce their children to Jesus and to teach them how to love and follow Him.
•          Russ got to the point when he said, “Dads, don’t screw it up.” It’s too critical. And what’s more precious and important to us than our children.
•          A child’s view of God is largely shaped by how they see dad live his life, talk about God, and respond to life’s circumstances.
•          Russ read Deuteronomy 6:5, 7. “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might … You shall teach them diligently to your sons and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up.” I love what Russ said. We never have “time off” as dads. As spiritual leaders of our children, we are always on. We must take advantage of every moment of every day if we want our children to love and follow God too.
•          Russ leads his family in family devotions every morning after breakfast and before school. He admitted that he wasn’t good at coming up with material on his own, so he encouraged us to purchase a devotional guide like the one he uses with his family.
•          Russ and his family have also committed to one of the slots in our church’s Unceasing Prayer initiative. One night a month for 30 minutes, Russ and his family pray for our church and for our city. Imagine how that shapes the hearts of his children.
•          Russ said that he wants his children to understand that “God is not a Sunday thing. He is everything.”
•          And then Russ ended with a challenge to fathers by asking, “Do you have a vision and a dream for your children? Sure, we all want our children to make good grades, get into a good college, married a good mate, and give us good grandchildren. But surely Jesus died for more than that. My dream is that, in 20 years, my children would love Jesus more than I do today. For that to happen, fathers must say “no” to good things in order to say “yes” to the best things.”
 
Thanks Russ for your wisdom and example to all of us as dads.
 
The picture with this blog is the Summer Challenge for men. Print this out and commit to taking one of the steps under each section as a way to step up your spiritual leadership.
 
Monty
 



]]> http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2013/05/23/fathers-have-to-say-no-in-order-to-say-yes-for-the-good-of-their-families#comments 0 How to Get Your Wife to Chase You Around the House Monty Watson Monty Watson http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2013/05/22/how-to-get-your-wife-to-chase-you-around-the-house Wed, 22 May 2013 07:00:00 +0000 http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2013/05/22/how-to-get-your-wife-to-chase-you-around-the-house  
•          Mark pointed us to that famous verse in Ephesians 5:25. “Husbands, love your wives as Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her.” What a short sentence, but what a profound statement. Jesus is a husband’s standard. We are love our wives sacrificially just as Christ sacrificed his life for the church. Husbands, let that soak in for a moment. Ask yourself what that really means. Ask yourself how you can practically love your wife like that.
•          Mark also referred to Genesis 1:22. “The Lord fashioned the woman from the rib He had taken from the man’s side, and brought her to the man.” Apart from the miracle of that act is the beauty of it. God made the woman just for the man. She was a precious gift, and was to be treated special. Mark challenged husbands not to take our wives for granted and not to expect our wives to serve us. The Bible says the just the opposite for spiritual leaders. Husbands are to serve their wives, and sacrificially so. Husbands are to treat their wives as a precious gift given by God.
•          Mark challenged us about our priorities. He said that most men are bold and courageous as businessmen or in sports, yet when it comes to spiritual leadership in our marriage, we often withdraw in passivity.
•          Mark reminded us that we can’t lead our wives any further than we are willing to go. The point is that a leader must be out front.
•          To do that, a man must abide in Christ. To be a spiritual leader a man must understand and live out John 15, where Jesus said, “Abide in Me … for apart from Me you can do nothing.”
•          Mark admitted that early on in his marriage he did not like praying with his wife. He did not want to be vulnerable and he did not want to admit his mistakes. Today, however, Mark and his wife pray together every morning. And Mark’s wife says it is easy to follow Him when she knows he is following God.
•          Mark also said that when your wife asks, “How did your day go? she does not want to know your calendar, she wants to know how your day went emotionally. She wants to know how you feel. She wants to know about your successes and stresses.
•          Mark ended with talking about love notes. Yes, love notes. His point was to surprise your wife, to date your wife, to be romantic toward your wife. Again, to be a spiritual leader a husband cannot come home from work tired from the day, crash on the sofa, expect his wife to serve his whining, or sit back passively. A man must lead, and that leading includes loving your wife and treating as the precious gift she is given to you from God.
 
Thanks Mark for sharing such great thoughts about being a spiritual leader in one’s marriage.
 
And the picture with this blog is the Summer Challenge for men. Print this out and commit to taking one of the steps under each section as a way to step up your spiritual leadership.
 
Monty




]]> http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2013/05/22/how-to-get-your-wife-to-chase-you-around-the-house#comments 0 If A Man Wants to be A Spiritual Leader, He Must Walk with God Monty Watson Monty Watson  
1.       A man must read the Bible. That’s [...]]]> http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2013/05/21/if-a-man-wants-to-be-a-spiritual-leader-he-must-walk-with-god Tue, 21 May 2013 14:13:00 +0000 http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2013/05/21/if-a-man-wants-to-be-a-spiritual-leader-he-must-walk-with-god  
1.       A man must read the Bible. That’s not meant to be simplistic. It’s crucial. With all the distracting noise of our culture, a man must constantly renew his mind, as Paul said in Romans 12:2. We must fill our minds with truth, else we will drift from God, our convictions will lose their edge, and we won’t be the spiritual leaders God called us to be.
2.       A man must worship God. Again, it sounds simple, but Kerry was talking about opening up our hearts to God. To listening to God and hearing what He has to say to us. And expressing our love to God. Worship is acknowledging the greatness of God.
3.       A man must pray. If Jesus prayed to His Father, needed to pray to His Father, and craved intimacy with His Father, then how much more true should that be of us?
4.       A man must deal with old hurts. A person’s view of God is often shaped by a person’s relationship with their parents. If you had a distant father, then you might see God as a distant Father. Or, if you experienced some tragic circumstance in your past, you might not trust God today because He did not protect you in the past.
 
The point of Kerry’s talk was that a man must walk with God in order to be a spiritual leader. Thanks Kerry for reminding us of what it takes to do that.
 
And the picture with this blog is the Summer Challenge for men. Print this out and commit to taking one of the steps under each section as a way to step up your spiritual leadership.
 
Monty
 




]]> http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2013/05/21/if-a-man-wants-to-be-a-spiritual-leader-he-must-walk-with-god#comments 0 The Focus of 2013 damon@churchatcanyoncreek.com damon@churchatcanyoncreek.com  
Over the last few months the elders have spent many hours discussing and praying through the question, “What is the scope of our vision?” We wanted to discern exactly what God wants us to accomplish as a church.
 
Of course, the simple answer is to [...]]]> http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2013/05/03/the-focus-of-2013 Fri, 03 May 2013 10:46:53 +0000 http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2013/05/03/the-focus-of-2013  
Over the last few months the elders have spent many hours discussing and praying through the question, “What is the scope of our vision?” We wanted to discern exactly what God wants us to accomplish as a church.
 
Of course, the simple answer is to “make disciples” (Matthew 28:19). It should always be about evangelism and discipleship. As you know, we have identified three pillars that shape the ministries of our church and how we go about making disciples. (1) IMAGE – helping people become conformed to the image of Christ. (2) On Mission – everyone, everyday, and everywhere living on mission and sharing the Gospel. (3) Faith Builders – encouraging strong marriages and strong families where parents are building faith into their children. So, in a sentence, we are …  



As we thought and prayed about where we are and where God is leading us, we asked a lot of questions.
 
What do we want to become? What do we hope our church will look like in five years? What are our holy discontents? What do we crave for our church? What will it take to stimulate a passionate love for Jesus that transforms the way we live? And how should we fulfill our responsibility to reach our community?
 
Flowing out of those months of discussion and prayer, we landed on four areas on which we believe our church must concentrate in 2013.
 
 
1.   A Passionate Love for Christ – We hope that our church will embrace a definition of Christianity as a passionate, intimate, day by day, moment by moment, personal relationship with Jesus; from which flows obedience and transformation.
We are convinced that everything must flow out of a love for Jesus. Jesus said, “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments” (John 14:15). The person who truly loves Jesus will obey Him, will follow Him, and will do whatever He asks. Love is the catalyst for obedience. We want to create a church culture in which the outflow and manifestation of that love are cheerful obedience in evangelism, in prayer, in stewardship, and so on. Jesus said, “I am the vine, you are the branches … abides in Me and I in you” (John 15:5). And Paul said, “For Christ’s love compels us … that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again” (2 Corinthians 5:14-15, NIV). We believe that a passionate love for Jesus will compel us to live passionate lives for Jesus.
 
 
2.   A Fresh Picture of Life in Christ – We hope to see changes in lifestyle and priority, a freedom from the world’s way of living, and an urgency for the mission of Christ.
 
We need a fresh picture of life in Christ. We want to present a fresh picture of Christianity, much like Francis Chan did in his book Crazy Love when he contrasted the “lukewarm” versus the “obsessed.” Jesus’ warned the Ephesians, “I have this against you, that you have left your first love” (Revelation 2:4). He also said to the Laodiceans, “Because you are lukewarm, I will spit you out of My mouth” (Revelation 3:16). Again, we are convinced that only a passionate love for Jesus will change the way a person lives. We are also convinced that too many Christians today are caught up in a way of living that competes with spiritual priorities. So we want to challenge those competing priorities and free people to live fully for Christ.
 
 
3.   Personal Evangelism – We hope to see every member of our church reach one other person with the gospel.
 
In his letter to Philemon, Paul said, “I pray that you may be active in sharing your faith” (Philemon 1:6, NIV). In talking about the scope of our vision, we talked a lot about our responsibility to reach our community. Paul said he was willing to “become all things to all people” because he wanted “to win as many as possible” (1 Corinthians 9:19, NIV). Some 37,000 cars drive past our church every day. We are responsible for our community, and we should have a burden for lost people. So, our hope is that each of us would engage with one other person and help that person come to Christ. Our prayer is for a sense of evangelistic urgency to permeate our church.
 
 
4.   Pray Big – We hope to hear prayers that are big and worthy to be asked of God, prayers of boldness and expectation, prayers of need and dependence, and prayers that deepen our relationship with God and dare to request from God.
 
Prayer is about relationship and request. We seek both God’s face and God’s hand. The Bible is filled with promises concerning prayer. Jesus said, “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you … What father would give his son a stone when he asked for bread? What father would give his son a snake when he asked for fish? If imperfect parents know how to give good things to their children, then how much more will God our Father give what is good to us when we ask? (Matthew 7:7-11, paraphrase). This passage is an invitation to ask, and an invitation rooted in our relationship to God as our Father. And as a church, we want to trust our Father to hear and answer the prayers we pray concerning our church.
 
It is our hope and prayer that you will embrace this focus for 2013. Surely, these four things resonate with your heart. We believe they reflect the heart of God and the will of God for our church. We ask you to take these priorities to heart, to pray through them on behalf of our church, and to personally commit to living them out in your own life.
 
God bless you as you grow in Christ, and God bless The Church at Canyon Creek,
 
The Elders
 
Mark Perkins, Chairman
Damon Andrews
Donnie Dixon
David Melles
Steven Testone
Bruce Walker
Monty Watson

]]> http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2013/05/03/the-focus-of-2013#comments 3 Greatest Event in History Monty Watson Monty Watson  
But there’s more to the Gospel than the heroic death of a good man. The climax of the Gospel is the supernatural resurrection of Jesus and His [...]]]> http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2013/03/25/greatest-event-in-history Mon, 25 Mar 2013 11:13:00 +0000 http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2013/03/25/greatest-event-in-history
The Gospel is the story of a great rescue. It is God’s desperate pursuit of those He loves. So desperate was His pursuit that He not only sent His Son, He sacrificed His Son for us.
 
But there’s more to the Gospel than the heroic death of a good man. The climax of the Gospel is the supernatural resurrection of Jesus and His victory over sin and death; making forgiveness, reconciliation, and eternal life possible for us.
 
New ideas and philosophies were debated in the city of Athens every day. The Athenians were a spiritually curious people, but they were also a spiritually confused people. They believed in all kinds of gods. But when you believe in everything, you really believe in nothing. So when “they heard of the resurrection, some laughed in contempt … but some believed” (Acts 17:32, 34). That’s what happened in the 1st century and that’s what happens today. Some laugh and some believe.
 
But if the resurrection is true, then it trumps all other beliefs. If it’s true, then it is the greatest event in human history. And this Easter Sunday, I hope you will join us at The Church at Canyon Creek to hear … how the greatest event in history can make the greatest difference in your life.
 
 
Monty Watson, Senior Pastor
www.churchatcanyoncreek.com

]]> http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2013/03/25/greatest-event-in-history#comments 1 Undivided Worship Damon Andrews, worship pastor Damon Andrews, worship pastor http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2013/01/26/undivided-worship Sat, 26 Jan 2013 14:25:17 +0000 http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2013/01/26/undivided-worship
But there was still a problem.  The people learned how to worship the Lord, but they also continued to worship their own false gods.  Their hearts were divided.  You see, the fundamental issue was not a question of form.  The problem was that their hearts were not fully devoted to the one true God.  The story concludes with this sad epitaph: “Even while these people were worshiping the Lord, they were serving their idols.  To this day their children and grandchildren continue to do as their fathers did.”

Fast forward 750 years to another story.  While Jesus was traveling though Samaria he stopped at Jacob’s well and had a conversation with a Samaritan woman.  After some profound interaction in which Jesus confronted sin in her life, the woman made a statement which implied a question about worship.  She said “Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, but you Jews claim that the place where we must worship is in Jerusalem.”

She had made the same wrong assumption as her ancestors.  She assumed that God would be pleased if she learned to “do it right” by worshiping in the right place.  Jesus answered, “Believe me, woman, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem.  Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks.”  Jesus’ answer pointed out her mistaken emphasis on questions of form (Where should we worship?, When should we worship?, How should we worship?) and revealed the truly important question, for the Samaritan woman, and for us as well, “Is your heart fully devoted to the one true God?”
 
Discussion Questions
In what ways can our hearts be divided? What are examples for us of idols that might keep our hearts from being fully devoted to the one true God?
What are some questions of form that we sometimes mistakenly believe are important to pleasing God?

]]> http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2013/01/26/undivided-worship#comments 2 O Holy Night Mark Perkins, elder Mark Perkins, elder http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2012/12/26/o-holy-night Wed, 26 Dec 2012 12:58:54 +0000 http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2012/12/26/o-holy-night
Oh holy night!
The stars are brightly shining
It is the night of the dear Savior’s birth!
Long lay the world in sin and error pining Till He appeared and the
soul felt its worth.
A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices For yonder breaks a new and
glorious morn!

Fall on your knees
Oh hear the angel voices
O night divine
Oh night when Christ was born
Oh night divine
Oh night divine

For me this song captures the essence of the gospel message about the coming Savior announced by the angel in Luke 2:10-11,

“But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of a great joy which will be for all the people; for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.”

Jesus Christ is God the Son, born of a virgin, lived a sinless life, and died on the cross as the redemption from sin for all who repent and place their faith in Him as Savior.  The sinless life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ provides the only basis for our salvation and is the source of hope sung about in this beautiful Christmas song.  As we enjoy this Christmas season with our loved ones, may our hearts be filled with love and adoration for our Savior Jesus Christ.

Finally, I want to encourage you to take a few moments and listen to a beautiful rendition of O Holy Night performed by the Christian group Point of Grace by selecting the following link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PpxrK5ItgG0



]]> http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2012/12/26/o-holy-night#comments 0 Signs You May Not Be in the Christmas Spirit Monty Watson Monty Watson  
Another admission. It takes me a while to get into the Christmas spirit. I know it’s the same [...]]]> http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2012/12/17/signs-you-may-not-be-in-the-christmas-spirit Mon, 17 Dec 2012 06:00:00 +0000 http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2012/12/17/signs-you-may-not-be-in-the-christmas-spirit  
Another admission. It takes me a while to get into the Christmas spirit. I know it’s the same time every year, but it always seems to creep up on me. Part of the problem is that, in a church, we have to start planning Christmas in September. Another problem is the weather in Texas. It’s not even cold yet and Christmas songs are playing on the radio.
 
Here are some signs that suggest you may not be in the Christmas spirit yet.
 
•          If your Christmas tree is really small and says “air freshener” on it, you may not be in the Christmas spirit.
 
•          If you’ve been arrested for ramming a SUV with a Christmas wreath wired to the grill, you may not be in the Christmas spirit.
 
•          If you wish April 15 would hurry up and get here, you may not be in the Christmas spirit.
 
•          If you miss coverage of the Presidential election, you may not be in the Christmas spirit.
 
•          And if you hear “Sleigh bells ring, are you listening?” on the radio and scream, “No! I’m not listening!” then you may not be in the Christmas spirit.
 
I hope that’s funny and not true of you. But to help you get into the Christmas spirit, here’s what always helps me. My advantage is that I have to plan early, get into the Bible, and search for fresh ways to tell a familiar story. And every year, it’s certain verses that stick out and grab my attention.
 
I love how the angel explained what was happening to Joseph. “She will bear a Son; and you shall call His name JESUS, for He will save His people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21). I love how the angel calmed the shepherds and said, “Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you GOOD NEW of great joy which will be for all the people” (Luke 2:10). And I especially love that the angel made the announcement of Jesus’ birth so personal to the shepherds. “For today in the city of David there has been born FOR YOU a Savior, who is Christ the Lord” (Luke 2:11).
 
“JESUS … GOOD NEWS … FOR YOU.” Year after year, this is what draws me in and connects me to the true Christmas spirit.
 
So if you need some help getting into the Christmas spirit, don’t rely on a Christmas movie or more lights hanging from your house. Pick up your Bible and read the story. “For today in the city of David there has been born FOR YOU a Savior, who is Christ the Lord” (Luke 2:11).
 


]]> http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2012/12/17/signs-you-may-not-be-in-the-christmas-spirit#comments 0 What Non-Christians Really Think About Christians Monty Watson Monty Watson  
Recently, I read a great article by Thom Rainer, the head of Lifeway resources. Thom is a student of the culture and has written extensively [...]]]> http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2012/12/10/what-non-christians-really-think-about-christians Mon, 10 Dec 2012 06:00:00 +0000 http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2012/12/10/what-non-christians-really-think-about-christians  
Recently, I read a great article by Thom Rainer, the head of Lifeway resources. Thom is a student of the culture and has written extensively helping churches better understand how to connect with their communities. In this article, he cites 7 things that non-Christians think about Christians. Each statement is followed by a direct quote from a non-Christian. As you read these comments, ask yourself this question. If these comments are true, if this really is what non-Christians think, then what is my next step in reaching out to my non-Christian friend?
 
1. Christians are against more things than they are for.
“It just seems to me that Christians are mad at the world and mad at each other. They are so negative that they seem unhappy. I have no desire to be like them and stay upset all the time.”
 
2. I would like to develop a friendship with a Christian.
“I’m really interested in what they believe and how they carry out their beliefs. I wish I could find a Christian that would be willing to spend some time with me.”
 
3. I would like to learn about the Bible from a Christian.
“The Bible really fascinates me, but I don’t want to go to a stuffy and legalistic church to learn about it. I would be nice if a Christian invited me to study the Bible in his home or at a place like Starbucks.”
 
4. I don’t see much difference in the way Christians live compared to others.
“I really can’t tell what a Christian believes because he doesn’t seem much different than other people I know. The only exception would be Mormons. They really seem to take their beliefs seriously.”
 
5. I wish I could learn to be a better husband, wife, dad, mom, etc., from a Christian.
“My wife is threatening to divorce me, and I think she means it this time. My neighbor is a Christian, and he seems to have it together. I am swallowing my pride and asking him to help me.”
 
6. Some Christians try to act like they have no problems.
“Julie works in my department. She is one of those Christians who seem to have a mask on. I would respect her more if she didn’t put on such an act. I know better.”
 
7. I wish a Christian would take me to his or her church.
“I really would like to visit a church, but I’m not particularly comfortable going by myself. What is weird is that I am 32-years old, and I’ve never had a Christian invite me to church in my entire life.”
 
Do you see the pattern? Non-Christians are more open than we might think. Your non-Christian friend or neighbor might be willing to engage in a spiritual conversation if you would just take the initiative. But remember from these quotes, non-Christians want to see authenticity. They want real. So, be real. And decide to take the initiative. Take a step. Start a conversation. Just walk across the street or across the room or down the hallway and see what God will do.
Type your new text here.

]]> http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2012/12/10/what-non-christians-really-think-about-christians#comments 0 In God We Trust...or do we? Bruce Walker, Elder Bruce Walker, Elder
  • This [...]]]> http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2012/11/06/in-god-we-trust-or-do-we Tue, 06 Nov 2012 08:26:58 +0000 http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2012/11/06/in-god-we-trust-or-do-we
  • This week we will finish the voting process that will elect a man to lead our country for the next four years. Is the number of voters seeking guidance from God when voting increasing or decreasing from year to year?
  • Thousands of couples will marry this year in this county alone – many for reasons that are not the best. Will God’s principles and instruction regarding marriage be the basis for these unions forming?
  • Christians will decide with each paycheck what portion they will earmark as an offering to the Lord, reflecting a certain level of reliance and dependency upon His promises. Will we trust Him with our resources and future?
  • What values and criteria will guide us in the choices for our entertainment? Will people look for discernment from the Lord when faced with an innumerable array of options?
    • Whether we are talking about national issues, decisions that have lifelong impact, or day-to-day choices, are we trusting God or choosing convenience and personal preference?  Have you drifted at times, as I have, from wholeheartedly trusting and obeying God’s will for your life? Has the culture in which we live crept in the back door? I must admit that complacency and drift can be my worst enemies when it comes to fully trusting God. I doubt that you’ll ever read about me committing an egregious wrong that captures newspaper headlines. Yet, my complacency has the potential to hinder the advancement of God’s Kingdom in equally damaging ways. For you see, I have been entrusted with incredible riches (Col. 1:27-28)—the spiritual kind—that has power to heal, facilitate growth, and free people from lives of emptiness, superficiality, and ultimately death. Complacency can transform my trust and reliance upon God in this journey to presumption and a lukewarm existence.

    As new believers 34 years ago, Joyce and I took a course in our church tht introduced us to the discipline of Bible memorization. We committed 72 Bible verses to memory over 16 weeks—just 3 per week, but it was amazing to see how the verses came alive each week. We EXPERIENCED them in our lives! One that challenged me from the beginning was Proverbs 3:5-6:

    Trust in the Lord with all thine heart;and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct thy paths. (KJV)

    So, let me encourage you to return to the basics if you have lost traction in your faith journey with the Lord. Return to reading the Scripture in some manner daily—just as you would seek protein. The principles for living life are in there. Say “no” to something, if necessary, in order to say “yes” to a time of quiet prayer and conversation with the Lord each day. Ask the Lord what He thinks about the issues you face. See if the Shepherd won’t speak to His sheep. Finally, assemble together in His name for worship, praise, and to encourage one another.

    Whether it involves my vote for president, my choice of marriage partner, the portion of my earnings I give back to the Lord, or the movie I choose to watch this weekend, I trust God when I line up with His will. Trusting God means believing He is who He says He is, knowing His principles, walking in His ways, and relying with my whole heart that He knows what is best for me. Trust is all about relationship. In my life, I have found that I don’t follow people I don’t trust. I don’t trust people I don’t know. And, I don’t know people I don’t spend time with, listen to, and observe. That may depict my trust relationship with Jesus also. Join me in returning to the basics of a disciple’s life. Fall in love all over again with the One who loves you the most and make time for Him.

    I pray that as we humble ourselves and seek His face, aligning ourselves with His Word and His ways, we will experience in a fresh way the motto of our nation, “In God We Trust.” Let’s do it as individuals, as a church body, and keep sowing seeds in the fields around us.

    In Christ’s love,
    Bruce Walker

    ]]> http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2012/11/06/in-god-we-trust-or-do-we#comments 1     Top 100 Verses damon@churchatcanyoncreek.com damon@churchatcanyoncreek.com http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2012/11/05/top-100-verses Mon, 05 Nov 2012 12:16:57 +0000 http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2012/11/05/top-100-verses  
    A few years ago, the gift I gave Andy and Adam was a booklet with my top 100 Bible verses. This had meaning for me because Scripture memory has been the most impactful thing I’ve done in my spiritual life. So, I challenged my sons to memorize these verses and allow God to shape them from the inside out.
     
    I want to share this list of top 100 verses with you. It would be great if you committed to memorize them, but even if you don’t this is a great list to turn to when you need a word from God.
     
    Monty
     
     
    Genesis 50:20 God Works in All Situations
    Deuteronomy 31:8 His Presence
    Joshua 1:8 Meditate on His Word
    Joshua 24:15 Commitment
    Job 19:25-26 Eternal Hope
    Psalm 1:2-3 Rooted
    Psalm 5:1-3 Pray in the Morning
    Psalm 8:1 God’s Majesty
    Psalm 25:4 Direction
    Psalm 37:4-5 In the Lord
    Psalm 42:1-2 Longing for God
    Psalm 46:1 Our Refuge
    Psalm 46:10 Rest
    Psalm 62:8 Pour Out Your Heart
    Psalm 81:10 Anticipate His Blessings
    Psalm 89:15 His Presence
    Psalm 91:4 God’s Protection
    Psalm 94:19 Confusion
    Psalm 103:1-2 Praise
    Psalm 116:1 God Hears
    Psalm 139:1-3 God Knows
    Proverbs 3:5-6 Trust Him
    Proverbs 4:23 Guard Your Heart
    Isaiah 40:31 Soar
    Isaiah 41:10 Never Fear
    Jeremiah 9:23-24 Boast in the Lord
    Jeremiah 29:11-13 God’s Plans
    Jeremiah 33:3 Call On Him
    Lamentations 3:22-23 God’s Faithfulness
    Micah 6:8 What God Really Wants of Us
    Habakkuk 3:17-18 Regardless of Circumstances
    Matthew 5:16 Let Your Light Shine
    Matthew 6:19-21 True Treasure
    Matthew 6:33 Priority
    Matthew 7:7 Just Ask
    Matthew 7:12 The Golden Rule
    Matthew 9:36-38 A Heart for Evangelism
    Matthew 11:28-30 Rest
    Matthew 20:26-28 A Servant Heart
    Matthew 21:21-22 Praying with Faith
    Matthew 22:37-40 Love God, Love Others
    Matthew 28:19-20 The Great Commission
    Luke 9:23 Follow Me
    Luke 14:25-27, 33 Nothing Before Him
    John 3:30 Humility
    John 3:16 The Gospel
    John 14:1 Don’t Give Up
    John 14:15 To Love Is To Obey
    John 14:27 God’s Peace
    John 15:4-5 Abide in Him
    Acts 4:19-20 Take A Stand
    Acts 24:16 Integrity
    Romans 5:8 Grace We Did Not Deserve
    Romans 8:31-32 God Is For Us
    Romans 12:1-2 God’s Way is the Best Way
    Romans 12:15 Caring About Others
    Romans 14:8 We Belong to God
    1 Corinthians 6:19-20 Honor God
    1 Corinthians 9:27 Self-Discipline
    1 Corinthians 10:13 Overcoming Temptation
    1 Corinthians 13:4-7 Love Is
    1 Corinthians 15:58 He’s Worth Serving
    2 Corinthians 3:4-5 Our Competence in God
    2 Corinthians 5:7 Walk by Faith
    2 Corinthians 5:14-15 Live for Him
    2 Corinthians 12:9 My Weakness, His Strength
    Galatians 2:20 Life in Christ
    Galatians 5;22-23 Fruit of the Spirit
    Galatians 6:7 We Reap What We Sow
    Ephesians 2:8-9 Grace
    Ephesians 2:20 Created for A Purpose
    Ephesians 4:29 Watch What You Say
    Ephesians 4:32 Forgiveness
    Ephesians 5:15-17 Will of the Lord
    Ephesians 6:10-12 Spiritual Warfare
    Philippians 1:6 God Is At Work in You
    Philippians 2;3-4 Never Selfish
    Philippians 2:9-11 No Higher Name
    Philippians 3:13-14 Press On
    Philippians 4:6-7 Pray
    Philippians 4:13 In His Strength
    Colossians 3:2 Perspective
    Colossians 3:23-24 Do It for the Lord
    2 Thessalonians 3:3 God’s Protection
    Hebrews 10:24-25 The Body of Christ
    Hebrews 11:6 Faith
    Hebrews 12:3 Endurance
    Hebrews 12:12-13 Strength
    Hebrews 13:5 Contentment
    James 1:2-4 Enduring Trials
    James 1:19 Patience
    James 4:10 Humility
    1 Peter 1:15-16 Holiness
    1 Peter 2:24 Christ Died for Us
    1 Peter 4:10 Use Your Gifts
    1 Peter 5:7 Anxiety
    1 John 2:15-17 Do Not Love the World
    1 John 5:14-15 Confidence in Prayer
    Revelation 2:4 First Love
    Revelation 21:3-4 ​Heaven


    ]]>     http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2012/11/05/top-100-verses#comments 0     The Journey to Godly Sorrow Donnie Dixon, elder / discipleship pastor Donnie Dixon, elder / discipleship pastor I want you to know that I count it a privilege to serve you. You are a priceless treasure in my life! Your faithfulness in humbly serving God and being an authentic witness in your sphere of the world is inspiring to me.

    I have been told that I am a gracious man and quick to give people the benefit of the doubt. I do [...]]]>     http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2012/10/29/the-journey-to-godly-sorrow Mon, 29 Oct 2012 11:50:23 +0000 http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2012/10/29/the-journey-to-godly-sorrow I want you to know that I count it a privilege to serve you. You are a priceless treasure in my life! Your faithfulness in humbly serving God and being an authentic witness in your sphere of the world is inspiring to me.

    I have been told that I am a gracious man and quick to give people the benefit of the doubt. I do believe this response to people is from the heart of God. However, people’s strengths can be vulnerable to weaknesses. At the same time God is immeasurably patient with me and offers His amazing grace, I am glad God is holy and is equally serious about my sin. God stings my heart when I drift from Him. It hurts but I am eternally grateful because my sin is diametrically opposed to God’s purposes for my life!

    I know you sin just as I do. You will continue to as long as you are on this side of heaven. But that doesn’t mean that we should resolve ourselves to sin, believing, “Well, that’s just how I am”. I plead with you to read this prayer that I shared last night at our Concert of Prayer. I believe God could use it to bring you closer to who He wants you to be.

    By God’s grace,
    Donnie
    Elder and Discipleship pastor

    The Journey to Godly Sorrow

    Dear God, may we be a people of Godly sorrow, not worldly sorrow!! Not be a people of worldly sorrow which is:
    · Quick and trite
    · Groans, “I feel bad because I got caught” or “I am going to be inconvenienced for awhile”
    · Void of empathy for You and others
    · Clueless of the wake of destruction left in its path
    · Filled with rationalizing, minimizing, justifying, defensiveness, and pride
    · Never leading to true and lasting change

    People of Godly sorrow:
    · Who encompasses the character to ask, “God, what do you think and feel about my sin?”
    · Who take full responsibility crying, “I did it! No excuses! I was wrong!!”
    · Who regretfully say, “It breaks my heart that I grieved your heart”
    · Who with conviction declare, “It rips me apart that I was not in the center of Your will”
    · Who are saddened that they were participating in shrinking the KOG not expanding it feeling the sentiment, “Oh God, what opportunities have I missed?
    · Who are filled with disgust realizing they are hurting the very people they were called to love
    · Who have confidently come to believe, CHANGE nothing short of change is the litmus test of repentance!

    I know Your Word declares, “If” my people will turn from their wicked ways, THEN you will hear and heal our land, our very lives. It’s only a 2 letter word, “if” but it carries such significance…
    We pray for revival. We plead for Your Spirit to fall upon us but we soon forget that sin is the greatest:
    · Spirit deflector
    · Revival distinguisher
    · Intimacy killer
    · Joy destroyer

    Dear God, we pause right now asking you to shine your holiest light upon our hearts. Reveal what You want us to see about ourselves. We commit right now to express Godly sorrow to You, realizing that time will show if we truly meant it or not!

    ]]>     http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2012/10/29/the-journey-to-godly-sorrow#comments 0     20 Prayers For Our Church Steven Testone, elder Steven Testone, elder 2. That we would not just seek to be taught the scriptures, but we would also seek to taste the scriptures. 
    3. That we would spend less time worrying about looking clean to each other and more time trying to get dirty by washing each [...]]]>     http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2012/10/20/20-prayers-for-our-church Sat, 20 Oct 2012 14:06:39 +0000 http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2012/10/20/20-prayers-for-our-church 2. That we would not just seek to be taught the scriptures, but we would also seek to taste the scriptures. 
    3. That we would spend less time worrying about looking clean to each other and more time trying to get dirty by washing each others feet.
    4. That we will not create a kingdom of activities for people, but we would activate people for God's kingdom. 
    5. That we would not try to promote ourselves to sell Christianity to the lost, but we would lose ourselves to promote Christ through our Christianity. 
    6. That our focus would not be on the songs we sing but the God we sing songs to. 
    7. That we will not just pray when we see we need more, but that we would see our need is to pray more.
    8. That we would not just be blessed by receiving what we are given, but we would know it’s more blessed to give than to receive.
    9. That we would be less focused on us doing a work for God, and more focused on allowing God to do a work in us.
    10. That we would not hope to know the future, but we would know the hope our future brings.
    11. We would do more than take in the word of God, but we would also take God at his word.
    12. That we don’t hope people would love to know us, but that through us they would know love and hope.
    13. That a love for shaking hands would continue into us holding hands in love.
    14. That our goal would not be to go to church, but our goal would be to be the Church.
    15. That we will not try to have a picture perfect family, but that our family would paint a perfect picture of Christ.
    16. That we would not worry about the world magnifying our weaknesses, but we would know that Christ is magnified to the world through our weaknesses.
    17. That the gospel of Christ would not just be the start of our faith, but that it would be the very heart of our faith.
    18. That our church would be more than just filled with people, but that our church would be people filled with the Holy Spirit.
    19. That our hearts for the people around our table would increase to include people around the world.
    20. That I would know that I can’t start this, but pray that God would start this in me!

    What are you praying for during our 30 days of prayer and fasting?

    ]]>     http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2012/10/20/20-prayers-for-our-church#comments 0     What if Sharing Our Faith was Irresistible? Keith Tooley, On Mission Pastor Keith Tooley, On Mission Pastor http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2012/10/17/what-if-sharing-our-faith-was-irresistible Wed, 17 Oct 2012 09:05:37 +0000 http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2012/10/17/what-if-sharing-our-faith-was-irresistible
    On October 21, we will start learning fresh ways to be on mission, and share our faith, when all of our Adult Bible Fellowships – all 12 of them that meet at 9:30 am on Sundays – will be teaching the Irresistible Evangelism curriculum for four weeks. Irresistible Evangelism is a fun, interactive, DVD-driven personal evangelism training experience that you will not want to miss as you will learn natural ways to help open others to Jesus. It is fast-paced and will keep everyone engaged. You will want to be a part of it, and so will your Christian friends. So invite them to come.

    We all need help sharing our faith. We all need help and encouragement to be on mission. The Apostle Paul knew that. He wrote letters of instruction and encouragement to the churches he helped establish. In those letters, he told believers to share the good news. And there was an urgency to his methods and his message. In Acts 4:20, Peter and John said they “could not help speaking about what they had seen and heard.” They could not stop talking about Jesus and the gospel.  

    My hope, and prayer, is that those who attend and engage in this training will come away motivated to take some steps. Those steps might include: starting some new relationships with unbelievers; praying for opportunities to engage unbelieving friends in fresh new ways, intentionally having more spiritual conversations, and sharing their faith.

    “I pray that you may be active in sharing your faith, so that you will have a full understanding of every good thing we have in Christ.” (Philemon 6)

    Jesus Christ wants you to experience the fullness of his relationship with you. Have you been missing out on that because you have not been sharing your faith? Hopefully, Irresistible Evangelism will help us all get on the path to experiencing His best!

    ]]>     http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2012/10/17/what-if-sharing-our-faith-was-irresistible#comments 0     Where Can One's Spiritual Journey Begin? Kelly Gottschalk Kelly Gottschalk http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2012/09/28/where-can-ones-spiritual-journey-begin Fri, 28 Sep 2012 17:55:00 +0000 http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2012/09/28/where-can-ones-spiritual-journey-begin  
    One night recently, Alexis Drebbs (3 years old), had a bad dream, so her mom asked her if she wanted to pray about it. Alexis said yes, so they asked Jesus to protect her and give her a good night's sleep.
    • Evie Zimmerman (2 years old) won’t let her parents put her to bed without hearing a Bible story first and has begun to pray on her own.  She is talking with her parents about God making things like trees and coffee.  She is also repeating Bible stories that have been read or told to her and asking her parents to pray for her when she gets hurt.  
    • Ellie Brewer (2 years old) is retelling her Bible story that she hears on Sunday mornings to her Bible study teachers.  
    • One of our unchurched children that attends Canyon Creek Preschool (5 years old) shared that the favorite thing that she learned this year was that God loves her.  
    • Abigail Earl (3 years old) was at the table during dinner time and when her dad and mom bowed their heads to pray, Abigail put her little hands together and bowed her head, too. 
    • Mercie Swartz (4 years old) While her family was doing Resurrection Eggs before Easter last year, they were discussing how the guards were gambling for Jesus’ clothes. Her mom asked her children questions instead of reading the verse and giving the answer. So she asked “What did the guards do with Jesus’ clothes?” The older 3 children said nothing. Mercie raised her hand and said, “They played a game with dice to see who would get his robe and sandals.”  
    • Alexis Drebes (3 years old) Every night we read a story and as soon as I close the book Alexis puts her hands together and tells God all the things she is thankful for. "Daddy and mommy and ...."
    • Patty Evans, teaches chapel at Canyon Creek Preschool and shared that she had a little boy from CCP come up to her after chapel and ask her why God would love him?  This gave her a great opportunity to tell him because God made him. God seemed like a completely foreign concept to him. 
    • A mom from Canyon Creek Preschool said that she was in the grocery store with her daughter and a lady told her she was beautiful and asked where she got her beauty from.  The little girl replied, “From God!”  
    • In one of our 1st grade Sunday school class, they were doing prayer requests.  One of the kids thought to bring up a prayer need of one of the kids that wasn’t there that day. We are so impressed that she was thinking past her own needs and wants and focused on the needs of others.  
    I hope these examples not only brought a smile to your face, but that they solidified how important it is to build spiritual foundations in our little ones so that as they grow up, they will have the heart and head knowledge to accept Christ as their Savior.  Not to mention, that then as an adults, these simple truths are engrained in their hearts and minds which allows them to lean on these truths for the rest of their lives.  People’s spiritual journeys have to begin somewhere….why not in preschool ministry, its way more than babysitting!



    ]]>     http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2012/09/28/where-can-ones-spiritual-journey-begin#comments 0     A Doer of the Word? Mark Perkins, elder Mark Perkins, elder http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2012/09/19/a-doer-of-the-word Wed, 19 Sep 2012 09:16:36 +0000 http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2012/09/19/a-doer-of-the-word  
    So during my recent morning devotional times, I have been reading through the books of the New Testament.  I happen to be in the book of James this week and came across the following verse:
     
    “But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves.” (James 1:22)
     
    As I began to dwell upon this verse, I was struck by the weightiness of such a statement.  I began to contemplate whether in my own life I had studied God’s word or had listened to sound biblical teaching, yet I had only gained knowledge.  Had I failed to apply the very truths I had just heard or learned?  Could I be guilty of knowing Bible history, able to quote scripture and readily know how to defend my faith, yet fail to live out its truths in my daily life?  Was I a hearer or a doer?  James compares the one who only hears the word to someone who looks at his own face in the mirror and immediately forgets his own image.
     
    In an honest evaluation, I can look back and think of examples in my life where I walked out of a challenging sermon or Bible study class thinking to myself “that was a message I needed to hear”, yet I failed to apply some of those very truths in my life.  Oh Lord, let me be obedient to hear your word and put it into action!
     
    Are there any areas in your life where you have been a hearer only and not a doer of God’s word?  I remember the Nike tag line “Just Do It”.  Maybe that tag line would be a good reminder to us all to become a doer for the glory of God.


    ]]>     http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2012/09/19/a-doer-of-the-word#comments 0     A Refuge For the Needy Keith Tooley, On Mission Pastor Keith Tooley, On Mission Pastor “You have been a refuge for the poor, a refuge for the needy in his distress, a shelter from the storm, and a shade from the heat. – Isaiah 25:4

    Did you know that The Church at Canyon Creek is a place where “the needy in distress” come for refuge and help?

    I love the fact that our church has a Benevolence [...]]]>     http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2012/09/03/a-refuge-for-the-needy Mon, 03 Sep 2012 11:59:29 +0000 http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2012/09/03/a-refuge-for-the-needy “You have been a refuge for the poor, a refuge for the needy in his distress, a shelter from the storm, and a shade from the heat. – Isaiah 25:4

    Did you know that The Church at Canyon Creek is a place where “the needy in distress” come for refuge and help?

    I love the fact that our church has a Benevolence Ministry and Fund for those outside our church who come here seeking help in their time of need. And we try to give every person who either calls or walks into our church - something. I think it is wonderful that many people see our church as a place to go to get help.

    Typically, we will meet with the person or family in need, hear about their problem or need, encourage and pray with them, give them a Bible (if they don’t have one), and we usually give them an HEB gift card, which they can use to get food and gas. These are the two items most needed. We also connect them to resources outside of our church.

    This past year we have assisted almost 100 family units. Financial help is the biggest need, but that is not the only reason why people come to our church.

    I recall the Concordia student who had come to the end of her rope. She was desperate. She was driving by our church, saw our sign and pulled into our parking lot. I spent the next two hours listening to her, giving her Kleenexes as she wept, planting gospel seeds, and she left uplifted and encouraged.

    People walk in needing rides, housing, rent, help with utility bills, help handling a situation, and prayer. Some of the people we see need counseling, which we provide free to them because we have professional counselors who attend our church who volunteer their time to do counseling assessments. 

    Recently a teen called to see if we could come to her home and remove a rattlesnake that had settled into their bathroom. (We have even had stranger requests than this one.)

    On call – Monday through Friday – are your seven pastors: Monty, Damon, Donnie, Dusty, Keith, Patty and Kelly. We meet with those who either call or walk into our church needing help. Over the course of the year, we will disburse over $4,000 to help them in their time of distress, and invest numerous hours listening and ministering to their mental, emotional, physical and spiritual needs.

    I know it is an honor and a privilege for all of our pastors to get to be involved in helping these families. They arrive distressed. They often leave here uplifted and hopeful. We thank God that He is bringing them to our church.

    Our church comes to the aid of the needy in our community in many ways. This is just one of them that I thought you might want to know about because it is your generous giving that makes it possible for our church to minister to these families. Feel blessed in knowing that our acts of love and care for those in need are making a difference for the Kingdom!

    ]]>     http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2012/09/03/a-refuge-for-the-needy#comments 0     In His Majesty's Service - HMS Steven Hieronymus, elder Steven Hieronymus, elder http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2012/08/24/in-his-majestys-service-hms Fri, 24 Aug 2012 15:07:59 +0000 http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2012/08/24/in-his-majestys-service-hms
    I am writing this blog from the perspective of a degree of reflection and some anticipation / trepidation as to the next steps in my call to service.  My family has had the privilege of being joined with this church family for almost twenty-four years.  Over these years I have been excited, humbled and challenged in so many different ways as I served in various roles and capacities.  The Lord has applied His hand to me; He has inspired me and most assuredly taught me that He is the source / provider from which all abilities and strength are derived.   Service within the body will entail hurts and difficulties, yet there is such great joy in serving with and through this Bride of Christ – The Church.

    In the next week or so I will be officially marking the end of my term of service as an elder here at The Church at Canyon Creek.  I want to express my great appreciation for the prayers and other support that our church family has provided.  What a great Elder / Council team that I have been joined with while serving as an elder and as Chairman.  I also must express my great love and thanks to my wife and helper – Rhonda.  She is a truly incredible Christian woman and I cannot imagine being able to serve without her strength and support.  I have been blessed beyond measure.  A shout out of thanks for their great support must also go to my ABF class – Hill/Trevino.

    I will most certainly miss working with our Elder & Council teams, but I will readily express that some decompression time sounds good to me right now.  I am confident that, barring a call to come Home, that the Lord has something planned for me.  I recently heard a speaker make the following comment – “Not Dead, Not Done”.  This is the anticipation and trepidation part that I mentioned earlier.  What if it is outside my comfort zone?  What if it entails coming into contact with the bane of my outdoor experiences – poison ivy?  I hope the grounds team does not take advantage of this expression of fear!  I think you likely get my point, but I can also say with confidence, given my life experience of being in service, that the Lord will not call us into a place of service without making the necessary provisions for us.  We may get frustrated and humbled for a while, yet He will grow us and use us to accomplish His plan.  I do know with certainty that I am and will always be called to be an ambassador of Christ, spreading the good news of the Gospel message of grace, love and provision.

    Are you active in service?  If you are not yet engaged; if you feel that the Lord is calling you to take a next step, then I encourage you to contact one of our staff or elders, or give me a call, so that we can help you take that next step.  Our church family, our community and our world need people willing to heed the call; to share the Gospel and serve while leaning upon the Lord for guidance and strength.

    Ephesians 6:7 – “Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not men,…”

    As we abide in the Lord; as we obediently serve, then I am convinced that the Holy Spirit will shake us (not stir) with great power and we will have the privilege to be in proximity as the Lord moves.

    Once again, I thank you for supporting my family and myself in so many ways over the years and certainly during these last couple of years.

    I remain in His Majesty’s Service,

    Steven Hieronymus
    Elder

    ]]>     http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2012/08/24/in-his-majestys-service-hms#comments 0     Relationship Tension? damon@churchatcanyoncreek.com damon@churchatcanyoncreek.com
    We say things we shouldn’t. We do things we regret. We annoy each other. We let each other down. And too often, we hurt those we love the most. Relationships are like bumper cars. We keep bumping into each [...]]]>     http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2012/08/20/relationship-tension Mon, 20 Aug 2012 00:00:00 +0000 http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2012/08/20/relationship-tension
    We say things we shouldn’t. We do things we regret. We annoy each other. We let each other down. And too often, we hurt those we love the most. Relationships are like bumper cars. We keep bumping into each other.

    One problem is that none of us are perfect. The other problem is that we think we are. We can’t help thinking that we are right. And we can’t help looking at life through the lens of self. It’s all about how others treat us. We’re ruled by self-interest, self-righteousness, and self-preservation. Which means that when other people irritate us, annoy us, or get in our way, we feel like we have the right to push back and to defend ourselves. The challenge is to get the focus off ourselves and onto other people. The Golden Rule is so practical about this.  “Treat others the way you want to be treated.”

    The purpose of this series is to take a deeper look at four of the most difficult “one another” passages in the Bible. These verses require something more than just being nice to each other. They demand maturity and they challenge our character. Any relationship can improve, but to do so, it requires the hard work of becoming more loving, more forgiving, more patient, and more humble.

    So, if you’re like most people and could use some help with your relationships, here are four things you can do to make any relationship better.

    August 26 – Patience, Because You’re Weird Too – Eph. 4:2
    Sept. 2 – Forgiveness, Because You Make Mistakes Too – Eph. 4:32
    Sept. 9 – Humility, Because You’re Not Always Right – 1 Peter 5:5
    Sept. 16 – Love, But Not the Romantic Kind – 1 Corinthians 13

    See you on Sunday,

    Monty

    ]]>     http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2012/08/20/relationship-tension#comments 0     Stalled? Monty Watson Monty Watson
    This summer, we’ve been looking at Phrases That Shape the Soul, at those life-defining phrases by some of the most famous characters [...]]]>     http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2012/08/06/stalled Mon, 06 Aug 2012 12:31:54 +0000 http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2012/08/06/stalled
    This summer, we’ve been looking at Phrases That Shape the Soul, at those life-defining phrases by some of the most famous characters in the Bible. Like David, who said, “Oh Lord, there is none like You.” And Joshua, who said, “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”  And Paul, who said, “For me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.” These phrases inspire me to want to live just as passionately as they did. I hope you’ve felt the same way this summer.

    But, if we’re honest, sometimes we feel stalled in our faith. Sometimes, we just don’t have much passion. Sometimes, we don’t feel anything and we can even feel bored by the familiarity of it all. Obviously, this is not a good place to be.

    So, to help us jump start our spiritual lives, for the next two weeks I’m going to deal with this issue of being stalled in our faith. Have you guessed the top two reasons yet?

    One, is a lack of discipline to spend time in the Word of God. Failing to spend time in the Word is like trying to run a car on empty. So on August 12 the message title will be “Stalled? Maybe You’re Just Out of Gas.” And by that, I’m talking about our need to pour God’s Word into our lives.

    Two, is a lack of priority and excessive busyness. Too many Christians are just too busy to make spiritual growth a priority. We’re busy with a lot of good things, but not making room for the best thing. So on August 19 the message title will be “Stalled? Maybe It’s A Drained Battery.” The point being, that like draining the battery on a car, busyness can drain our spiritual batteries and leaving us feeling stalled.

    I’m praying that God will help all of us jump start our spiritual lives so that we truly live the passionate, abundant life He intended for us to live.

    See you on Sunday,

    Monty


    ]]>     http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2012/08/06/stalled#comments 0     Dinner With a Buddhist Keith Tooley, On Mission Pastor Keith Tooley, On Mission Pastor http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2012/07/13/dinner-with-a-buddhist Fri, 13 Jul 2012 09:29:48 +0000 http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2012/07/13/dinner-with-a-buddhist
    We met at my hotel and walked to one of his favorite eateries. I offered to treat him to dinner, and I asked him to order for me - feeling adventurous to try whatever he suggested. I was given a big bowl with a lot of interesting things floating around in it. I was glad I left the ordering to him. It was good!

    We talked about his business, his family and life in general. We agreed that life is hard. We also agreed that there are many big questions that need to be answered, such as: Why are we here? Do we have a purpose? Is there a God? And is it possible to reach a state of peace in this life? That was just for starters. When we finished dinner, he suggested that we continue our conversation at a quieter place, so we walked down the street to a Starbucks.

    After talking for a while, he seemed to agree that it made the most sense for there to be only one god, not many gods, if there were a god. Then I saw an opportunity to share the gospel. As I was explaining the gospel, he started talking about what he believes as a Buddhist, which I found very interesting. How many people get to hear how one achieves the four stages of enlightenment? I prayed that Jesus would provide a transition back to the gospel. And He did.

    Following his explanation of the Buddhist readings and how to reach a state of peace (nothingness), it was obvious – by the steps and the required action on his part - that his beliefs were all works-based. And through these works, he had not achieved inner peace. Reaching a state of peace was about doing – his doing and good behavior - and his striving to reach the next state of enlightenment. This opened the door for me to explain that in Christianity, there is no “doing.” It is “done.” Jesus Christ took care of that for us. So we spent quite a while talking about grace – God’s love and favor toward us, even though we don’t deserve it because of our sin. I explained that he can have peace in this life, but that it comes through having a relationship with God through Jesus Christ. 

    He had many good questions. I prayed silently and I did my best to answer. “In Christianity, why is God three things? How can we get rid of sin, or at least reach a state of peace with it?” 
    Then he surprised me. “How have you experienced this?” He was asking to hear my personal testimony, which I got to share. Then he asked, “How do you do it?” And I got to explain how he would go about entering into a relationship with Jesus.

    I would love to tell you that he then prayed and became a believer, but he didn’t. He was thankful for our talk, and that I attempted to answer his questions. He has a Bible that the missionary there gave him, so I suggested that he read a chapter of the book of John each day, and that he simply ask God that if what he reads is true, that God will convict him of it. He asked for my email address. And that was that. I have not heard from him since.

    I had enjoyed a great evening with someone who lives on the other side of the world, in a different culture, with different beliefs, who graciously treated me to a meal and great conversation. We were both open and willing to listen to one another and to try to understand one another. It was evident that God had planned this amazing evening. I trust that He will use it for His purposes in both my life as well as that of my new friend.

    I had a dream a couple of nights ago. In the dream, I was in an airport, and a stranger with a smile walked up to me and told me that the man I had dinner with in Taipei had received Jesus. He excitedly told me that he was saved. I hope and pray that my dream comes true. Would you join me in that prayer?

    ]]>     http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2012/07/13/dinner-with-a-buddhist#comments 1     Opportunity Knocks Mark Perkins, elder Mark Perkins, elder
    It had been a busy day, full of demands on your time and energy.  You can’t wait to get home to kick off those shoes, put on that old T-shirt and comfortable shorts, enjoy a nice dinner with [...]]]> http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2012/07/02/opportunity-knocks Mon, 02 Jul 2012 09:26:24 +0000 http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2012/07/02/opportunity-knocks
    It had been a busy day, full of demands on your time and energy.  You can’t wait to get home to kick off those shoes, put on that old T-shirt and comfortable shorts, enjoy a nice dinner with your family and then lay back in that overstuffed easy chair for a little rest and relaxation.  Then it happens…a knock at the door.  As you peer through the frosted glass window of the door, you see the images of two young men with matching white dress shirts with name tags, patiently waiting on your doorstep for the opportunity to share their message with you.  Immediately, you are confronted with a decision…do you answer the knock at the door or simply ignore it, opting for the comforts of your easy chair and hoping they will move on to knock on your neighbor’s front door?

    Over the last couple of weeks, I had not just one, but two instances where individuals with a cause or a spiritual message came to my front door.  The Lord has convicted me that these visitors who come to my front door are God-given opportunities, not inconvenience.  One of those doorstep visitors was “Keith”, a young man with long unwashed hair and unshaved face, who was going door-to-door seeking financial support for a local group of environmentalists.   At that moment, I had a choice to make, not about endorsing an effort to save the planet, but whether I should open my mouth and share the hope I have in Jesus Christ, the one who saves lives.  I felt a sense of urgency given I knew that I most likely would never see this young man again. 

    Keith agreed to sit on my front patio where I had the opportunity to share with him about the one true God who loves him and wants to have a relationship with him and how He sent his only son to die on the cross for our sins.  Keith shared that he had been homeless at one point in his life, but that he had recently begun to read some of the Bible.  At that point in our conversation, Keith’s phone rang and it was his ride waiting to pick him up.  As we shook hands and parted ways, I encouraged Keith to continue to read his Bible, which reveals God’s plan of salvation.

    As I have reflected upon my brief encounter with Keith, I am reminded of the many other relationships I have at my office, my neighborhood and even within my own extended family with people who need to hear the same message of hope in Jesus.  Why do I not have the same sense of urgency that I had with Keith?  Why am I not as willing to open my mouth and share?  Once again, I am reminded of the challenge issued by the Apostle Paul in 2 Corinthians 5:19-20 where Christ has committed to us the word of reconciliation.  Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us.  I am humbled to know that God desires to include us as He carries out His plan of redemption.

    Oh Lord, may I capture the significance and seriousness of my responsibility to be your ambassador!  When opportunity knocks (sometimes literally), help me be the ambassador you want me to be.

    ]]>     http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2012/07/02/opportunity-knocks#comments 1 Joy in the MIdst of Trial David Melles, elder David Melles, elder People build with gold, silver, very fine stones, wood, grass, or straw on top of the foundation. But the day will come when everyone's work can be seen. Their work will be tested by fire and the fire will show what kind of work each one did. If the work a man did is not burned up in the fire, he will be paid for his work.But if a man's work is [...]]]> http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2012/06/15/joy-in-the-midst-of-trial Fri, 15 Jun 2012 10:52:35 +0000 http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2012/06/15/joy-in-the-midst-of-trial People build with gold, silver, very fine stones, wood, grass, or straw on top of the foundation. But the day will come when everyone's work can be seen. Their work will be tested by fire and the fire will show what kind of work each one did. If the work a man did is not burned up in the fire, he will be paid for his work.But if a man's work is burned up, he will lose everything. He himself will be saved, like a man pulled out of the fire.You know that you are God's house. The spirit of God lives in you. 1 Corinthians 3:12-16

    We continue to witness the devastation of wild fires throughout Colorado and New Mexico, burning out of control. Yet even as these raging fires consume the forest, something is quietly going on to prepare their very renewal.

    Did you know that there is an unusual species of Evergreen called the Lodgepole Pine that grows in great numbers throughout Northwest America, especially in Yellowstone Park.

    One of the fascinating aspects of this Pine is the uniqueness of its cones. It can take many years for Lodgepole Pines to release their cones from the branches and, even when they do fall, they will not open to release their seed...until they are in the presence of intense heat!

    Why, we might ask, has God designed these trees to have this characteristic?

    Having designed nature, including the potential for destructive forest fires, He has providentially prepared for their subsequent renewal by designing a Pine tree whose reproduction requires its own destruction...fire! So, even as trees, wildlife, and all living things are being destroyed in a forest blaze, the seeds of renewal are also being released for the "resurrection" of forest life...because, of course, since their seeds are actually released by the fire, the Lodgestone Pines are the first to grow in an area that's been burned!

    Sometimes there are areas in our own lives that need to be consumed or burnt by the refining fire of God’s Spirit. However God has also provided for a renewal in us...a "seed" of something brand new, which can only be birthed by intense heat. This new seed, however it manifests in our lives, represents the resurrection life of Christ, which emerges in the presence of His purifying fire.

    So the Lodgepole Pine is a picture for us, of resurrection and hope in the midst of fiery trials.

    Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. James 1:2-4

    James is calling us to endurance, hope and joy in the midst of trials, allowing God to consume everything in us which does not serve His Glory, even if it means a lot of heat!

    ]]>     http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2012/06/15/joy-in-the-midst-of-trial#comments 0     Living It Steven Hieronymus, Elder Steven Hieronymus, Elder http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2012/05/25/living-it Fri, 25 May 2012 14:23:44 +0000 http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2012/05/25/living-it
    I do confess that sometimes I feel a bit isolated living in somewhat of a Christian bubble, especially since I work out of a home office and so much of my life seems to be connected to fellow believers.  However, something happened that helped me to see that there are little opportunities that exist most every day.  I received an email from someone that is pretty remote from me and I realized that here was an opportunity to “Live It”. 

    I subsequently shared the below communications with my ABF class and thought I might now put it out and see how our church family might respond.  So let me provide some basic information to put this into context.  I have never met “MB” in person, only through electronic communication and a few phone calls, from a business perspective.  I do know that “MB” is a follower of eastern philosophy / religion and has a “guru” to seek for guidance. 

    After receiving the email it dawned on me that this was an opportunity to share my faith and communicate my stand, while hopefully not inflaming emotions.  Since others were copied (don’t know them) they too will receive my email. 

    Original email that I received from “MB”:
    From: MB
    Sent: Friday, May 11, 2012 4:52 PM
    To: XXXXX; XXXX; XXXXX
    Subject: Stand With President Obama and Support Marriage Equality
    Just go to this link and add your name to the list of over 200,000 who had signed before me.  Obama deserves our support on this issue.  We certainly wouldn't want him to back down for lack thereof.  He took a risk, and those who care should back him.
    http://dccc.org/Marriage-Equality.
    Thanks.
    MB
    PS  If you don't agree, just delete and accept my apology for assuming you would. 

    Responsive email from me:
    From: Steven Hieronymus [mailto:steven.hieronymus1@gmail.com]
    Sent: Friday, May 11, 2012 5:27 PM
    To: ‘MB’; 'XXXX; 'XXXXXX'; 'XXXXXXXX'
    Subject: RE: Stand With President Obama and Support Marriage Equality
    MB,
    Thank you for acknowledging that some might not agree, but frankly I am sorry that you might assume that I would support gay marriage, as I would desire to be “known” with respect to my personal faith.  I do not consider this topic to be a rights issue, but rather a moral one thus my prism is God’s Word.  I am a Christian, which by definition means a Christ follower.  Our Creator provided not only our inalienable civil rights, but also established His moral code.  I would desire to never condemn, scorn or express hate toward any individual or group, given that Christ calls us to reflect His grace to all.  I also recognize that we all fall short (certainly I have), thus have sin in our lives.  While Christ (Jesus) offered Grace, He also said to go and sin no more, thus calling us to a higher standard.  My desire is to live a life more conformed to His image.  At any rate I just wanted to be very clear as to where I stand, which is upon the Word of God and the ultimate grace offered to us all through Christ Jesus.
    Hope all is well with you.
    Steven

    My desire is to be On-Mission and aspire to be an effective Ambassador.  I want to be known as standing with Christ, desiring to conform to his image.  1 John 2:23 – No one who denies the Son has the Father; whoever acknowledges the Son has the Father also.

    So what say you?  Did I do the right thing?  Was the tone to hard, to soft, or just right?  I would appreciate your feedback and thoughts.
    Steven Hieronymus
    Steven.hieronymus1@gmail.com

    ]]>     http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2012/05/25/living-it#comments 1     Responding to the Call Keith Tooley, On Mission Pastor Keith Tooley, On Mission Pastor
    First of all, can you believe that 85 people have already been on one of the three short-term trips so far this year! That is a big chunk of our congregation. These trips [...]]]>     http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2012/05/12/responding-to-the-call Sat, 12 May 2012 17:46:39 +0000 http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2012/05/12/responding-to-the-call
    First of all, can you believe that 85 people have already been on one of the three short-term trips so far this year! That is a big chunk of our congregation. These trips include the Chinese New Year trip to Thailand, the Spring Break Youth Ministry trip to Thailand, and the Spring Break Progreso, TX trip.

    A sampling of what our BIG God did on these trips includes: thousands of Bibles distributed to Chinese tourists; many children and adults responding to the gospel message; the building of a home and other construction projects for needy families; ministering to the emotional, physical and spiritual needs of those in jails, slums, families in poor neighborhoods; outreaches to teens, men and women; training for church leaders; and much more. If I had a couple of more pages available in this blog, I could include dozens of things God did on each one of these trips.

    Next month we will send our first team to Taiwan through our long-term partnership with Southern Cross, which recently moved its operations from Thailand to Taiwan. God has provided nine people – from three churches - to go on this trip. And one of these families, who attend our church plant - The Church at Bee Caves - were missionaries to Taiwan for 16 years! What a bonus to have them on this trip! And we are excited to see what other ministry partners, besides Southern Cross, God might connect us with while we are there.

    In July, our Youth Ministry will go on its annual summer trip to Progreso, TX. And through the Church Builders organization, our church will send a team somewhere in the United States (we should have the location any day now) where they will work with churches all over the nation to help build a church in one week - from the foundation up!

    Sometime in the Fall, we will send a team to East Asia to work with our missionaries there. Won’t you pray about going?

    One of our new missions initiatives is the East Asia Strategic Team. This team has formulated a long-range plan to help the missionaries there accomplish their goals to reach an Unreached People Group, or UPG. (This is a people group where less than 2% are believers.) This team will be implementing this plan over the next several years until this people group is “reached” – meaning 10% believers.

    Another exciting thing to report is that we have several families and individuals in our congregation who are either praying about, or planning, to become long-term missionaries. One of those families will be headed to Turkey in August to serve as teachers there for a year.

    The call to “go” has been declared. Are you going? Do you want to go? Will you go? Will you at least pray about going? I return from every mission trip amazed and changed by God. Come aboard. Join us. God will grow you leaps and bounds. And you will be tremendously blessed for making this investment in the Kingdom.

    ]]>     http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2012/05/12/responding-to-the-call#comments 0     40 vs 3,000 Patty Evans, children's minister Patty Evans, children's minister http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2012/05/04/40-vs-3000 Fri, 04 May 2012 17:49:30 +0000 http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2012/05/04/40-vs-3000
    Discipling my kids feels a lot like trying to lose weight.  My natural tendency is to ignore the issue and say I’ll get to it later, and later never comes.   I learned a long time ago that what works best for me is to schedule it. I also know that if I get partners to help me out I am more effective. With this in mind, I have intentionally become strategic with the training of my kids.  I have started two separate clubs that meet the needs of my individual kids.

    My son is an avid reader.  I decided to start a mother son book club.  Five moms and their sons meet at the beginning of the year and we bring different book suggestions.  We discuss them and then vote on which ones we are going to read.  We will then meet monthly at Barnes and Noble to discuss one of the books.  They have been all kinds of genres but what amazes me is that with each book we can still have spiritual conversations.  We treat each kid as an equal contributor to the discussion.  I have noticed that my son values the time I spend getting into his world.

    As for my daughter, she is more about friends and doing girly things.  We have a club where we meet once a month with 3 other moms and their daughters and do an activity.  We might go to a pottery place, nail salon or play. After each activity, we always have a devotional. We talk about our value to God, mean girls, or any character issue we see needs to be addressed.  We even have a charm bracelet that we have added to throughout the years that mark meaningful times.

    I hope that when my kids look back on their childhood they will see that I really put an effort into building a relationship with them and intentionally discipling them. I know that there are plenty of other opportunities during the month as I drive my kids or as we sit around the dinner table.  But it seems like those moments don’t stand out as much and I just hope that our clubs become some of the greatest memories of their childhood.

    ]]>     http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2012/05/04/40-vs-3000#comments 0     Jesus Is the Only Way! Mark Perkins, elder Mark Perkins, elder http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2012/04/22/jesus-is-the-only-way Sun, 22 Apr 2012 12:38:04 +0000 http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2012/04/22/jesus-is-the-only-way
    The quest by mankind to bypass the exclusivity of Christ for salvation is not new, but it seems that our modern society has accelerated the advocacy of universalism.  Our news media especially seems saturated with calls for tolerance of other religious teachings and the advocacy that there are many ways to heaven.  Such universalistic viewpoints are contrary to the absolute truths spoken of in the Bible.  Jesus clearly proclaims in John 14:6, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.”  In this verse, the exclusiveness of Jesus as the only approach to the Father is emphatic and does not offer any of the so-called alternatives that many are seeking today.  Good works will not get you there, nor will the belief in the teachings of false religions or humanism.  Salvation is through Jesus Christ alone and that if we confess with our mouth Jesus is Lord and believe in our hearts God raised him from the dead, we will be saved (Romans 10:9).  There is no other way to obtain eternal life.

    I am reminded of the words to the old hymn “My Hope is Built on Nothing Less” written by Edward Mote in the 1830’s:

    My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus’ blood and righteousness;
    I dare not trust the sweetest frame, but wholly lean on Jesus’ name.
    On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand; all other ground is sinking sand.

    My hope is that you have placed your complete faith in Jesus Christ, who alone is the way, and the truth, and the life.

    ]]>     http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2012/04/22/jesus-is-the-only-way#comments 0     Casual or Passionate damon@churchatcanyoncreek.com damon@churchatcanyoncreek.com
    THE CASUAL CHRISTIAN VERSUS THE PASSIONATE CHRISTIAN
    Monty Watson

    To hear or read the full message, go to Media at www.churchatcanyoncreek.com, and look for the Easter message from April 8, 2012, entitled “Passion … Why We Should Live for Him.”
    http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2012/04/19/casual-or-passionate Thu, 19 Apr 2012 13:21:54 +0000 http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2012/04/19/casual-or-passionate
    THE CASUAL CHRISTIAN VERSUS THE PASSIONATE CHRISTIAN
    Monty Watson

    To hear or read the full message, go to Media at www.churchatcanyoncreek.com, and look for the Easter message from April 8, 2012, entitled “Passion … Why We Should Live for Him.”
    If it’s all true. We say we believe that Jesus loved us so much that He died for us. We say we believe that Jesus supernaturally rose the dead proving to be the Son of God. But too often there is a gap. There is a gap between what we profess to believe and how we really live. Of course, we’ll never be perfect. But the gap I’m talking is not a morality gap or a knowledge gap. The gap between what we believe and how we live is a passion gap. It’s the difference between being a casual Christian and a passionate Christian.

    When I say casual Christian, I’m not talking about being a bad Christian. I’m talking about being an 80% Christian. You might say 80% is pretty good. If I do what God wants 8 out of 10 times, then I’m doing pretty good. No wife would feel that way if her husband was faithful only 80% of the time. An 80 is a C. It’s average, but it’s certainly not passionate.

    Let me give you some examples.

    When it comes to obedience, the casual Christian is committed to living a moral life, but not quite willing to do everything Jesus said. But the passionate Christian is so motivated by a love for Jesus that he’s willing to do anything Jesus asks; no matter how radical, no matter how counter-cultural, no matter how unpopular. Jesus said, “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments” (John 14:15). The passionate Christian obeys Jesus because he loves Jesus.

    When it comes to CHARACTER, the casual Christian is a good person, yet tends to blend in with the crowd and gauge his morality by comparing himself to others. And when it comes to sin, the casual Christian avoids big sins, but rationalizes little sins. The casual Christian fears getting caught, but the passionate Christian dreads the thought of offending his Father. The passionate Christian hates his sin and is quick to repent, just like David. “Have mercy on me, O God … Wash me clean from my guilt … I recognize my rebellion; it haunts me day and night. Against you, and you alone, have I sinned; I have done what is evil in your sight” (Psalm 51:1-4, NLT).

    When it comes to SEX, the casual Christian would never think about committing adultery. But the casual Christian tends to let down his guard and has a secret place in his mind for sexual sin. But the passionate Christian realizes the dangerous consequences of carelessness. The passionate Christian dreads the thought of hurting his family. The passionate Christian hears the warning of Scripture. “Flee immorality … do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you … You have been bought with a price; therefore glorify God in your body” (1 Corinthians 6:18-20).

    When it comes to MONEY, the casual Christian “gives money to charity and to church as long as it does not impinge on his standard of living.” The casual Christian gives, but does not sacrifice. The casual Christian worries about having enough. But the passionate Christian is concerned about those who don’t have enough. The passionate Christian views money as a blessing from God that is to be used as a blessing to others and to advance God’s kingdom. The passionate Christian takes to heart what Jesus said. “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:21, NAS).

    When it comes to HEAVEN AND EARTH, the casual Christian believes in heaven and looks forward to seeing Jesus one day. But the casual Christian is often preoccupied with living the good life. Even his spirituality is a means to guaranteeing a comfortable and peaceful life. But the passionate Christian places sigificance on what has eternal value. He makes decisions in light of eternity. Paul said, “Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth” (Colossians 3:2, NAS). Eternity is the filter through which the passionate Christian assesses his values.

    When it comes to THE BIBLE, the casual Christian believes the Bible is true, but is selective in how it shapes the way he lives. But the passionate Christian reads the Bible like it is food for the soul. The prophet Jeremiah said, “When I discovered your words, I devoured them. They are my joy and my heart’s delight” (Jeremiah 15:16, NLT). For the passionate Christian, “his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night”
    (Psalm 1:2, NAS).

    When it comes to CHURCH, the casual Christian often attends church expecting the best music, the best preaching, the best children’s program. For the casual Christian, church is often a consumer activity. But the passionate Christian knows that God is not impressed with our programs or our attendance. God wants our hearts. David realized, “You do not desire a sacrifice, or I would offer one. You do not want a burnt offering. The sacrifice you desire is a broken spirit. You will not reject a broken and repentant heart, O God” (Psalm 51:16-17, NLT). God wants our hearts.

    When it comes to WORSHIP, the casual Christian loves to sing songs about God, and sings loud when things are going well. But the passionate Christian worships God even when life is painful. After losing his family and his wealth, Job still worshipped God and said, “The Lord gives and the Lord takes away. Blessed be the name of the Lord” (Job 1:21). The passionate Christian lives in awe of God and worships Him as the majestic Creator of the universe. David cried out, “When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place … O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!” (Psalm 8:3, 9, NIV).

    When it comes to KNOWING AND LOVING GOD, the casual Christian really does love God and knows a lot of good theology about God. But the passionate Christian moves beyond knowing a lot about God, about knowing God on paper, to experiencing an intimate, personal relationship with Him. The passionate Christian loves God with all his heart, with all his soul, and with all his mind (Matthew 22:37). For the passionate Christian, Jesus is the love of his life.

    Again, when I say casual Christian, I’m not talking about being a bad Christian. I’m talking about being an 80% Christian. But again, an 80 is a C. It’s average, but it’s certainly not passionate. Jesus called it as being lukewarm. And here’s what He said about being lukewarm. “I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm – neither hot nor cold – I am about to spit you out of my mouth” (Revelation 3:15-16, NIV). Casual Christianity makes Jesus sick to His stomach. It makes Him want to throw up. Casual Christianity is superficial. It’s looking the part. It’s going through the motions. But Jesus is not pleased with that. He wants our love, not our activity. There’s a new book out called Not A Fan. The author challenges Christians to be more than fans of Jesus, more than admirers of Him, and to be followers. To be passionate, radical, fully devoted followers of Jesus.

    So, why are we so content with the casual, with being average, with being lukewarm?

    The answer is in 2 Corinthians 5. Paul said, “For the love of Christ compels us … that we should no longer live for ourselves for Him.” When the “love of Christ” is no longer compelling, when the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross is no longer compelling, when the miracle of the resurrection is no longer compelling, we become content with the casual, with being average, and with being lukewarm.

    There’s no music we can play and there’s no locker room speech I can give that will change that. The only thing that will ever move us from being casual to being passionate is the love of Christ. “For the love of Christ compels us.” It’s looking up at the cross. It’s looking inside the empty tomb. It’s hearing the voice of Jesus and making up our minds to follow Him passionately, to obey Him passionately, to love Him passionately, and to live for Him passionately.


    ]]>     http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2012/04/19/casual-or-passionate#comments 0 Palm Sunday and Easter Monty Watson Monty Watson http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2012/03/30/palm-sunday-and-easter Fri, 30 Mar 2012 15:01:06 +0000 http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2012/03/30/palm-sunday-and-easter
    This Sunday, we’re going to look at Isaiah 53 and why Jesus died for us. Then on Easter Sunday, we’re going to talk about why we should live for Him. Second Corinthians 5:14-15 is one of my favorite passages. “For the love of Christ compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all … that they who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.” That’s Christianity. As I sat there waiting on my car, the thought keep rolling around in my head. “If it’s all true … if it’s all true.” Well, if it’s all true – that Jesus died on the cross for our sin and that He supernaturally rose again – then the passion Jesus had for us should compel us to live with passion for Him! That’s the message I want to talk about on Easter Sunday. The passion of Jesus should compel us. It should compel us to reject a casual, complacent Christianity. And instead, compel us to passionately pursue Christ, to boldly tell as many people as we can about Him, to humbly worship Him, to intimately love Him. If it’s true, then the passion Jesus had for us should compel us to live with passion for Him. I challenge you think about this. Are you living the casual life or the passionate life?

    Both Palm Sunday and Easter Sunday will great times to invite your friends who are still thinking about faith issues. The gospel will be clearly presented and people will be lovingly led to an opportunity to accept Jesus as their personal Savior. So, please pray for friends and please pray over these two Sundays.

    ]]>     http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2012/03/30/palm-sunday-and-easter#comments 1     Is God Enough? Kelly Gottschalk, preschool minister Kelly Gottschalk, preschool minister
    Is God enough as you struggle with the ongoing pain of losing a [...]]]>     http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2012/03/30/is-god-enough Fri, 30 Mar 2012 11:14:14 +0000 http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2012/03/30/is-god-enough
    Is God enough as you struggle with the ongoing pain of losing a loved one?
    Is God’s provision enough when you lose yet another job?
    Is God’s presence enough when your integrity is questioned based upon lies that were told about you?
    Is God’s grace enough to cover my sins and, are His redemptive powers enough to deliver me from those same sins?
    Is God’s approval of how I live my life enough when others don’t value my efforts?

    This list could be endless and I’m sure if you are honest, you could add to it.  The obvious answer is YES, of course He is enough!  I can even speak those words and fully desire to believe them, but making it a reality? Well, right now it is a journey God and I are taking together.  The timing is interesting though.  When I signed up, months ago, to write the blog for this week, I knew I’d be writing about Easter activities to do with your children that share the true meaning of Easter or writing a continuation of an evangelism testimony that I recently gave due to the large number of responses I’ve had in regards to that.  Never in my mind, did I think that I would be vulnerably writing about a journey that God and I are currently on.  But God knows all things and sets all things in motion, so He knew that I would reluctantly be writing about this topic instead of the other two topics that would have been easier and even more comfortable. 

    When I’m struggling with something, I try to start with what I know to be true in a situation, then move from there to what I’m questioning.  Many times, what I already know to be true answers some or all of my doubts or questions.  Within this area of God being enough, I can logically know that He is because I can read it in His word and His word is truth.  Psalm 4:3 says, You can be sure of this:  The Lord set apart the godly for Himself.  The Lord will answer when I call to Him.  I also know that God is enough because I have experienced this truth several times in my life previously.  I can look back in my prayer journals, which serve as my stones of remembrance (see Joshua 4:1-9) and see how He has proven Himself faithful in the difficult times in my life, even when at the time, I had no hope of how He would prevail.  Second Corinthians 1:8-9 says, We think you ought to know dear brothers and sisters, about the trouble we went through in the province of Asia.  We were crushed and overwhelmed beyond our ability to endure, and we thought we would never live through it.  In fact, we expected to die.  But as a result, we stopped relying on ourselves and learned to rely only on God, who raises the dead. 

    So, after establishing this foundation, I’m currently in the process of flooding myself with His truth, so that I can move from logically knowing this Truth to experientially knowing this Truth.  When I refer to flooding myself, I mean I am actively seeking Him, by any and all means possible, to provide me evidence that He is enough.  I’m constantly praying for Him to reveal this truth to me.  I also pray that He would show me more and more examples in His Word that I can cling to, which He faithfully does.  I continually listen to Christian music (loudly) and have focused on songs like:  How He Loves, Strength of my Life, Remade, Praise You in this Storm and Someone Worth Dying For.  In response to my prayers, He also provided a godly friend for me who exemplifies what Ecclesiastes 4:12 says.  A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer. Three are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken. With her, I can honestly and vulnerably express daily my thoughts, concerns, and doubts.  She has been given much wisdom from God to be supportive and encouraging, but also challenging when she needs to be.  We’ve also started a prayer journal where we share scripture with each other and pray for one another like we are instructed to in James, Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed.

    I’d love to tell you that this journey is over.  I’ve even voiced to my friend, that I’d like to fast forward through this struggle.  She didn’t think that was wise and it is obviously not His plan.  But, recently, I have been able to experience small victories and revelations, through Him, and am trying to remain in a teachable place.  One thing that He has revealed to me is that I will never think He is enough if I don’t realize how much He loves me. In Lamentations 3:22-24, it says that through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed because His compassions fail not.  They are new every morning: Great is Your faithfulness.  “The Lord is my portion.” says my soul, Therefore, I hope in Him.  I am ever doubtful that I will be able to fully comprehend His love for me, but at the same time if I can be more sensitive to looking for evidences of His love, I can’t help but ironically question, my previous question: Is He enough?

    ]]>     http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2012/03/30/is-god-enough#comments 0     Be Anxious For Nothing Mark Perkins, elder Mark Perkins, elder http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2012/03/12/be-anxious-for-nothing Mon, 12 Mar 2012 10:07:00 +0000 http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2012/03/12/be-anxious-for-nothing
    By one definition, anxiety is a displeasing feeling of fear, worry, uneasiness, or dread. I have to assume it is a common experience for mankind because God’s word is not silent on the topic and addresses it clearly. Meditating on His word is a great antidote to anxiety. Many verses are applicable, but one in particular I have taken great comfort in is Philippians 4:5b-7.
    “The Lord is near. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

    When I am confronted with my anxious thoughts, I am comforted knowing that my Lord is near. He is not far off tending to other more pressing issues. He is right here with me, ready to help. Also note that in everything we are to present our requests before the Lord in prayer. Did you catch what He said? Everything. I take great hope in knowing that there is not a single difficulty or trial that does not escape the sovereign knowledge of my Lord. And I am to come with a grateful heart. Gratitude to God is to accompany all true prayer. And in His wise and loving response, God gives me what I really need during my anxious times…peace! Our God is good and He promises us peace that combats our anxious thoughts. Note that this peace of God will guard your heart and mind. The word guard is a military term meaning “to keep watch over”. God’s peace guards believers from anxiety, doubt, fear and distress.

    I like how Dr. John McArthur in his commentary states that the peace of God is a God-given inner calm that is promised to the believer who has a thankful attitude based on unwavering confidence that God is able and willing to do what is best for His children.

    In closing, I am reminded of the words from the old hymn What A Friend We Have In Jesus:

    What a Friend we have in Jesus, all our sins and griefs to bear!
    What a privilege to carry everything to God in prayer!
    O what peace we often forfeit, O what needless pain we bear,
    All because we do not carry everything to God in prayer.

    Maybe you are struggling with anxiety. If so, my hope is that you will find the God-given peace promised to you in scripture as you turn over your thoughts and circumstances to the Lord in prayer.

    ]]>     http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2012/03/12/be-anxious-for-nothing#comments 0     Becoming Dusty Brewer, youth pastor Dusty Brewer, youth pastor http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2012/03/04/becoming Sun, 04 Mar 2012 18:07:00 +0000 http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2012/03/04/becoming
    I’m to become like God.

    That seems almost arrogant to write. However, that is exactly what we’ve been called to do. As a Christian, I have been made new through the saving grace of Jesus Christ. As a part of that transforming process, we have been designed to model the character of God. Check out what we find in Ephesians 4…

    22 You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; 23 to be made new in the attitude of your minds; 24 and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. Ephesians 4:22-24

    Whether I’m a police man, a math teacher, or youth pastor my goal is the same… to become like the creator. Now, don’t get me wrong. My goal is not for power or prestige. My goal is to model the character of God by living the way He would. Fortunately for us, He has given us a model in the form of Jesus Christ. Philippians 2 charges us to imitate Christ. It’s in Him that we find our belonging, our purpose, and who we are to become.

    The process of becoming like Christ is a never ending process. It’s a lifelong journey of living out what we find in Scripture to model our lives after Him. No matter where we are on this journey, may we all recognize together that our primary goal is not to become a teacher, an artist, or an accountant (fill in the blank with your occupation). Our primary goal as a follower of Jesus Christ is to become like Him. May that be what defines us.

    ]]>     http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2012/03/04/becoming#comments 0     Surrender Steven Hieronymus, elder Steven Hieronymus, elder http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2012/02/17/surrender Fri, 17 Feb 2012 11:59:00 +0000 http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2012/02/17/surrender
    All to Jesus, I surrender
    All to Him I freely give
    I will ever love and trust Him
    In His presence daily live

    Refrain:
    I surrender all, I surrender all
    All to Thee, my blessèd Savior
    I surrender all

    All to Jesus I surrender
    Humbly at His feet I bow
    Worldly pleasures all forsaken
    Take me, Jesus, take me now

    All to Jesus, I surrender
    Make me, Savior, wholly Thine
    Let me feel the Holy Spirit
    Truly know that Thou art mine

    All to Jesus, I surrender
    Lord, I give myself to Thee
    Fill me with Thy love and power
    Let Thy blessing fall on me

    All to Jesus I surrender
    Now I feel the sacred flame
    O the joy of full salvation
    Glory, glory, to His Name

    I suggest that we should let these words wash over us anew; not just a repeating of words to a song repeatedly sung years back, but rather with an embracing of the commitment and joy that is being expressed. I confess that surrendering myself so completely might give me some initial apprehension; to freely give of all that I have, to forsake worldly pleasures. However, this is our call. Am I ready and willing to release the “things” in my life and even my mindset into His hands? As part of God’s family and members within our body, we will be asked to surrender things we might hold dear, as we together follow the Lord’s leading and strive to impact our community and world as an Ambassador for Christ. Am I willing to release, not just some financial resources, but also my preferred plans or way / view of ministry? Our finite minds sometimes struggle to grasp or comprehend the infinite given in exchange as we release or surrender. Have you now noted some of those exchange items; Belonging, Holy Spirit, Love, Power, Blessings and most significantly Salvation.

    One of the Webster’s definitions of surrender is – to give oneself up, as into the power of another; to submit or yield. The day is coming when all will surrender, bend the knee and acknowledge that Jesus is Lord. Sadly, many will not bow in joy, but rather dread. I have already placed my life eternal into the hands of my Lord, and now my desire is that – “I surrender all, I surrender all, all to Thee my blessed Savior, I surrender all.

    Thank you Jesus. Glory, Glory to Your Name!

    Steven

    ]]>     http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2012/02/17/surrender#comments 0     “But a certain man named Ananias…” Acts 5:1 David Melles, elder David Melles, elder
    Their fellowship was pure. They had all things in common, and much grace was upon them all. Every member’s need was met, no-one claimed any of his possessions were his own. There was harmony and unity. I cannot [...]]]>     http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2012/02/07/%e2%80%9cbut-a-certain-man-named-ananias%e2%80%a6%e2%80%9d-acts-51 Tue, 07 Feb 2012 14:12:00 +0000 http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2012/02/07/%e2%80%9cbut-a-certain-man-named-ananias%e2%80%a6%e2%80%9d-acts-51
    Their fellowship was pure. They had all things in common, and much grace was upon them all. Every member’s need was met, no-one claimed any of his possessions were his own. There was harmony and unity. I cannot think of a better illustration of biblical fellowship.

    Notice however, the turn of events in the opening word of chapter 5. “But a certain man named Ananias…”. Suddenly with one small word, ‘But’, the purity is shattered, the harmony is broken, the unity is spoiled.

    Often simple words like ‘but’ have a deep significance, not in and of themselves but in the context in which they are used. In the case of this word its significance is derived from the things which follow, as in Acts 5.These things which qualify the word are not always negative, as we might think.

    In Deuteronomy 4 we have a good example; “There you will worship man-made gods of wood and stone, which cannot see or hear or eat or smell. But if from there you seek the LORD your God, you will find him if you look for Him with all your heart and with all your soul.” (Deu 4:28-29)

    Moses is warning against idolatry. He tells the people of Israel that idolatry will result in captivity, slavery and dispersion. The prospect of captivity is not good he tells them, “There you will worship man-made gods of wood and stone…”. But if from there you seek the Lord…if you look for Him with all your heart”.

    Moses is telling them that there is no circumstance so difficult, no failure so deep, no breach so wide that if they repent, God He will restore.

    Consider Luke 9:61, “… I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say good-by to my family.” Jesus replied, "No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God."

    Jesus believed that once the man was back amongst family his resolve to follow Jesus would wane.

    In Jesus day ploughing had to be done during the harsh cold of winter, with the temptation to leave it to another day and shelter in the warmth of the house. Ploughing calls for endurance, and a constant focus ahead, not behind. By inference so does following Jesus.

    What is the relevance for us?

    What follows ‘but’ in your life? What stands in the way of following Jesus? This is the very thing we need to overcome. Some temptation, some habit, some indulgence, some relationship which has the effect of sapping our resolve and diminishing our faith, some area of our life marked ‘private’ where Christ is not welcome, something we dare not sacrifice for the King, at least not yet.

    “ I will follow you Lord, but…” But what?

    ]]>     http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2012/02/07/%e2%80%9cbut-a-certain-man-named-ananias%e2%80%a6%e2%80%9d-acts-51#comments 0     Thoughts on Studying the Bible... damon@churchatcanyoncreek.com damon@churchatcanyoncreek.com Click here to view notes on studying the Bible from Monty Waston. [...]]]> http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2012/01/30/thoughts-on-studying-the-bible Mon, 30 Jan 2012 12:21:54 +0000 http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2012/01/30/thoughts-on-studying-the-bible Click here to view notes on studying the Bible from Monty Waston.

    by Monty Watson, senior pastor Monday, 1/30/2012

    ]]>     http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2012/01/30/thoughts-on-studying-the-bible#comments 0     Ideas on How to Pray Monty Watson, senior pastor Monty Watson, senior pastor http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2012/01/26/ideas-on-how-to-pray Thu, 26 Jan 2012 13:24:00 +0000 http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2012/01/26/ideas-on-how-to-pray
    1. When Jesus taught His disciples to pray He told them to start with this line. “Our Father who art in heaven, Hallowed be Thy name” (Matthew 6:9). When you pray, think of Him as your Father. God loves you. He loves you so much that He sacrificed Jesus for you. That was the price He was willing to pay to make you His child. But, remember that He is holy. “Hallowed be Thy name.” Yes, He is our Father and we can run into His arms anytime we want, but remember that He is holy. He is the majestic Creator of the universe. Respect Him.

    2. Understand that prayer is being with God. Jesus said, “Abide in Me, and I in you,” and then, “ask whatever you wish, and it shall be done for you” (John 15:4, 7). Prayer is about oneness with Him, about enjoying God’s presence, about resting in Him, about spending time with Him, about talking to Him, and about listening to Him.

    3. I know you’ve heard it before, but the A-C-T-S acrostic is a great pattern for prayer. Begin with
    adoration, remembering how great God is. Confess your sins to Him before you ask anything from Him. Thank Him for what He has already done for you. And then last, supplication. Let Him know what you need.

    4. Pray Bible verses. If prayer is hearing the mind of God, then there’s no better way to do that than praying Bible verses. Read a verse, and then pray, “Lord, what does this mean? Father, show me what You want me to get from this verse.” And as you meditate on it, and read it again, and roll it around in your mind, God will show you what He wants you to get from that verse.

    5. A way to stay focused is to journal your prayers. Kathy and I do this. Write down what you’re
    praying. It will help you stay focused. And you can review previous days and see what you were
    praying for and how God answered. It will show you the progress you’re making in your walk with
    God.

    6. Make prayer a habit. When we talk about having a quiet time, some of you bristle. Some of you think it’s legalistic and some of you feel guilty that you don’t get up at 5:00 every morning and spend an hour of prayer. Yes, the Bible says, “In the early morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house, and went away to a secluded place, and was praying there” (Mark 1:35, NAS). But the point is not when you pray, but that you pray. The point is to make it a habit, to see prayer as a necessary exercise to stay in shape spiritually. Find the best place and find the best time of your day for scheduled prayer.

    7. The Bible also talks about spontaneous prayer. “Pray at all times” (Ephesians 6:18). “Pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17). Think of it as flashlight prayer. A flashlight is only good for shining a light on the next step. So, throughout your day, pray about your next step. Pray about what’s in front of you. Pray as you go into the next meeting. Pray before you make that phone call. Pray before you take a test. Pray as you go to the next thing on your schedule. “Lord, help me as I ____ … Lord, give me the words to say in the next few minutes … Lord, is there anything You want to tell me before I ____?”

    8. Talk to God about your life. David said, “Pour out your heart to him, for God is our refuge” (Psalm 62:8, NLT). He is a “refuge,” a safe place to go. So, talk to God about your fears and your worries. Talk to Him about your doubts and your questions. Talk to Him about your temptations and your decisions. “Pour out your heart to him” and talk to Him about your life.

    9. And tell Him what you need. “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6-7, NAS). Or as the NLT reads, “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need” (Philippians 4:6-7, NLT).

    ]]>     http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2012/01/26/ideas-on-how-to-pray#comments 0     "Did Jesus Really Hate Religion?" Monty Watson, senior pastor Monty Watson, senior pastor
    I’ve heard many people talk about or post on Facebook a video by Jeff Bethke called “Why I Hate Religion, But Love Jesus.” What was meant to be for a few Facebook friends has gone viral and millions have applauded the video and share Bethke’s sentiments. What’s good about it is a fresh [...]]]>     http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2012/01/26/did-jesus-really-hate-religion Thu, 26 Jan 2012 11:35:00 +0000 http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2012/01/26/did-jesus-really-hate-religion
    I’ve heard many people talk about or post on Facebook a video by Jeff Bethke called “Why I Hate Religion, But Love Jesus.” What was meant to be for a few Facebook friends has gone viral and millions have applauded the video and share Bethke’s sentiments. What’s good about it is a fresh passion for Jesus that breaks free the bonds and errors of the traditional church.

    But what’s not so good, in my opinion, is a lack of love for the bride of Christ. So, if you have seen the video, I’d also like you to read the two blogs below. One is Kevin Deyoung’s critique of the video. DeYoung is a young pastor and frequent blogger for The Gospel Coalition. The second blog is an exchange between DeYoung and Bethke. I appreciate their candid dialog and respectful, humble demeanor.

    My purpose in sending this to you is to urge you to be balanced in your understanding of the culture and the church. So, let me know what you think.

    http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/kevindeyoung/2012/01/13/does-jesus-hate-religion-kinda-sorta-not-really
    http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/kevindeyoung/2012/01/14/following-up-on-the-jesusreligion-video

    ]]>     http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2012/01/26/did-jesus-really-hate-religion#comments 2     Missions and Evangelism...the land of opportunity Keith Tooley, missions and evangelism pastor Keith Tooley, missions and evangelism pastor
    I’m so glad you asked.

    There are many volunteers who serve in a number of ways. One of these ways is serving on one of our outreach ministry teams, which include Missions Leadership Team, Evangelism Leadership Team, Connections Team and the [...]]]>     http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2012/01/20/missions-and-evangelism-the-land-of-opportunity Fri, 20 Jan 2012 11:52:00 +0000 http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2012/01/20/missions-and-evangelism-the-land-of-opportunity
    I’m so glad you asked.

    There are many volunteers who serve in a number of ways. One of these ways is serving on one of our outreach ministry teams, which include Missions Leadership Team, Evangelism Leadership Team, Connections Team and the Marketing Team.

    We also have teams that serve and support most of our Local Missions partnerships including Hill Country Community Ministries, Baptist Children’s Home, Austin Disaster Relief Network, Canyon Creek Preschool, Impact Austin (outreach to homeless), Young Life, Gideons and the Foreign Exchange Student ministry. And we have Global Missions teams for Thailand, China, Progreso and Church Builders, and Support Teams for two of these partnerships.

    A ministry everyone can be a part of is Unceasing Prayer. Our church is one of over 40 churches that participate in this prayer initiative to reach Austin for Christ. Our church prays for Austin 24 hours nonstop the first Thursday of each month. Won’t you take a 30-minute prayer slot? God is transforming Austin through prayer!

    You can serve on a short-term mission trip. We have seven trips this year including Thailand (2), Taiwan, China, Progreso (2) and Church Builders. God wants all of us to see His vision for His church and for the nations, and going on one of these trips is a great way to experience what He is doing outside of our context.

    We are seeing more and more opportunities with our benevolence ministry that serves those outside of our church. These are folks that either call or walk in to our church needing assistance. We are seeing new ways to connect these individuals and families to Jesus Christ, to this church body, and to resources outside of our church.

    Another exciting ministry, which was birthed out of the Evangelism Task Force last year, was the need for a class on Sunday mornings geared for visitors. So we created The Bridge class under the Guest Connections ministry. This class provides a way for us to get to know our visitors as they check out our church.

    There are many other ways to get involved. We need people from our congregation who are willing to disciple some of our visitors and walk-ins on a one-on-one basis. We have the curriculum. All you have to do is meet with them once per week, get to know them, and go through the curriculum with them - which helps them learn what it means to be a follower of Jesus Christ.
    We also need volunteers who can come alongside people outside of our church in a number of ways – from helping them move, to giving them rides, to providing for some of their basic needs, to a number of other things.

    And we could also benefit from having some couples who want to interface with couples and families who visit our church. This would entail taking visitors to lunch, or inviting them to your home for lunch or dinner.

    And last, but not least, we need teams of volunteers to follow up with those who make decisions for Christ, or to grow spiritually, at outreach events such as our Easter service, the upcoming outreach concert our church is sponsoring on Jan. 29, and at other events.

    So if you are on the sidelines, and you want to get in the game, give me a call (331-7340) or shoot me an email (keith@tcacc.net). There is nothing more exciting than being used by Jesus Christ to transform lives!

    ]]>     http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2012/01/20/missions-and-evangelism-the-land-of-opportunity#comments 0     Have I Told You Lately How Fabulous Kids Are? Patty Evans, children's minister Patty Evans, children's minister http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2011/12/30/have-i-told-you-lately-how-fabulous-kids-are Fri, 30 Dec 2011 09:41:00 +0000 http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2011/12/30/have-i-told-you-lately-how-fabulous-kids-are
    One of the reasons we started this class is because of a true story. I received an email from a mom whose 9 year old son had just had communion for the first time. His mom asked him what he thought of the experience and he said "Well, the bones were kinda crunchy." This made me laugh so hard because it was so innocent and literal…. just the way kids are. But there was an underlying message in this exchange. Sometimes we adults take for granted that our teachings about Christ are clear. There is so much symbolism in our faith, not to mention practices that date back thousands of years that aren’t understood in today’s secular culture. It is our job to make these important Biblical truths understandable.

    That’s why I love the time I spend with kids talking about deep spiritual topics. One of the most frequently discussed items is that of grace. It is hard for kids (and even adults) to fully understand that “even big sinners” will be in Heaven. As mature believers, we understand that all human occupants of Heaven are “big sinners” but for a child whose main sins are disobeying parents, being mean to their siblings and maybe an occasional petty theft, the idea of murderers in heaven is mind boggling.

    That’s when I talk to them about the two thiefs on the crosses with Jesus. You see, they tend to know a lot about Jesus’ crucifixion but aren’t aware of the thieves who were being punished that day. I remind them about the parable of the Good Samaritan where it gives a picture of what robbers of that time would do to their target. Often they would beat them and leave them for dead. It is highly likely that the thieves on the crosses next to Jesus were murderers too. The thief who mocked Jesus is a picture of so many of our friends and loved ones who don’t believe Jesus’ claim to be the son of God and want to see great signs to prove His deity. And those of us who are believers in Jesus are portrayed in the life of the one thief who believed… the one who was justifiably being punished for the many deplorable sins committed in his lifetime and yet called out to Jesus and simply acknowledged His deity.

    "But the other criminal rebuked him. 'Don’t you fear God', he said, 'since you are under the same sentence? We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.' Then he said, 'Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.' Jesus answered him, 'Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise'.”
    Luke 23: 40-43

    Each time I’m with these kids, it is an opportunity to renew my mind with the amazing truths about God’s love for us and the grace He extends to all those who receive. I leave my class with renewed enthusiasm in my relationship with God and gratefulness for his favor upon me.
    If you have children in your life, may I encourage you to start spiritual conversations with them? I guarantee that you will have funny stories to tell and will be stumped by a question they pose. But if you dig into the scriptures with them for the truth, you both will be greatly blessed.

    Go and Make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you.
    Matt 28: 19-20

    ]]>     http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2011/12/30/have-i-told-you-lately-how-fabulous-kids-are#comments 1     Family Activity Ideas for Christmas Kelly Gottschalk, preschool minister Kelly Gottschalk, preschool minister http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2011/12/09/family-activity-ideas-for-christmas Fri, 09 Dec 2011 14:58:00 +0000 http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2011/12/09/family-activity-ideas-for-christmas
    I would love if you’d reply to the blog and share your own ideas also.

    • Buy a Christian devotional and go through Advent with your family.
    • Read the Christmas story throughout the month of December to your children.
    • Have your family memorize and recite passages from Luke 2.
    • Prepare goodies for unsaved friends and neighbors.
    • Go Christmas caroling in your neighborhood or at a nursing home.
    • Watch a classic Christmas movie together.
    • Visit a living nativity scene.
    • Act out the Christmas story with your family and possibly share it with neighbors.
    • Choose a charitable activity you can do as a family.
    • Take someone, possibly an elderly neighbor or children from a single-parent home, Christmas shopping.
    • Have your family select a Christ-centered phrase to be repeated over the holidays, like Jesus, the Heart of Christmas, as a reminder to why we celebrate Christmas.
    • Keep a Christmas journal expressing your thoughts throughout the season, paying close attention to items you are grateful for.
    • Purchase “spiritual gifts/books” for your children’s teachers and/or coaches.
    • Set a place for Jesus at your dining table for Christmas dinner and place a golden crown as a symbol of our King.
    • Attend Christmas Eve or Christmas Day church service.
    • Pray for the families that send you Christmas cards and then send them a letter or card sharing that you prayed for their family.
    • Visit adventconspiracy.org for other ideas on how to give to the needy during Christmas.

    My prayer would be that these types of activities will help you and your family to truly focus on the real meaning for this season. Have a merry and meaningful Christmas.

    ]]>     http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2011/12/09/family-activity-ideas-for-christmas#comments 0     Give Thanks to the Lord! Mark Perkins, elder Mark Perkins, elder http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2011/11/26/give-thanks-to-the-lord Sat, 26 Nov 2011 08:52:00 +0000 http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2011/11/26/give-thanks-to-the-lord
    While sitting together at dinner, our family tradition has been to go around the table and have each person share what they are thankful for over this past year. Blessings mentioned included continued good health, the opportunity to go to college, employment during a tough economy and the milestone of a 25th marriage anniversary. Though we also had our share of trials this year, I was once again reminded of how our Lord has poured out His blessings in so many ways. My heart was full of gratefulness and I so wanted to give the Lord all of the credit for His loving kindness and His work in our lives. I am reminded of a verse in I Chronicles 16:34 which says, “Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever.” Our God is so good and His love for us endures far beyond what we can imagine! Therefore, I will give thanks to Him for all He has done.

    May you and your family enjoy the bounty of God’s many blessings with grateful hearts as we observe this time of Thanksgiving.

    ]]>     http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2011/11/26/give-thanks-to-the-lord#comments 0     To be on "mission" we must be led by the Spirit Keith Tooley, missions & evangelism pastor Keith Tooley, missions & evangelism pastor
    When I was on another mission trip to China – in 2006 - I went to the book of Acts to guide me each day while on the trip. So Acts is my [...]]]>     http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2011/11/18/to-be-on-mission-we-must-be-led-by-the-spirit Fri, 18 Nov 2011 14:07:00 +0000 http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2011/11/18/to-be-on-mission-we-must-be-led-by-the-spirit
    When I was on another mission trip to China – in 2006 - I went to the book of Acts to guide me each day while on the trip. So Acts is my go-to book when it comes to missions because this book is all about being “on mission” and being directed by the Holy Spirit as to where we will go, who we will meet and what we will do.

    In Acts 16:6-10, we see that Paul and his companions – as they sought the Holy Spirit’s direction - were kept from going to some places, yet they were “called” to go to other places. The Holy Spirit was leading them, telling them where to go each day.

    On our recent trip to China (Nov. 3-12), Brian Smith, Matt Watson and I were dependent on the Holy Spirit for direction. This was a very fluid trip, meaning each day was not scheduled. The days were left wide open for the Spirit’s prompting. And He delivered.

    The Holy Spirit led us to the towns and villages where we met with the people He wanted us to meet, and meet with, every day while we were in China. All we had to do was pray, seek God’s direction, and see where He was going to take us. And He scheduled everything just perfectly. That is what He does.

    Would you be uncomfortable on such a trip as this – not knowing where you are going or with whom you are going to meet with? I must admit, there were times I was saying to myself – “what are we doing?” Then God would surprise me with our next divine appointment.

    Being “on mission” is a Holy Spirit-directed adventure. As we pray each day, and expect God to show up, we may be surprised with where He takes us, with whom we meet, and what He asks us to do.

    Are you experiencing this great adventure of being “on mission?” I hope so. If you are not, you “will not have a full understanding of every good thing we have in Christ.” (refer to Philemon 6)

    I encourage you to get out there and experience the fullness of Christ!

    ]]>     http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2011/11/18/to-be-on-mission-we-must-be-led-by-the-spirit#comments 0     How to have endurance during hardships Steven Testone, elder Steven Testone, elder http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2011/11/14/how-to-have-endurance-during-hardships Mon, 14 Nov 2011 09:21:00 +0000 http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2011/11/14/how-to-have-endurance-during-hardships
    In his letter to the church in Smyrna, Jesus encourages a church that is going through all sorts of trials and tribulations. Their faith is being tested and he challenges them to "Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life." In this way, Christ is calling them to look-ahead to what he has in store for them in order to get through their current struggles. The most powerful information believers have that enables a faith that endures to the end, are the promises of God about what lies beyond the end.

    I think many of us do not spend enough time studying and meditating on the good things that God has in store for the believers. You may spend a lot of time thinking about what Christ has saved you from, but do you really think about what he has saved you to? Christ did not just save us from a place of punishment, but saved us to a place of paradise. True faith is about "the assurance of things hoped for" (Hebrews 11:1), so you have to understand what it is you are hoping for.

    God's word promises that what is in store for us is more awesome then our wildest imagination can come up with (1 Cor. 2:9). It's so good that the worst troubles you could ever have on this world will seem like nothing compared with how great eternity with God will be (Romans 8:18). For those that have experienced the worst this world can throw at them, this might seem impossible, and almost insulting. It would have to be so unimaginably amazing to make what you've gone through "seem like nothing". God knows this, he knows what you've been through, and he still makes this promise.

    We learn from scripture that Christ himself was looking ahead in order to have endurance in the present. "looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross" (Hebrews 12:2). This week I challenge you to read and meditate over Revelation 21:1-8 and focus on the joy set before you to see if it doesn't help with what you are going through today.

    "Hope is one of the Theological virtues. This means that a continual looking forward to the eternal world is not (as some modern people think) a form of escapism or wishful thinking, but one of the things a Christian is meant to do. It does not mean that we are to leave the present world as it is. If you read history you will find that the Christians who did most for the present world were just those who thought most of the next." - C.S. Lewis

    ]]>     http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2011/11/14/how-to-have-endurance-during-hardships#comments 0     In the Family Steven Hieronymus, elder Steven Hieronymus, elder http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2011/11/03/in-the-family Thu, 03 Nov 2011 08:31:00 +0000 http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2011/11/03/in-the-family
    I struggle to understand how those that don’t have the hope of heaven, through a personal intimate relationship with the Lord, cope with death. Either their perception of finality or questioning as to what really happens simply would seem to consume the mind and impact emotional stability. In my case; I have experientially received comfort from the Lord and know peace as a result. I recently shared with my ABF class the following:

    My dad’s passing has been painful in that we were exceedingly close and I miss him terribly. Yet I also celebrate not only the life he led and legacy he provided, but the knowing that he is with our Father. I don’t mean this in the somewhat generic usage we often hear in that someone is in a better place, but that my dad is truly in the presence of the Lord Almighty, Creator and Sustainer of all creation, most especially of life itself. It is my confident celebration of this knowledge, which also convicts me over the sad fact that so many do not have this confidence.

    So I can express that the Lord has addressed and supported my soul, my mind and my emotions over this past month given that I am in His family. However, he has also provided support from being “in the family” as well. When I was in Springfield with my mom leading up to and during the memorial service for my dad, it was reinforced to me the power of our familial relationship with our brothers and sisters in Christ. People that I did not know previously, were uniquely capable of connecting with me and providing significant support to me. Similarly, I received so much support from within our Canyon Creek family, people that I know and have the privilege to serve alongside and it has been greatly appreciated.

    So I guess the question is where might I be heading with this blog? As usual I seem to have a multipart heading, but here goes. First - The loss of my dad has further focused my thoughts on the reality that we all must address death, with either hope in Jesus thus confidence, or with trepidation (fear) while being hopeful for a better place. Do you see the difference? I am ever so convicted to share hope in Jesus. Second – I am also more convinced than ever over the significance of the gathering and bonding of the local church body (family). I Cor. 12:27 – “Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it”. If you are reading this blog and still seeking a church home, then I encourage you to seek the Lord for discernment and then obediently take the step to align yourself with the body. If you are already a part of this family, but not yet feeling connected then please reach out to one of our leaders or please touch base with me so that we can help guide and assist you in becoming an integrated part of our body. I would also encourage our church family to be specifically aware of those that might not yet seem to be plugging in and then take a step out of the comfort zone and invite engagement.

    The bonds and benefits of being “in the family” simply cannot be overstated. We are connected to strangers in that we are brothers and sisters, joint heirs to the kingdom with both spiritual and eternal connections. We are also connected through our being fitted together within this church family; worshiping, serving and supporting one another. Thank you Lord for your grace and provision, such that I might be in your family.

    Is it not totally awesome to be – In The Family!

    Please know my appreciation to you all and let me know your thoughts.

    Steven Hieronymus
    Steven.hieronymus1@gmail.com
    512-415-4785

    ]]>     http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2011/11/03/in-the-family#comments 0     Life's Big Questions Message Series Monty Watson, senior pastor Monty Watson, senior pastor
    We’ve spent the last six weeks talking about living on mission. I know I’ve been challenged and I hope you have too. I’m convinced that most evangelism will, and should, take place outside the church. It’s in our spheres of influence that we build relationships with the people and rub shoulders with during [...]]]>     http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2011/10/26/lifes-big-questions-message-series Wed, 26 Oct 2011 08:41:00 +0000 http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2011/10/26/lifes-big-questions-message-series
    We’ve spent the last six weeks talking about living on mission. I know I’ve been challenged and I hope you have too. I’m convinced that most evangelism will, and should, take place outside the church. It’s in our spheres of influence that we build relationships with the people and rub shoulders with during the normal course of life. So, we need to pray for each other as we look for those God-appointed opportunities to share our faith. But I also believe a lot of people we know would attend church if we would just ask. The church can partner with you as you influence your friends for Christ. And our next message series is perfect for inviting your non-Christians friends to church. On Sunday, October 30, I will begin a new series called Life’s Big Questions. There is a flyer on the home page to describe the series to you. The purpose of this series is to build us up as Christians and to firm up our worldview. It’s intended to give us the conversational ammunition for spiritual conversations with our non-Christian friends. But if there was ever a good time to invite your non-Christians friends to church, this is the time. I think you’ll agree that these are the questions your non-Christian friends are asking too. So, check out the attached flyer and pray about who you can invite to Life’s Big Questions.

    Monty

    ]]>     http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2011/10/26/lifes-big-questions-message-series#comments 0     Concert of Prayer Monty Watson, senior pastor Monty Watson, senior pastor
    Over last few months, God has refreshed a vision in us as leaders. And we hope that through our On Mission campaign, He has refreshed a vision in you as well. And that vision is nothing less than a revival of personal evangelism in The Church at Canyon Creek.

    Yes, [...]]]>     http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2011/10/18/concert-of-prayer Tue, 18 Oct 2011 16:28:00 +0000 http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2011/10/18/concert-of-prayer
    Over last few months, God has refreshed a vision in us as leaders. And we hope that through our On Mission campaign, He has refreshed a vision in you as well. And that vision is nothing less than a revival of personal evangelism in The Church at Canyon Creek.

    Yes, evangelism can be scary and intimidating, but it shouldn’t be. Evangelism is the Christian’s highest calling, greatest privilege, and most thrilling adventure. Evangelism is telling people what Jesus has done for us and how much we love Him. And it’s how we impact eternity. There’s no greater endeavor on the planet than living on mission – everyone, everyday, everywhere.

    But we can’t do it alone. We need God’s help. That means we must pray. So, I encourage you to attend a special time of prayer this Sunday evening called a Concert of Prayer.

    The concept of a “concert of prayer” goes back to 1744 in Scotland. Just like us, those believers were praying for people to come to Christ. Their movement was called “The Concert of Prayer for the Conversion of the World.” That prayer movement lasted several years and a book was even written about it. That book made its way to America and into the hands of Jonathan Edwards. Edwards became convinced that “God will do nothing but in answer to prayer.”

    The First and Second Great Awakenings were birthed from prayer movements like the concert of prayer. In 1857, businessman Jeremiah Lanphier advertised a noonday prayer meeting every Wednesday in a New York City church. The first week 6 people showed up. The second week 40 people showed up to pray. Within six months, 10,000 people were meeting all over New York City at noon to pray. It is estimated that 2 million people came to Christ that year in New England.

    The best way to understand a “concert of prayer” is to think of an orchestra. An orchestra blends the distinct sounds of different instruments to create a unified, beautiful symphony that is pleasing to the ear and which touches the human heart. A concert of prayer is also a blending together, a blending of distinct prayers offered by different people to create a unified, beautiful petition to God. This Sunday night, we want to offer our prayer symphony to God and hope that it will be pleasing to His ear and touch His heart. And by touching His heart, we anticipate His blessing and His answer to our prayers.

    The Concert of Prayer is our bold request for a revival of personal evangelism in our church.

    After Peter and John were released from prison for preaching the gospel, they returned to their friends, and the Bible says, “When they had prayed, the place where they had gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak the word of God with boldness” (Acts 4:31). We’re asking God to shake us, to shake our hearts for lost people. We’re asking God to fill us with the Holy Spirit so that we might share our faith with boldness.

    So, for the sake of living on mission – everyone, everyday, everywhere, I ask you to join me and many others for this special night of prayer.

    Monty

    ]]>     http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2011/10/18/concert-of-prayer#comments 0     Providing Hope and Help to Fire Disaster Victims Kay Tooley, ADRN Team Member Kay Tooley, ADRN Team Member http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2011/09/20/providing-hope-and-help-to-fire-disaster-victims Tue, 20 Sep 2011 10:53:00 +0000 http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2011/09/20/providing-hope-and-help-to-fire-disaster-victims
    Having previously registered for a three-night CISM (Crisis Incident Stress Management) training session - there could not have been better timing. Fires ravaged Steiner Ranch, Leander, Pflugerville, Spicewood and Bastrop, and we were being trained in the literal 'afterglow' of these disasters.

    I was ready and willing to go to Bastrop as they were opening up subdivisions daily for the residents to return and survey the damage to their homes. I have, however, a high-paced and challenging job. I had also recently used all of my vacation time for a trip to see our daughter in Lebanon. I conveyed my desire to serve during this pressing time of need to my HR department, and to my surprise, they called me in to tell me that someone had anonymously donated (we have over 600 employees) a day of vacation time for me to go to Bastrop and serve. What a gift!

    Trained, with a vacation day off and ready to go, I went to Bastrop. Our team, with sheriff escort, entered the previously closed subdivisions of Bastrop. This was the first time the folks had been allowed to return to their homes... or lack thereof. In teams of two (made up of an ADRN volunteer and a pastor from an Austin-area church) we, along with assigned drivers, visited the homes where families were present.
    We 'debriefed' (a series of carefully constructed questions designed to allow opportunity to vent/share/explore), visited with, shared bottled water/breathing masks, prayed with, handed out resource materials, filled out forms for those who wanted to be ‘adopted’ by one of the approximately 100 churches in the greater Austin area, and generally listened to their stories. Some were too shaken to talk, others cried, and we ran across the occasional individual whose home did not burn and they were struggling with “survivors guilt.”
    FEMA appraisers, water and power companies, and Bastrop sheriff and Texas Public Safety personnel, made up the team of responders.
    Utter devastation and destruction would be the best way to describe the area. Melted, stinky, black and gray, full of hazards, wayward lost animals and pets....very quite. Only an occasional helicopter passing over.

    One thing that particularly stood out for me, as we listened to so many stories, was how many of these victims had numerous other issues they were dealing with: major health issues (many battling cancer), no insurance of any kind, collapsed family systems, recent deaths in their extended families, and so much more. It was clear there were several levels, in all the folks we debriefed, of crisis. They needed hope. They needed a listening ear. They needed to know help was available.

    I came home feeling rather somber, reminded of the need we all have for hope, help and purpose amidst living this side of heaven.

    ]]>     http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2011/09/20/providing-hope-and-help-to-fire-disaster-victims#comments 0     Fall Evangelism Campaign Monty Watson Monty Watson
    Our Fall Evangelism Campaign begins this Sunday!
    September 18 – October 23


    What is the Vision?

    The Great Commission is to “make disciples.” That includes evangelism and discipleship, both “baptizing [...]]]>     http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2011/09/15/fall-evangelism-campaign Thu, 15 Sep 2011 23:24:00 +0000 http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2011/09/15/fall-evangelism-campaign
    Our Fall Evangelism Campaign begins this Sunday!
    September 18 – October 23


    What is the Vision?

    The Great Commission is to “make disciples.” That includes evangelism and discipleship, both “baptizing them” and “teaching them” (Matthew 28:19-20). We’ve based our discipleship strategy on Romans 8:29, “to become conformed to the image of Christ.” Our destiny is to become more and more like Jesus. That in itself is a worthy goal. But following Jesus includes sharing the message of Jesus and fulfilling the mission of Jesus. As leaders, we believe our church is doing well in many areas. But an honest evaluation of our church reveals a weakness in personal evangelism. So, for the last few months, we’ve been discussing, studying, and praying about God would have us do. And He has refreshed a vision in us as leaders. A vision that does not neglect many other important areas of church life, but a vision to improve this area of weakness.

    The vision is nothing less than a revival of personal evangelism among the people of The Church at Canyon Creek. We want to see Acts 4 become a reality in our church just as it was in the early church. After Peter and John were released from prison for preaching the gospel, they returned to their friends, and the Bible says, “When they had prayed, the place where they had gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak the word of God with boldness” (Acts 4:31). We’re asking God to shake us, to shake our hearts for lost people. And we’re asking God to fill us with the Holy Spirit so that we might share our faith with boldness. That’s what we, as leaders, are praying for, and that’s what we’re asking you to pray for. On mission – everyone, everyday, everywhere.


    What are the desired outcomes?

    • That every person in our church answer the call to live “on mission – everyone, everyday, everywhere.”
    • That every person in our church be passionate about evangelism; having love and compassion for lost people, a sense of urgency for eternity, a delight at seeing their friends come to Christ, an excitement to be used by God.
    • To be involved with people, engaged with new friends, to be a “friend of sinners.” We want our members to learn how to make contact with non-Christians and turn conversations to the gospel.
    • To create an inviting culture in our church, where members begin inviting their friends to lunch, to dinner, to a game, and of course to church.
    • That every person in our church be able to share a simple presentation of the gospel and to share their testimony as to how they came to Christ.
    • That every person in our church develop a relationship with a non-Christian with the hope of sharing the gospel with that person within the next 12 months.
    • To sustain a commitment beyond a six-week campaign so that personal evangelism becomes a part of the personal DNA of each individual and a part of the cultural DNA of our church.


    What are the components of the campaign?

    • Sermon Series – Monty Watson will present six messages in a series called On Mission: Everyone, Everyday, Everywhere to inspire and cast vision for personal evangelism. The series and the campaign will launch on September 18.
    • ABF – Keith Tooley will train our ABF teachers to teach the DIALOG curriculum, a conversational roadmap to the gospel. There will be a kick-off rally of all ABF classes in the auditorium on September 18. The remaining 5 lessons will be taught in our ABF classes.
    • Life Groups – For the Fall semester, Donnie Dixon will provide a tool that focuses on the “E” of IMAGE, engaging friends, to guide groups in talking about sharing the gospel, sharing personal testimony, and establishing accountability.
    • Marriage Class – The Fall marriage class has a session which addresses a person’s salvation. Each couple will be asked to confirm their faith in Christ. The 6-week class will begin on September 11.
    • Parenting Workshop – During the November 12 parenting workshop, one of the sessions will coach parents on how to lead their children to Christ.
    • Children’s Ministry – Ellen Haley has created a curriculum called iWitness to equip elementary children to know the gospel and to be able to share it. They will be encouraged to invite their friends to church and to share the gospel with a friend. Patty Evans has also equipped the shepherds to share the gospel one-on-one.
    • Preschool Ministry – MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) will launch in the Fall and each table leader is being challenged to take the next step relationally to share the gospel one-on-one to those women who are open.
    • Student Ministry – Dusty Brewer and his team will teach a six-week series in both Middle School and High School. The Student Ministry will also host an outreach event on October 29.
    • Women’s Ministry – Two of this Fall’s women’s small groups are outreach focused. Rhoda Perkins will lead Foundations, a study on how to share one’s testimony and how to follow-up a new Christian. Patty Evans and Tami Overhauser will lead Irresistible Evangelism, a study on personal evangelism with the hope of raising up women to launch outreach Bible studies in their neighborhoods. Chris Watson is already leading such a group in Steiner Ranch.
    • Friendship Sundays – To stimulate becoming an inviting church, following the campaign we will offer two friendship Sundays on which we will challenge our members to invite their friends. This is not a high attendance gimmick and we want to avoid our friends feeling like a project. This is about challenging our members to be more intentional about inviting their friends to church. The two Sundays are October 30 and November 6. On November 6, we will also host a church-wide lunch on the campus.
    • Resources – Keith Tooley will offer recommended resources on personal evangelism on a lobby display table.
    • Stories – We will share stories of people sharing Christ and people coming to Christ. We believe these stories will honor God and inspire all of us to share the gospel with someone we know and love.
    • Prayer Strategy – We will also offer a 42-day prayer guide for our members to use devotionally throughout the campaign. Each day, there will be a verse to consider, a prayer focus, and an evangelistic testimony. The campaign will end with a Concert of Prayer on October 23.


    What are the themes in the sermon series?

    • Calling – What Does It Really Mean to Follow Jesus? – Mark 1:14-20 – Jesus said, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men” (Mark 1:17). Followers of Jesus are, by definition, fishers of men. Any definition of spiritual maturity that omits personal evangelism – both evangelistic fervor and evangelistic fruit – is not really spiritual maturity. Sharing the good news is our mission.
    • Content – A Simple Truth – John 3:16 – This is the greatest verse in the Bible because it capsulizes Christianity in 26 words. “For God so loved the world.” Tell people about God’s love. “He gave His one and only Son.” Tell people about Jesus’ sacrifice. “Whoever believes in Him” Tell people about faith. “Shall not perish.” Warn people of the consequences of rejecting Christ. “Eternal life.” Paint a glorious picture of eternity. That’s the what and why? So, the question is who and when?
    • Contact – Just Be A Friend – 1 Corinthians 9:16-23 – One of the things that keeps us from sharing our faith is a lack of contact with non-Christians. Cultural Christianity can breed isolation. So, the challenge is to break out of the comfort of the Christian cocoon and build meaningful relationships with people who do not know God.
    • Conversation – Open Your Mouth and Say Something – Acts 8:26-40 – Philip was responsive to the leading of the Holy Spirit. He was on the lookout for opportunities to share the gospel. And Philip was not reluctant to open his mouth.
    • Conversion – This Is Bigger Than You – 1 Corinthians 2:1-5 – Only God can convict and only God can convince someone to become a Christian. Our job is to share the message of the cross and to rely on the power of the Holy Spirit.
    • Commitment – On Mission: Yes or No? – Acts 4 – We want to see Acts 4 become a reality in our church just as it was in the early church. Through prayer, we call upon God to fill us with His Holy Spirit and enable us to share the gospel with boldness.


    What are the big questions the Evangelism Task Force grappled with?

    Some of the questions the elders asked the Evangelism Task Force to research and answer this past summer. This Fall, the Council (elders and staff) will be considering how to implement many of their great ideas.

    • What is your sphere of influence? – We want to help our congregation leverage the activities, organizations, and places in which they are engaged, and to see those venues as personal spheres of influence. The focus for every one of us will be to develop relationships with non-Christians in our spheres of influence.
    • How can we impact our circle of responsibility? – Sphere of influence is personal. It’s where we go and live and work and do life. Circle of responsibility is corporate. It’s the geography of where God has strategically placed our church, and we take responsibility for reaching those who reside in that geography with the gospel. We want to determine, and then implement, the best ways to penetrate our circle of responsibility.
    • What are the evangelism strategies and practices that every church ministry needs to have in place? – Every ministry must have measurable evangelism outcomes – fruit, not just activity. Every ministry must be about building relationships with non-Christians. Every ministry must have a champion for evangelism. Every ministry must have an evangelism prayer strategy. Nothing we plan will be effective apart from a movement of God.
    • What is the best way to equip every person to share their faith? – We will be offering several equipping tools over the next couple of years. For the campaign, we will offer DIALOG, which focuses on how to bridge into spiritual conversations and move those conversations to the gospel.
    • How can we incorporate prayer into our evangelism strategy? – During the campaign, we will be asking every person to participate in a 42-day prayer initiative. There will also be opportunities for corporate prayer. And we will encourage every Life Group to pray for personal opportunities for evangelism. And again, long-term, every ministry must have an evangelism prayer strategy.


    What is your heart for personal evangelism?

    So, let me ask you, what is your heart for personal evangelism? I’m not talking ideas or strategies. I’m asking, what you are thinking and feeling? How is God stirring your heart as you think about sharing your faith? We believe that evangelism is on the heart of God. There’s just too much Scripture about grace and about mission to ignore it. Paul said that God “desires for all men to be saved” (1 Timothy 2:5). So, that’s what should be on our hearts too.


    How are we praying?

    • Council – We have been praying for months. We prayed through key Bible verses on evangelism for 30 days this Spring.
    • Worship Services – Each Sunday worship service of the campaign, we will pray corporately for this revival of personal evangelism.
    • Prayer Walking – We also encourage you to get together with other Christian friends and prayer-walk your neighborhood, praying for opportunities to share the gospel and for your neighbors to come to Christ.
    • Prayer Guide – This Sunday, September 18, we will distribute a 42-prayer guide for you to use devotionally throughout the campaign. Each day, there will be a verse to consider, a prayer focus, and an evangelistic testimony.
    • Concert of Prayer – On Sunday night, October 23, we will conclude the campaign with a night of worship and prayer. Again, our Acts 4 prayer is that God would fill us with His Holy Spirit and enable us to share the gospel with boldness just as He did the first century believers.

    ]]>     http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2011/09/15/fall-evangelism-campaign#comments 0     The Next Step Steven Hieronymus, elder Steven Hieronymus, elder http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2011/08/25/the-next-step Thu, 25 Aug 2011 09:06:00 +0000 http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2011/08/25/the-next-step
    With respect to life within our church body we too are making ready for the next step. Over this past year our leadership recognized a weakness in the area of personal evangelism and we brought forward a vision to correct this weakness; a vision that our church body has endorsed and supported as we applied resources toward investigating and strategy development to better incorporate evangelism and evangelistic opportunity into the life of our church. There is, or should be, a balance to the Christian life that is being conformed to the image of Christ, thus the need to ensure our engagement in sharing the Gospel message.

    Soon you will be hearing more about our “next steps”, but I ask you now to be seeking the Lord, to discern His thoughts as to how you are doing in the area of sharing your personal story of graced received. Remember what I said above – excitement, daunting & scary. You can now insert these words again, as you might open yourself to what the Lord might reveal to you.

    Just a couple of weeks ago I was reminded of my own weakness in being properly aware of opportunities. I think I have shared before that I live in Canyon Creek and I spend a fair amount of time walking my dog around the neighborhood. I have met many people over the years and developed some degree of relationship with many, or at least with their dogs. At any rate one man that I have known for at least eight years, spending time in the park as our two labs played, recently zinged me pretty good. It was a Saturday morning and we had not seen each other over the past number of months, but we ran into each other and stopped to talk for a moment. This time I said something about our church and he quickly let me know that they were members of another sister church in the area. I have friends that attend and inquired as to whether he might happen to know them. He then told me that his family only attended services and did not really know anyone in the church. I then began to share how having a church family is so important and how valuable it had been to me over the years. As I was speaking he was looking at me intently and paying close attention. He then said the following words to me – “How come you have never spoken about this to me before”? I used the word “zing” above, but that really doesn’t do it justice. I generally consider myself as being pretty bold and am open about my faith, yet here was a guy, that turned out to be a believer, that really shook me - hard. How many people could ask me the same question? How many of them might have their all is well Canyon Creek facade on their face, but really be lost and seeking behind this mask? How many opportunities have I overlooked over the years?

    I suspect that my story might also be your story as well. Will you join me as we prepare to take these next steps; confessing our fears, seeking support for the challenges and of course sharing the exciting stories that are sure to come.

    Psalms 26: 6-7 – “I wash my hands in innocence, and go about your altar, O Lord, proclaiming aloud your praise and telling of all your wonderful deeds.”

    Please let me know your thoughts and your stories.

    Steven Hieronymus
    Steven.hieronymus1@gmail.com

    ]]>     http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2011/08/25/the-next-step#comments 0     Life Apps message series Monty Watson, senior pastor Monty Watson, senior pastor
    I’ve got to admit I was spoiled this past week. Being on vacation and having my entire family with us in Austin and playing with my granddaughter Brooke was pretty special. But this morning, it’s back to work and seeing how we can help families thrive and experience God’s best.

    On August 21, [...]]]>     http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2011/08/08/life-apps-message-series Mon, 08 Aug 2011 10:29:00 +0000 http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2011/08/08/life-apps-message-series
    I’ve got to admit I was spoiled this past week. Being on vacation and having my entire family with us in Austin and playing with my granddaughter Brooke was pretty special. But this morning, it’s back to work and seeing how we can help families thrive and experience God’s best.

    On August 21, we’re launching a four-week sermon series called Life Apps. You’ve heard the commercials. “There’s an app for that.” And there are thousands of apps that promise to make life easier, more productive, and more fun. But most of us need more than another game on our smartphone. What we really need is real help for real life. And that’s what our Fall kick-off series is about, about learning how to apply the Bible to the real life issues we face every day.

    For students, it’s about life@school. It’s about dealing with peer pressure, with the pressure to make good grades, with fitting in with friends, and figuring out who you really are. For families, it’s about life@home. It’s about making home a safe place – a place of acceptance, forgiveness, grace, affirmation, and unconditional love. For adults, it’s about life@work. It’s about fulfillment of a career, making a living, balancing work and home, and about managing stress. And for all of us, it’s about life@play. Yes, play is biblical. God commanded us to take Sabbath moments to refresh our souls. But too often we seek that refreshment in unhealthy ways; with escapism, entertainment, and even addictive behaviors.

    Again, the purpose of this series is to help us learn how to apply biblical principles to the real life issues we face every day. So, mark the date – August 21. And think about inviting someone you know who could benefit from one of these messages.

    Monty

    ]]>     http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2011/08/08/life-apps-message-series#comments 1     Faint Not - Galatians 6:9-10 David Melles, elder David Melles, elder http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2011/08/05/faint-not-galatians-69-10 Fri, 05 Aug 2011 16:53:00 +0000 http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2011/08/05/faint-not-galatians-69-10
    I read this week that the Chinese word for ‘crisis’ is composed of two symbols, that represent two words: ‘danger’ and ‘opportunity’.

    In the midst of crisis we are often inclined to focus on the element of danger and for this to swamp the element of opportunity.

    It may seem to be enigmatic, but more often than not for those who follow Christ, God allows crisis not for danger but rather for opportunity.

    James 1:2-4: “…Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything…”

    We must be even more keenly aware of the opportunities crisis brings!

    In Galatians 6:9-10 Paul wrote “…let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men….”

    God is allowing this world to be shaken a little today. Of all people we should prepare ourselves to be a means of peace and light and strength to those who are afraid. Let's not grow weary in well doing – there's so much work to be done!

    In Christ,
    David Melles

    ]]>     http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2011/08/05/faint-not-galatians-69-10#comments 0     Created in Christ Jesus for Good Works Mark Perkins, elder Mark Perkins, elder http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2011/07/15/created-in-christ-jesus-for-good-works Fri, 15 Jul 2011 11:20:00 +0000 http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2011/07/15/created-in-christ-jesus-for-good-works
    Sadly, Grandpa recently suffered a stroke and has experienced some partial paralysis and loss of sight and now lives in a nursing home. Rhoda and I recently made a trip down to Eagle Pass, TX to visit with Grandpa for what might be the last time we see him before he goes to be with the Lord. It was an emotional trip for us given the many memories we share of Grandpa and his spiritual legacy.

    A year ago, Grandpa gave some of his personal belongings to his children and grandchildren. One of the most precious gifts we received was a straw cowboy work hat worn frequently by Grandpa. What makes this hat special is that it is stained with rings of sweat, which serve as a reminder to us of Grandpa’s hard work and dedication to serving our Lord.

    I am reminded of a verse in Ephesians 2:10 that states, “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.” In general, the term good works refers to all righteous behavior that conforms to God’s revealed Word. As one commentary states, good works are an expression of gratitude flowing from the believer’s heart and have the glory of God as their object. Grandpa is a living example of a man who offered his life to the Lord and was committed to accomplishing the many good works God had sovereignly prepared beforehand for his life.

    Do you and I realize we too are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works/righteous behavior? I had to stop for just a moment and dwell on the truths of this verse, that Almighty God, who created the heavens and the earth, has prepared in advance good works for you and for me with a desire that we would walk in them. I had to ask myself, how am I doing? I am thankful that in our family, Grandpa went before us to set an example.

    ]]>     http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2011/07/15/created-in-christ-jesus-for-good-works#comments 0     What Does It Mean? Steven Hieronymus, elder Steven Hieronymus, elder http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2011/07/08/what-does-it-mean Fri, 08 Jul 2011 14:08:00 +0000 http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2011/07/08/what-does-it-mean
    The corruption of the Christian faith can be quite subtle and might well be deemed attractive to our human (sinful) nature. Paul directly addresses in his warning in 2 Tim. 4:3-4 – “For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.” These words of truth resonate with me today.

    I recently put aside my “let it go” mentality and responded to an article published in our local paper, but which was written by a writer with the Fort Worth paper. My communication as follows:

    Dear Mr. Sanders,

    There are elements of your article that I would certainly agree with, yet one comment took me by surprise. In your second paragraph you said the following:

    “As a Christian myself, I am offended by those who, in the name of Jesus, go out of their way not only to denounce other religions, but to condemn people of other faiths to hell.”

    You then end the column with this sentence:

    “My prayer is a simple one that I’ve been reciting for a long time: Dear God, please help Christians to become more Christ-like.

    To be a “Christian” is to be a Christ follower, thus the words and call of Christ are of great importance to we who have become His followers. I certainly would not have the “audacity” to define or confine the Lord God, thus choose to let His revealed “Word” provide the definition. So what are the actual words of Jesus to us on the subject of salvation?

    • John 3:18 – “Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.”
    • John 6:29 – “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.”
    • John 11:35 – “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die.”
    • John 14:6 – “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
    • See also: Luke 13:22-30, Matthew 7: 13-14 & 21-23, Luke 12:49-53, Luke 16: 19-31

    I send the above because Christianity is not comparable to other religious faiths and quite honestly is exclusionary in that Christ specifically says there is only one way to be reconciled and at peace with God our father and creator.

    As such all must respond to the person of Jesus. We can reject him or we accept him as the Christ and His offer of grace. To accept and then follow means to be a Christ Follower – thus Christian.

    I hope that you might explore the verses referenced above and of course there are many more as well. My intention is not to be contentious, but desire accuracy as to how we convey the meaning behind identifying oneself as a Christian.

    What does it mean – to be a Christian? Are we ready to contend for the faith, without being contentious? Are we prepared to address the tenants of our “exclusionary” faith; guiding people to critically examine what they believe, what they know and what the Bible might actually say to us? Opportunities to grow in this area abound and I would encourage you to engage, with love and care, those that might be directed your way. Please respond to me and let me know your thoughts in the coming days.

    Steven Hieronymus
    Steven.hieronymus1@gmail.com

    ]]>     http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2011/07/08/what-does-it-mean#comments 1     On Mission! Keith Tooley, missions and evangelism pastor Keith Tooley, missions and evangelism pastor
    If I was going to sum up where we want to go in personal evangelism as a congregation - this would be it.

    What if we got up each day and we had a missional focus, just like any missionary out in the field. That focus might include the following:

    We catch a vision, and we [...]]]>     http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2011/07/01/on-mission Fri, 01 Jul 2011 13:59:00 +0000 http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2011/07/01/on-mission
    If I was going to sum up where we want to go in personal evangelism as a congregation - this would be it.

    What if we got up each day and we had a missional focus, just like any missionary out in the field. That focus might include the following:

    We catch a vision, and we feel a calling, to reach a people group in our “sphere of influence” - the places we frequent as we do life. Within our sphere of influence could be the nearby HEB, our place of work, our neighborhood, the schools our children attend, the local park, or other places. (Anyone who goes grocery shopping can tell you that every HEB or Walmart is a mini-subculture. They all reach a different clientele, or in some cases, a completely different people group or culture.)

    We move into that people group and immerse ourselves in the culture. We get answers to questions such as: Who are these people? What are their families like? What are their fears, thoughts, hopes, hobbies, habits, etc.? Where else do they do life, and how is it going for them?

    We learn new ways to connect to, and communicate with, the culture. What do we have in common with them? Do they have needs we can meet? What are their life circumstances?

    As we learn more and more about the culture, and make some changes in our lives, we are meeting these people where they are, and we are becoming more and more relevant to them. This opens the door for more open dialogue and trust.

    We are praying daily for insight and for new ways to reach the culture. We are praying for opportunities to share Jesus Christ – in many creative ways – with those that He places in our path, or those we go out of our way to reach.

    We are on mission!

    Where are you on mission? What is your sphere of influence? We will be talking a lot about that in the months to come. I want to hear how God is using you to reach the world with His light, love, and good news. Please share your seed-planting attempts and spiritual conversations with me at: keith@tcacc.net

    ]]>     http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2011/07/01/on-mission#comments 0     Youth Camp in Taos, NM. Dusty Brewer, youth pastor Dusty Brewer, youth pastor
    Seeing students and adults respond to God is at times indescribable.

    A week ago a group of students and adults from our church returned from a week in Taos, NM where we gathered with other churches around Texas for youth camp. Youth camp is always a blast. In Taos, many of our students went white [...]]]>     http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2011/06/27/youth-camp-in-taos-nm Mon, 27 Jun 2011 16:09:00 +0000 http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2011/06/27/youth-camp-in-taos-nm
    Seeing students and adults respond to God is at times indescribable.

    A week ago a group of students and adults from our church returned from a week in Taos, NM where we gathered with other churches around Texas for youth camp. Youth camp is always a blast. In Taos, many of our students went white water rafting, horseback riding, and hiking. There were lots of laughs and lots of fun. But much more importantly youth camp was an opportunity for our students to disconnect from the busyness of life as well as the common distractions of the world to focus on connecting with the Father.

    As camp unfolded, it was amazing to watch over the course of the week as student after student had their hearts drawn nearer to Jesus. Our final night was the most powerful. On Thursday night we had an extended time for praise and worship followed by a really meaningful time of communion. During this time, several of our students prayed to receive Christ. One of those students was one of our 7th grade guys. He wrote the following text to his mom at 12:30am that night.

    “Yesterday i wasnt a christian … right now i am a christian … At 9:05 on June 16th 2011 I asked God and jesus if he would be my savior and they responded … I have never raised my hands to god while i was singing a song about him … I have never cried to God while i was singing a song to him Tonight i joyfully raised my hands up and i started crying with tears of joy … God had answered me and finally made me feel his faith, power, grace, hope, and most importantly HIS LOVE !!! MY LEGS WERE shaking and my hands were sweating and my arms were shivering and about 15 minutes later i went up to the stage and i sat before the singers and i prayed to god and i told god how thankful i was for him excepting me and wanting me as one of his glorious shining soldiers.. I love god and i never want to be apart from him.. i love him with all my heart he made me love him more than anyone ive EVER loved before EVER!!! i had a communion and i still hate grape juice but i draink it for the father !!! Today satan has grown weaker and the angels are rejoicing by gods side that they have a new recruit !!!”

    As a youth pastor, I can’t tell you how proud I am to watch students respond to God’s calling on their lives. Whether that is to become a Christian or to live their lives daily under the authority and leadership of the Holy Spirit. When students build their lives upon the foundation of Jesus and you see it bear itself out in transformation and the daily decisions and commitments of life, it is an unbelievable experience.

    It never gets old!

    ]]>     http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2011/06/27/youth-camp-in-taos-nm#comments 1     "That the church may be built up" David Melles, elder David Melles, elder http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2011/06/18/that-the-church-may-be-built-up Sat, 18 Jun 2011 15:43:00 +0000 http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2011/06/18/that-the-church-may-be-built-up
    This has, I believe, engendered a situation that impacts our whole worship experience on Sunday morning. We can come with an expectation to be entertained. That the pastor should hold our attention, engage, entertain. That the worship music should be of the highest quality, contemporary, relevant, engaging, and also, need I say it, entertaining.

    If it is not, in the extreme, we will go elsewhere to find something that suits us better. We church hop, to find an experience that is better, more relevant, something that suits ‘me’, and if we are honest we will even start to make judgments about where God is more alive, and where He is not.
    Paul’s letter to the church in Corinth gives a very different picture, a picture of how we should come to church on a Sunday morning, and in fact, any time.

    “What then shall we say, brothers and sisters? When you come together, each of you has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation. Everything must be done so that the church may be built up” 1 Cor 14:26

    You see Paul is saying something quite different. He is saying when we come together, we should all come with something to offer. Something to contribute, in order that “the church may be built up…”. The fact that he is speaking about spiritual gifts is, in my opinion, irrelevant. The principle is, we come with hearts prepared to give, servant hearts. I want to suggest that a person who comes with a spirit that expects to be entertained or engaged, is going to be disappointed at some stage, because things will not always be to their liking.

    So the next time you see yourself complaining or feeling under engaged or entertained on Sunday morning ask yourself this, “What did I bring this morning? What word of encouragement?, What compassion for the wounded soul?, What prayer for someone suffering?, What scripture to minister to a struggling relationship?...

    “… that the church may be built up…”

    ]]>     http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2011/06/18/that-the-church-may-be-built-up#comments 1     Staying With vs. Staying Put damon@churchatcanyoncreek.com damon@churchatcanyoncreek.com John 15:7-11

    “If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, [...]]]>     http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2011/06/11/staying-with-vs-staying-put Sat, 11 Jun 2011 12:53:14 +0000 http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2011/06/11/staying-with-vs-staying-put John 15:7-11

    “If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.”

    In John 15 Jesus outlines for us how we can “bear much fruit” in a way that will not only glorify God but also so that “your joy may be full”. The way that we do this is if we “abide” or “remain” in Christ as he is the vine and we are the branches. This is an easy metaphor to understand because we know that if a branch doesn’t stay connected to a vine it won’t bear any fruit, but what exactly does it mean to abide? Is this a command to be passive or active?

    The answer is that this is command that will require both. For me the problem is that I too often just focus on the passive nature of this command. The call to just be in Christ and be satisfied. The issue with this is that when I only focus on this aspect of abiding it can leave me simply staying put vs. staying with Christ.

    The answer I believe lies in verse 10 when Jesus says, “If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love.” We have to look at how Jesus kept his Father’s commandments to get an understanding of what it means to abide.

    You see, for Jesus it was not merely about knowing the Father and being satisfied. For Jesus this meant a life of complete radical obedience to God. Jesus went where God commanded him to go, and said what the Father commanded him to say. Whatever God asked, whenever God asked it. His heart stayed in sync with the Father’s heart at all times. I’m sure that being “in Christ” might mean something more profound than being in sync with His heart but it is certainly not less.

    If remaining in Christ means that we are to stay in sync with him, then to abide we must stay with Him. It means not just abiding in the aspects of Christ where I feel comfortable or gifted. It means not just a life of general obedience but specific obedience as well. This means when Christ calls me to go and witness to my neighbor, then to not follow him is to not abide in him. If God calls me half way across the world and I don’t go, then I am no longer abiding in Him. If God calls me to show grace and mercy to someone I feel doesn’t deserve it and I withhold that then I am not remaining with him. His heart and my heart are now out of sync.

    Of course we will not be able to do this perfectly like Christ did but it is still what we should be aiming for. This also doesn’t mean that if you don’t do this perfectly that you won’t bear any fruit or have any joy. I do believe however that the fruit we bear and the joy we have is directly related to how much we abide. Isn’t this what Christ said in chapter 15? We should have a holy discontent with the level of fruit we bear and the joy we have because He is always offering us more.

    So if you are like me and would like to see more fruit in your life, then here are some questions we must ask ourselves. Where does Christ go that I will not follow? What are some areas and times in my life that I don’t abide with Christ? Is it personal evangelism? Is it trusting Him with your finances? Is it serving others? For all of us there are specific things that God is calling us to be personally obedient in. We must trust that He is the good shepherd that leads us where we need to go. The more we follow the more we will experience the abundant life he came to offer. So abide in Him but don’t just stay put, stay with Him as well.

    ]]>     http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2011/06/11/staying-with-vs-staying-put#comments 0     He loves me. He loves me not. Kelly Gottschalk Kelly Gottschalk http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2011/06/03/he-loves-me-he-loves-me-not Fri, 03 Jun 2011 18:36:00 +0000 http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2011/06/03/he-loves-me-he-loves-me-not
    My Life Group and others have been helpful as I’ve been maneuvering through this journey. They’ve challenged me, provided encouragement and given me several resources. One of the books recommended to me was called 1,000 Gifts by Ann Voskamp. It’s about a mom who is struggling to see God amongst all the details of her daily life and some tragic experiences that have happened in her past. She “overcomes” this by starting a grateful journal where she lists the gifts that God gives her each day. I can’t say that I would recommend the book to everyone. It’s definitely written for women and/or mothers, but the concept of a grateful journal can be beneficial to everyone to keep track of how you are blessed or loved on by God each day. I’ve also been reading through a devotional book called Jesus Calling, by Sarah Young. The messages are written as if Jesus were talking directly to you and then they are followed by several scriptures that correlate with the devotional. I’ve enjoyed reading His Word and then hearing how Jesus could have possibly wanted to encourage me if He and I were discussing the scriptures right then and there at my breakfast table.

    And finally, I have found that it is easier to focus on how much He loves me when I “bombard” myself with praise and worship music or ipod casts of different messages. Don’t get me wrong, I do love 80s music, but walking through this journey, I’m really trying to renew my heart and mind, moment by moment with reminders of who He is and how He cares for me. My prayer is that this blog would be an encouragement to others who may be where I am at this point in my Christian walk. He loves me. He loves me. He loves me.

    ]]>         100 Words or Less... Patty Evans Patty Evans http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2011/05/28/100-words-or-less Sat, 28 May 2011 10:24:00 +0000 http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2011/05/28/100-words-or-less
    ”I grew up with a missionary father so I knew all about God and Jesus very early on. So I was really surprised one night at camp when our pastor shared that just because my mom and dad were Christians that didn’t guarantee that I was one. What!! Did he know who my father was or that my mom played the piano in church??? Surely I was in!? He said that God wants all of us to make our own decision. So right there, around that campfire at age 9, I prayed and made Jesus the leader of my life.” 100 words!!!

    Wow, that was hard! And there really is a lot more to the story but maybe those humble beginnings of my journey with Christ are why I am so passionate about church camp. That wasn’t the first or last summer I spent under the stars evaluating our Creator and my relationship with Him. I wonder if I felt closer to God because I was taken out of the comfort of my home or because of those many hours each day for 5 days I spent talking about Him and singing to Him that did it. Whatever it was, it still drives me to count down the weeks until I get to go to camp again! I really feel blessed that my job is taking kids to church camp. If you never experienced it as a child then come and talk to me. I would love to take you!

    ]]>         Lead Me Steven Hieronymus Steven Hieronymus Joshua challenges his people to choose, but then quickly states “but as for me and my house,
    we will serve the LORD." For various reasons I have been thinking upon leading and
    leadership, so thought I would go ahead and write (blog [...]]]>     http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2011/05/13/lead-me Fri, 13 May 2011 14:05:00 +0000 http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2011/05/13/lead-me Joshua challenges his people to choose, but then quickly states “but as for me and my house,
    we will serve the LORD." For various reasons I have been thinking upon leading and
    leadership, so thought I would go ahead and write (blog – strange word) about it today.

    The Lord has blessed me with a tremendous family heritage of men who have stepped up and been a strong leaders for their families. These influencers include a grandfather, my father and my father in law, men who love the Lord and have led their families. I lost my grandfather in 1986, but the impressions he made upon my life were very deep. I greatly appreciate my father in law and the relationship that we have been able to establish and foster over the past three plus decades. He too has provided cautious words of guidance and been an example in many ways to me. I simply cannot say enough about my father, a man who loves and leads in a manner that people cannot help but notice. My father was a strong business leader, an impactful leader in church service over the years, but of course his greatest role was in leading his family. Many of you have met my father and know that he is now experiencing the ravages of cancer, which combined with his many other health challenges have left his physical presence a mere shadow of his previous self. It pains me to know his daily struggle, yet when I see and speak to him I see and hear a giant of a man, one who radiates in the confidence and peace from being a child of the King, one who has words of wisdom and the walk that has carried the words expressed. I see and hear a man who has led well and has inspired his family and others to know the author of his strength - Jesus.

    From my current perspective of life I still have in view the legacy of my grandfather, my father in law and my father, while also viewing my son & son-in-law as well as my new grandson (Isaiah). I find myself inspired yet challenged to be the leader that God would have me to be and to become. There is a great song out by Sanctus Real called – “Lead Me”. I think the closing verses well express my thoughts, so I have included them for you.

    So Father, give me the strength
    To be everything I'm called to be
    Oh, Father, show me the way
    To lead them
    Won't You lead me?

    To lead them with strong hands
    To stand up when they can't
    Don't want to leave them hungry for love,
    Chasing things that I could give up

    I'll show them I'm willing to fight
    And give them the best of my life
    So we can call this our home
    Lead me, 'cause I can't do this alone
    Father, lead me, 'cause I can't do this alone
    I pray that the men of our church family will step up to follow the Father and then lead. I might suggest to our men to take the opportunity to get in a Life Group, challenge yourself to grow spiritually and add accountability in your life. As the song says we can’t do this alone so seek the Father and strong Christian counsel as we all do life together.

    Thank you Lord for: saving me, for guiding me, providing me wisdom and strength and for the family legacy you provided to me.

    To my father: I know that you have not been able to physically run since you were a teenager, but you have run a great race and you have victory. Tales will be told, stories shared and your leadership legacy will continue to impact and point your family toward faith in the Lord.

    Thanks Dad!

    ]]>         Sit, Stand, Walk David Melles David Melles
    From birth there are distinct phases that mark the normal development of a human being in terms of their ability to move. At first we are completely helpless and [...]]]>     http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2011/05/07/sit-stand-walk Sat, 07 May 2011 20:53:00 +0000 http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2011/05/07/sit-stand-walk
    From birth there are distinct phases that mark the normal development of a human being in terms of their ability to move. At first we are completely helpless and need to be carried and supported as our bones, spine and muscles strengthen. Soon we learn to hold up our heads and push ourselves up, eventually to a sitting position. After this we build up the courage to pull ourselves up to stand and in short succession we, with faltering steps, learn to walk and then run.

    It is perhaps a coincidence that the order in Psalm 1 is opposite to that of positive, healthy development of a human in the physical world, or is it?

    In the physical, so in the spiritual.

    In Luke 10:39 we read that Martha ‘…had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet listening to what he said….’.

    Sitting is not a bad thing, if we are sitting at the feet of Jesus.

    In Ephesians 6 the church in Ephesus is encouraged by Paul to, ‘… put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes...’ (Eph 6:11)

    Standing is good, if we are standing girded with the full armor of God.

    Earlier in Galatians Paul wrote “…This I say then, walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh….” (Gal 5:16)

    and in Ephesians:

    “… As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received…” (Eph 4:1).

    (It is a commonly known fact that here, and elsewhere in Ephesians, the verb ‘live’ is actually the Greek verb normally translated ‘walk’ as reflected in the King James Version).

    “…I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called…” (Eph 4:1)

    “…And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour...” (Eph 5:2)

    “…For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light…”(Eph 5:8)

    So let me ask you what is your spiritual posture or condition today?

    Are you sitting at the feet of Jesus or in the seat of scoffers?
    Are you standing in the full armor of God or in the way of sinners?
    Are you walking in the Spirit or are you walking in the council of the wicked?

    My prayer is that your delight “…is in the law of the LORD…”, that you will be “… like a tree planted by the streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither….”

    That whatever you do prospers. (Psa 1:2-3)

    ]]>         A Longing for God's Word Mark Perkins Mark Perkins http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2011/04/29/a-longing-for-gods-word Fri, 29 Apr 2011 10:20:00 +0000 http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2011/04/29/a-longing-for-gods-word
    In all seriousness, while I walked the bookstore aisles that were full of various versions, colors and sizes of Bibles, I was reminded of how blessed we truly are to have abundant access to God’s written word. These are the words of life, God-breathed and written by men inspired by the Holy Spirit. Yet in light of my ease of access, I began to evaluate my own desire to be a faithful student of the written word I so freely possess? In the busyness of life and the fast pace by which I many times live, it is easy to be tempted to set aside regular times of Bible study and prayer. I wonder if any of you share this same challenge.

    It is in these times that I renew my mind with truth that comes from the very word I long to read. I am reminded of an Old Testament scripture verse in Psalms 119:105 that says, “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” God’s word provides illumination to walk the paths of life. The Psalmist goes on to say in verse 130 that “The unfolding of your words gives light; it gives understanding to the simple.” I personally am committed to walk the “path” of life being guided by the word of God and the Holy Spirit that lives within me as a believer in Jesus Christ. As you walk the path of your life, I would like to encourage you to allow God’s word to be a “lamp to your feet”.

    Hope you have a wonderful day in the Lord.

    ]]>         The Easter Story . . . Phrase by Phrase Monty Watson Monty Watson Mary Magdalene came to the tomb.
    The stone had been rolled away.
    She ran and found Peter.
    “They have taken the Lord!”
    Peter and John race to the tomb.
    Nothing left but grave clothes.
    John “saw and believed.”
    Mary crying.
    [...]]]>     http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2011/04/20/the-easter-story-phrase-by-phrase Wed, 20 Apr 2011 10:46:00 +0000 http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2011/04/20/the-easter-story-phrase-by-phrase Mary Magdalene came to the tomb.
    The stone had been rolled away.
    She ran and found Peter.
    “They have taken the Lord!”
    Peter and John race to the tomb.
    Nothing left but grave clothes.
    John “saw and believed.”
    Mary crying.
    “Mary.”
    “Rabboni?”
    “Yes, it’s Me. Go tell your brothers.”
    “I HAVE SEEN THE LORD!”
    Later, behind locked doors.
    Suddenly, Jesus was standing there.
    “Peace be with you.”
    His hands, His side.
    They were filled with joy.
    But Thomas is not there.
    “I will not believe unless I see.”
    Eight days later.
    Again, behind locked doors.
    Suddenly, Jesus was standing there.
    “Thomas. My hands, my side.”
    “My Lord and my God!”

    These things have been written
    So that you may believe
    That Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God,
    And that by believing
    You may have life.

    John 20

    ]]>         Easter...Then and Now Kelly Gottschalk Kelly Gottschalk http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2011/04/15/easter-then-and-now Fri, 15 Apr 2011 11:45:00 +0000 http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2011/04/15/easter-then-and-now Don’t get me wrong. I had wonderful parents and still do. They were very loving and supportive. They definitely taught us right from wrong. They believed strongly in helping others and giving of yourself. They even believed in God and doing the right thing so that you could spend eternity in heaven with Him. Both of them worked full time, but they made time to spend with me and my brothers, usually on Sundays. That was our family day where we slept in, had breakfast together, participated in different family events and ended the evening with a steak dinner. So many great memories. My parents were pretty darn perfect other than their lack of having a relationship with Christ.
    It wasn’t until later in life after I was married that I realized there was more to Easter. My husband and I had moved to the “buckle” of the Bible belt and we were far away from our family and friends. We were very lonely and decided that we needed some friends. He had grown up in church and knew church would be a good place to find new friends. We definitely found a great set of friends there, but I had no clue that would be where I would meet my best friend, Jesus. I accepted Christ into my life and even though people may not have seen a drastic outward change, my heart was changed forever. Even though some of my actions may have been the same at that point, I was now doing the things Christ put on my heart because I knew how much He loved me and sacrificed for me.
    There have been many times since I became a believer that I had really wished that I would have become a Christian at an earlier age. Many times, I believed lies like I wasn’t as “spiritual” as the other people in church. I also struggled when I became part of the staff here because, in my mind, I could very easily feel inferior to people who had been raised in church and had been on this staff, or other church staffs, for many years. I wondered why this was His plan for me. Then one day, God revealed to me His reasoning. Because of my position here, I am able to spend a lot of time with preschool moms. The preschool moms that I have gotten to know have not only been from our church, but our MOPS ministry and Canyon Creek Preschool. So many of the women have the same story as me. They are living life as a good person, but not realizing that they are missing the reason we should live a life that is honoring to God. God is amazing like that. He uses each of our stories to reach out to others around us. He knew exactly what my calling would be later in life and knew how He could connect me with the many women and their families that filter through the preschool ministry here at The Church at Canyon Creek. I look forward to the discussions I will have with these families over the next few weeks as we approach the Easter season. My thoughts about Easter now: My risen Savior. His sacrifice. My sin. Immeasurable grace and mercy. Gratefulness for my parents now growing in their faith. Urgency to tell others about Him.

    ]]>         30 Days of Prayer Monty Watson Monty Watson http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2011/04/12/30-days-of-prayer Tue, 12 Apr 2011 15:26:00 +0000 http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2011/04/12/30-days-of-prayer
    Therefore, we are calling the entire church body to join together for 30 days of prayer for the evangelistic initiative of our church. It begins today, April 11, and goes through May 10. During this season of prayer, ask the Lord to show you His will, to give you a burden for the lost, and to anoint our church with His Spirit as share His gospel in our community.

    In the prayer guide on our website, there is a Scripture passage for you to consider each day. As you pray through each passage and as the Lord speaks to you, write down your thoughts, impressions, and ideas. At the end of the 30 days, summarize what the Lord has impressed upon you and to forward your thoughts and ideas to Keith Tooley, Missions and Evangelism Pastor, at keith@churchatcanyoncreek.com. At the Council’s May 20-21 retreat, we will consider your thoughts and ideas as we discuss the church’s evangelism initiative for the coming year.

    Your involvement is very important. We believe there is power in the entire church praying together and seeking God together. And we believe that the Lord will speak to us, because evangelism is so tender to His heart.

    Inviting you to join us in praying for the evangelistic initiative of our church,

    Monty

    ]]>         If You Can? Steven Hieronymus Steven Hieronymus The Lord has chosen to teach me much through the life of David. Upon his arrival Rhonda and I were not really walking in close relationship to the [...]]]> http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2011/04/08/if-you-can Fri, 08 Apr 2011 11:58:00 +0000 http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2011/04/08/if-you-can The Lord has chosen to teach me much through the life of David. Upon his arrival Rhonda and I were not really walking in close relationship to the Father, yet He chose to remind us in a powerful way that while He was giving us a son, He had already given us His Son. This reminder required a response and we committed our path to walk with our Father and to grow and conform to His IMAGE.

    I love my children, David and Jennifer, with a passion and tried to be the father and teacher they deserved. Regardless of this personal commitment, David began moving down troubling paths and this only accelerated as he left home and joined the Navy. This past decade we moved from crisis to crisis, each time experiencing great anguish and crying out to God to intervene and fix the situation. It seemed that this decade of praying was not having the desired effect and frankly we were on the verge of losing him completely. In despair Rhonda and I finally and completely released him into the hands of the Father. I frankly admit that this was the hardest thing I have ever done. My mind and my will kept telling me that I get things done, I fix things and I did not want to give up, yet my strength was gone and I had nothing left to offer or give to the situation.

    Recently I shared a passage of scripture at one of our Council meetings and I think it worthy to share here. In Mark Chapter 9 (starting at verse 14) a father brings his son to Jesus. The boy was possessed by an evil spirit and great harm was being done. The father loved his son and brought him to Jesus seeking help for his son. In verse 22 the father makes the following request – “But if you can do anything take pity on us and help us.” You can just image the pain of the father as he must love his son very much, yet he was really missing it. Jesus then responds with an incredibly powerful retort – “If you can”? Jesus then reiterates that everything is possible for him who believes.

    I wonder how many times we have cried out to our Father, but communicated an “if you can” component to our prayers. I know, I believe, yet there it is –If you can?

    The exciting part of my story is that soon after our “release” of David, the hand of God grabbed hold of him and pulled him back from the precipice and began a miraculous healing. I now have at least a glimpse of what the Father experiences as he sees his prodigal children on the horizon returning to Him. I can’t tell you how many Sunday mornings I have to fight back my tears as I am standing alongside my son in worship. I am so proud of David and excited about the things happening in his life, including his wedding on April 22nd, but most assuredly I am praising the Savior all the day long. “You turned my wailing into dancing; you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy, that my heart may sing to you and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give you thanks forever.” (Psalms 30:11-12)

    There are so many in this family that we call “The Church at Canyon Creek”, that have been faithful to support us and to pray in great faith. I will spend eternity in praising God and expressing thanks. There is power in faithful prayer and there is power in God’s church.

    My take away is as follows; where there is faith there is hope and I will choose to praise the Lord regardless of the circumstances. My encouragement and challenge to us all is to stay the course, keep the faith and Pray Big! I pray for our “family” each day and ask you to lift up our ”family” as well.

    “May the Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace. (Numbers 6:24-26)

    ]]>         Changes Keith Tooley Keith Tooley
    A life of constant change is hard for some of us, but exciting for others. Some of us like to get in a comfort zone and [...]]]>     http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2011/04/01/changes Fri, 01 Apr 2011 12:45:45 +0000 http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2011/04/01/changes
    A life of constant change is hard for some of us, but exciting for others. Some of us like to get in a comfort zone and stay there. Others thrive on constant action and drama and like their boat to be rocked on a daily basis. It seems to make life exciting for them. Where are you on the extreme ends of this spectrum?

    We are all being transformed. 2 Corinthians 3:18 assures us that we are being transformed into His likeness. And Romans 12:2 encourages us to be transformed by the renewing of our minds. But we cannot be transformed without some changes taking place in our lives.

    On both the Thailand and Progreso Mission trips, I witnessed changes in members of both teams as we stepped out of our comfort zones to serve Jesus and others. He made all of us aware of new things on these trips. He gave us a different perspective. He used some of us in ways we have never been used before. And in the end, transformation took place. Not only in the lives of those who went on these mission trips, but also in the lives of those who live in Thailand and Progreso who were touched by our team as we engaged with them, gave them water and food, bibles, clothes, prayed for them, shared the gospel with them, encouraged them, and more.

    As we are being conformed to the image of Jesus Christ (Romans 8:29), there will be change. Is that something you look forward to, or something that unsettles you?

    I would suggest that Jesus wants all believers to live on the edge - that He wants us to step out of our comfort zones and engage the culture. He is calling us to be on mission every day in our spheres of influence – at school, at work, in our neighborhoods, at our children’s activities, as we join others in sports and hobbies. There are plenty of places for us to be on mission.

    There is nothing that has changed me more than being on mission. The biggest spiritual growth in my life has occurred over the past decade as I have been more focused and intentional about sharing my faith with unbelievers. It has not only brought about changes in my lifestyle, but I believe it has also sped up my transformation. Every time I engage with unbelievers in spiritual conversations, it forces me to lean into God more, to pray more, to read my bible more, to trust Him more. Can we say “growth spurt?”
    And I have been very encouraged by the people I have met in our congregation who are already engaged in a missional, evangelistic lifestyle. I have heard several exciting stories of transformation!

    Are you up for some big-time, fast-track growth? Are you okay with making some changes in your life to make that happen? I hope so. God wants all of His children engaged in sharing Jesus with others. He also knows that we will be the beneficiaries as it will expedite our transformation.

    I am looking forward to our exciting journey together as we go on mission in Austin, throughout the world, and as we watch God change each of us.

    ]]>         Thank You, Church Family! damon@churchatcanyoncreek.com damon@churchatcanyoncreek.com http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2011/03/25/thank-you-church-family Fri, 25 Mar 2011 16:09:00 +0000 http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2011/03/25/thank-you-church-family So thank you, church family, for your faithfulness. Our staff and leadership are excited about the ministries and events planned for 2011…all made possible by your giving.

    ]]>         The Great Quest for Joy Steven Testone Steven Testone
    Joy is the second fruit listed and I have been very convicted over the past year to experience it more. Sure I have joy from time to time but I wonder if anyone would characterize me as a "joyful [...]]]>     http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2011/03/18/the-great-quest-for-joy Fri, 18 Mar 2011 13:13:00 +0000 http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2011/03/18/the-great-quest-for-joy
    Joy is the second fruit listed and I have been very convicted over the past year to experience it more. Sure I have joy from time to time but I wonder if anyone would characterize me as a "joyful person". This concerns me because I think one of the greatest witnesses to others will be when they see the great joy that we have in Christ.

    I firmly believe that God created us not because he was lonely or needed us in any way, but purely out of a natural overflow of his love. If love is by nature something that delights in the joy of others, then what else could be more natural for a loving God to do then to create others? Some might wonder if God ever should have created us, but perhaps the real question is could a loving God have done anything else? We were created with the purpose of being the great beneficiaries of God exercising and displaying his goodness. Created with a great thirst and capacity for joy, and that thirst could only be fully quenched by God himself.

    The reason we struggle to quench our thirst for joy these days is because we try to quench it in other ways that do not satisfy. Jeremiah 2:13 says it best: "My people have committed two sins: They have forsaken me, the spring of living water, and have dug their own cisterns, broken cisterns that cannot hold water." We seek for joy in the "broken cisterns" of money or the praise of men. Maybe we seek it in our accomplishments, our job, our entertainment, or even in our churches.

    Sometimes we might even earnestly seek joy from God but perhaps as a means to an end instead of as the end itself. As if there were something higher and greater than Him? We should as Christ says: "seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you." (Matthew 6:33). Perhaps when we do this he will not always give us the desire of our hearts but instead change our hearts to desire something greater and then give us that.

    "It would seem that Our Lord finds our desires not too strong, but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased." - C.S. Lewis

    If you can relate to any of these desires I would recommend a few things. First I highly recommend reading "Desiring God" by John Piper if you haven’t already. It is an entire book dedicated to this subject and he does a better job explaining it then I can. Secondly I would ask that you join me in praying that God would increase our desire for true joy and give us the wisdom to seek it in nothing but him. It is my great hope that this joy would then naturally turn into a life of true praise and worship, as all things we delight in naturally do, and that others would see this and be drawn to God through it. I don’t want to continue settling for mud pies.

    ]]>     http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2011/03/18/the-great-quest-for-joy#comments 1     An Idol Commentary Damon Andrews, worship pastor Damon Andrews, worship pastor http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2011/03/12/an-idol-commentary Sat, 12 Mar 2011 08:56:00 +0000 http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2011/03/12/an-idol-commentary
    But the show progresses beyond that and eventually the talented few remain. We hear their stories; we get to know them. We pick our favorites (Casey is amazing!), and we empathetically walk with them through the pressure and emotion of the performances, the judge's commentary, and hearing the results each week. We feel the tension they feel as they listen to those familiar words, "America has voted, and..." We share their exuberance when they learn they are staying another week, and we grieve with them when they find out that their journey is over, and they are going home.

    Yes, I enjoy the show. The performances and the drama entertain me. However, as a worship leader, I feel compelled to make an important distinction. I have often considered the unfortunate similarities between an entertainer and a worship leader. They do, in fact, share much in common. They both are on stage, with a microphone, facing an audience. On the other hand, there is a monumental difference.

    It's not that I have any problem at all with entertaining or being entertained, because I truly don't. God created us with a need for periodic diversion from work, and entertainment fills that need for both the performer and the audience. But a worship leader is not an entertainer. While the entertainer is saying "look at me," the worship leader is saying "look at God."

    So, if you've never really considered the difference between the concert stage and the worship stage, I encourage you to view worship leaders with a fresh perspective. Think of them not as performers, but simply as fellow worshipers who are publicly reminding us, by their words and their example, to direct our voices, our hearts and our attention to God. And as our focus is fully toward God, I am confident that He will be blessed, and our desire to meet Him personally in worship will deepen.

    ]]>         Welcome to our new website! damon@churchatcanyoncreek.com damon@churchatcanyoncreek.com http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2011/03/04/welcome-to-our-new-website Fri, 04 Mar 2011 15:22:00 +0000 http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2011/03/04/welcome-to-our-new-website
    Updated Media Player – easily browse through archived message series to watch, listen, or download message notes. We are still in the process of adding and improving content here, so please be patient with us while we work toward optimum functionality of this feature.

    Calendar – up to date scheduling of church services, events, camps, retreats, mission trips, etc.

    Ministry Blog – weekly articles and ministry reports from the Elders and church staff

    Just like in any family, things always work better when there is clear communication of up to date information, and that is one of the goals of this new site. Of course, if you have questions or comments, or suggestions, you can easily connect with any Elder or staff member. Simply go to the Elder or staff pages from the “About Us” tab and click on the email link for the person you want to contact.

    ]]>     http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2011/03/04/welcome-to-our-new-website#comments 2     Disciple Now Weekend 2011 Dusty Brewer Dusty Brewer http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2011/03/02/disciple-now-weekend-2011 Wed, 02 Mar 2011 16:28:00 +0000 http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2011/03/02/disciple-now-weekend-2011
    Dusty Brewer
    Youth Pastor

    ]]>     http://churchatcanyoncreek.com/blog/2011/03/02/disciple-now-weekend-2011#comments 1