Gratitude—Our Motivation and Drive for “Operation 500 Plus” on November 17The least valued of all the virtues is one of the most impactful - “Gratitude”!In Luke 17 we find Jesus encountering ten lepers. Jesus heals all ten lepers, then we read these sad words, 17 Jesus asked, “Didn’t I heal ten men? Where are the other nine?Now before we are too harsh on the nine lepers who didn’t return, we recal...

Our series Caring Enough To Ask has centered on this one primary question….Do we really care for our neighbors, our friends, our family members, acquaintances whom we meet everyday in our community?  Do we care about their current well being and do we ultimately care where they are going to spend eternity? On November 17,  your Campus Pastors of Christ Church will be calling forward 500 Plus perso...

"So fear the Lord and serve him wholeheartedly. Put away forever the idols your ancestors worshiped when they lived beyond the Euphrates River …But as for me and my family,  we will serve the Lord.” Joshua 24: 14-15What is Joshua Sunday?  Two Sundays ago we preached on “Authentic Christianity”.  What does it mean to truly live for Jesus?  For over 25 years the lay leaders of Christ Church and past...

This is such a powerful statement in Paul’s letter to the Corinthian Church and to Christ Church.  The campus pastors and I can genuinely say that the worshippers of Christ Church have been “…living by God’s power” since our summer season began:Our Ghana Medical Mission Team planted three new churches in Shama, Ghana, giving medical care to 607 people and baptizing 95 persons in three villages. We...

I love birthday parties! It is a joy to celebrate new life!  Last Sunday hundreds of persons at all of our campuses came forward to receive God’s Word spoken over them:·You are wonderfully made in the image of God.  (Psalm 139)·You are a Royal Priesthood—God’s own possession.  (I Peter 2:9)You are the Light of the World. (Matthew 5:14)So many wept as they received these powerful words which God ha...

As we enter into May we cannot go further without giving God thanks for the past five weeks of seeing the Holy Spirit move among us at Christ Church.  Easter week we witnessed historical attendance with 6,126 persons worshipping our Lord Jesus Christ and affirming the power of the Resurrection to transform lives!  We celebrated 19 baptisms in the month of April and several persons joining the Chri...

Recently I cast vision for our Leadership Team at Christ Church. Our key text for our 2024 Leadership Retreat was from Exodus 2:24-25, “God heard their groaning, and he remembered his covenant promise to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. He looked down on the people of Israel and knew it was time to act.”   God heard the cry of the many and took action through One leader! God values the “One”.  In Luke 1...

When Jesus witnessed the religious leaders allowing scams in the house of God he turned over the tables of the money changers and said, ‘My Temple will be called a house of prayer, but you have turned it into a den of thieves.”   This is why Christ Church has maintained a high commitment to not allow fundraising at any of our campuses.  We believe that it is more vital to teach tithing and give of...

Merry Christmastide to each of you! Yes, you may have taken down the tree and put away the decorations, however the Christian Church has celebrated the 12 Days of Christmas for centuries as we believe the Incarnation of God is a big deal and worth celebrating until January 6.  We want to let you know some key information and updates: We have had 60 baptisms so far in 2023 with three more scheduled...

Many of us have been reading from Amos in our One Year Bible readings revealing God’s judgment upon Israel’s sin and rebellion.  They have mistreated the poor and forgotten God. However it is refreshing to read in Amos 9 that God wants to bring “Good News” to us: 11 “In that day I will restore the fallen house of David.  I will repair its damaged walls. From the ruins I will rebuild it and restore...

From The Pastor’s Heart: Celebrating Joshua Sunday—The Heart and Soul of Christ ChurchNovember 19, 2023What does it mean to follow Jesus? How do we authentically follow Jesus?  This Sunday we will gather at all five locations of Christ Church and commit to following Jesus through our six-fold commitment which comes right out of Acts 2: 42-47Worshipping regularly -  vs. 46 “They worshiped together ...

From The Pastor’s Heart: Historical Service of Thanksgiving & Remembrance, Praying for IsraelSunday, November 12 at 5:00 p.m. - All Campuses joining for “Thanksgiving & Remembrance” Night of Worship.In the Bible there are multiple places when God moved, performed miracles, and blessed his people.  Usually an altar was built or a stone erected in order to express “Thanksgiving and Remembrance” to a...

The Apostles’ Creed I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord,who was conceived by the Holy Spiritand born of the virgin Mary.He suffered under Pontius Pilate,was crucified, died, and was buried;he descended into hell.The third day he rose again from the dead.He ascended into heavenand is seated at the right hand of God the...

From The Pastor’s Heart: Disaffiliation is Complete, Going Deeper by PREP & Sowing FinanciallyOur reading from the One Year Bible this week speaks of God’s reciprocity as we can’t expect a harvest of blessings without sowing into God’s Kingdom.  This is true not only for financial blessings as we give tithes into the storehouse of God, but it’s equally true as we sow into our own lives by reading ...

“ For I long to visit you so I can bring you some spiritual gift that will help you grow strong in the Lord.  When we get together, I want to encourage you in your faith, but I also want to be encouraged by yours.”  Romans 1: 11-12Paul says it well as the campus pastors and I want to encourage you each Sunday in worship, in our ministries to children, students and adults.  And, we too are encourag...

Christ Church is experiencing a Spirit Filled Unity and Revitalization like never before in these first two months of 2023!             Ash Wednesday’s attendance was up 25% over last year.              Overall, the in-person worship attendance is up 15% so far this year.Our student ministry led us at last Sunday’s regular 5 p.m. worship service in nearly every level of worship. We are so proud of...

Christ Church is launching on our CC APP the One Year Bible Reading Podcast. Each day Julie Kyker will read the Old and New Testament as well as Psalms and Proverbs. This is only 15 to 17 minutes so a short drive, brisk walk, or work around the house or workplace and you can listen to the OYB reading.Did you miss Christ Church's television broadcast on Christmas Eve? Click here to view it now.This...

We have so much to be thankful for at Christ Church. Our CC Student Ministry led our entire Sunday 5 p.m. worship service on October 23. And, just this week I learned about a seven year old who volunteers and is in our CCKids ministry felt such a burden to share her faith in Christ with a fellow classmate at school. She came home and told her daddy that the fellow student wanted to hear about Jesu...

Our One Year Bible Reading from Colossians 3 “Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. Above all, clothe yourselves with love which binds us all together i...

Last weekend we sang “I’m coming back to the heart of worship. And it’s all about You. It’s all about You, Jesus”.  Worship should first be focused on Jesus. Worship also blesses those who worship! Your attendance and participation matters in worship.  Your participation in a Life Group and serving in a ministry matters. In our One Year Bible reading this week Paul’s encouraging words stress the p...