Your Story Does Matter (pt.1)

Our stories matter now and in history because God has accomplished them. I recently had a conversation over a cup of coffee with a complete stranger and he asked me "what about you" and "what are you about?" I was surprised for a split second but immediately jumped in and told him my story and how it has changed me, and the hope I have for the future, for people, for the world and for the Church. He was sort of surprised himself but just began to cruise with it and share his thoughts and it ended up being a beautiful time.

So here are some stories of those inside our gathering and you can be encouraged by them...

"I grew up in a good home. I believed there was a God, I believed the birth and resurrection stories and believed I would go to heaven because I was a nice person. After we were married, my husband and I went to church because it was the right thing to do. It wasn’t until the tragedy of his father being killed that questions were even brought up. The pastor of the church that we were attending introduced us to the “real” Jesus Christ. Christ brought hope, He brought peace, and He brought joy and completeness to my life."

****

"When I was 16; I felt guilty and had a great need for forgiveness for my selfishness. Although, I pretended that God was in my life, I knew that I had been living a lie, even though I had gone forward at an altar call as a young child. Deep in my heart of hearts, I knew that I was on the throne of my life and that I cared more about myself than anyone else. With all my heart, I asked Jesus to forgive me and live within me. I wanted to be completely His for the rest of my life! He became my Savior and Lord; my very best friend! I was set free and the peace and joy God gave me has never left!"

****

"Before I had a relationship with Christ, I didn’t give respect. It was hard for me to control my temper. I struggled with self-control. I started to notice I was losing friendships due to my behavior. I realized I was who I did not want to be and that God was-and is-my only solution. After I began to become more focused on God, He became a friend and father. I've become better at controlling my tongue and my former quick temper. God really can move mountains, if you let Him."

****

Getting my Story on Paper

So I finally think I wrapped things up on my story. Just remember, this is my story and God put it together.
-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

I grew up inside a broken home under the emotional stress of divorce. I had a “Christian” father and a mother who enjoyed several religious flavors. Early in high school I dealt with the effects of a strained relationship with my father and suffered bouts of loneliness. I came across some hospitable Christians who showed genuine interest in my dysfunctional family arrangement. I began to open up to God. There was often a deep struggle to figure out if “me” really had any value to anyone. Christ rescued me from loneliness and discouragement, giving me hope and identity.

"Friends" : Living in Relationship & Trusting God's Spirit

We have embarked on a new series called "friends" that will be the capstone to our "Family, Fiances and Friends" overall series. The messages and emphasis revolve around our involvement in relationships both inside and outside of our church family. We've already discussed:

• Christlike Friendships
  
• Looking to One Another: Love and Building
• One in Spirit and in Purpose
  

Now our particular focus has transitioned into "Just Walk Across the Room."

"The absolute highest value in personal evangelism is staying attuned to and cooperative with the Holy Spirit." Bill Hybels words capture the essence of his book Just Walk Across the Room, a tool that we will be using to help equip each person in the church to be a consistent witness for Christ. Our hope is for each person in the church to "Live in 3D":

• Developing friendships with the lost
  

• Discovering their story
  

• Discerning the next steps the Holy Spirit tells you to take.

From January 25th-February 15th, we'll be offering various opportunities for people to sign up and take this life-changing course:

1. Four-week small groups: Tuesday evenings (at the church), Friday evenings (home group), Sunday mornings (before church), and Sunday evenings (home group).
   
2. One-day seminar: Saturday, February 7th, 9:00-noon.

"The stakes are high. The implications are eternal. And you may be only a conversation away from pointing someone to faith - if you will just walk across the room." - Bill Hybels

2009: The Course

We believe God has great plans for SouthGate Church in 2009. Together we want to run "the race marked out for us" (Hebrews 12:1) with endurance, grace, and joy, cheering each other on every step of the way!

Major aspects of the vision God has given us for the new year:

• Each person inspired and equipped to intentionally develop redemptive friendships with the lost.

• Each person to deeply understand the cross and what it means to live the crucified life.

• Each person to grow in worship and prayer, seeing God move the mountains in their life by faith.

The Church:
- to see "a great number of people believe and turn to the Lord." (Acts 11:21)
- to participate in the process of a possible church plant under the direction of Pastor Gary.
- to grow as "a community of disciples" to more effectively impact the community.
- to expand its ministry to orphans and widows, groups close to the heart of God.

The Strategy God has given to carry out the vision:
-A sermon series & small groups to equip our gathering in the principles of personal evangelism
found in Just Walk Across the Room by Pastor Bill Hybels.
-A sermon series entitled "Christ Crucified" with our people reading Pastor John Piper's book,
Fifty Reasons Why Jesus Came to Die. We will also be fasting and praying during this time
leading up to Easter Sunday.
-A sermon series on "Mountain Moving Prayer" with 40 days of prayer to see God move three
major mountains in each person's life.
-Gary and Anna seeking God direction, preparation, and spiritual formation.
-Connecting people in meaningful relationships and encouraging one another to fulfill God's
purpose.

We are completely dependent upon the Holy Spirit to enable us run this race together, knowing that unless He breathes life into whatever we do, it will not yield fruit. We also know that with Him. all things are possible! So break out your running shoes and let's passionately pursue God and all He has for us in 2009!

Daily Revelation (Jan.21-28/2008)

"Blessed is the one who reads the words of this prophecy, and blessed are
those who hear it and take to heart what it written in it, because the time
is near." Revelation 1:3

Day One:

Read: Revelation 2:8

Hear: What do we hear in the words that describe Christ? The words “first,”
“last,” “dead,” and “alive?” What is the Spirit communicating?

To the Heart: Consider one of the descriptive words, engage it and
personally reflect on how that word has directly affected my life and
journey.

Day Two:

Read: "I know your affliction and your poverty, even though you
are rich (Rev.2:9 NRSV).

"I can see your pain and poverty - constant pain, dire poverty - but I also
see your wealth (Rev.2:9 The Message).

Hear: Listen to the word poverty. Hear the implications of what it means to
the contemporary American. Hear what poverty sounds like in Southern India.

To the Heart: Why does poverty matter? Is poverty, here, meant to
communicate weakness, bad fortune, a problem, or does it communicate
spiritual riches? How can this change me?

Day Three:

Read: Revelation 2:10 (focus on “afraid,” “prison,” and “test’)

Hear: Out of this simple verse, what is God saying to the original readers?
Hear him speak this now, as well.

To the Heart: As Jesus pointed out (Mark 10:30+) the present rewards of
believers come “with persecutions.” There are no promises of any easy life
in the Scriptures. The promises are of comfort, hope and blessing in
suffering. If I accept that, what might that produce in my life?

Day Four:

Read: Revelation 2:10

Hear: Listen to the clear words of Jesus as he says, “Be faithful to the
point of death.” What are we hearing in those hard words?

To the Heart: We honor our champions in the Olympics. We recognize our
fallen soldiers and comrades. God has not forgotten the saints. As a crown
of flowers or garland was placed on the victors head in the second century,
God places a crown of life on the head of the one who is faithful to death.
God is gracious and his saints reign with him.

Day Five:

Simply Pray: Speak with God about the moments spent with the
church at Smyrna and what that has meant personally. Perhaps God may show us
how Smyrna can change us individually and as a church family. Let’s pray for
our church.

The Daily Revelation (Jan.7-12.08)

"Blessed is the one who reads the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what it written in it, because the time is near." (Revelation 1:3)

"Behold, I am coming soon! Blessed is he who keeps the words of the prophecy in this book." (Revelation 22:7)

Day One:

Read: Revelation 1:1-6

Hear: What is the Spirit saying to you in this passage?

Take it to heart: Choose a verse or verses to memorize and meditate on.

Keep: From this Scripture, what does God want me to be and to do?

As fruit of our study, we desire each of us to become: "Worshiping,
praying, and overcoming saints who passionately and faithfully follow Jesus
no matter the cost." Let's look at how a diligent study of the Book of the
Revelation produces those characteristics.
+++++++++++++++++

Day Two:

Worshiping - Revelation 4:8-11; 5:12-14; 7:10-12; 15:2-4; 19:1-8

Praying - Revelation 5:8; 8:3-5
+++++++++++++++++


Day Three:

Overcoming Saints - Revelation 2:7, 11, 17, 26-29; 3:5-6, 12, 21-22;
12:11
+++++++++++++++++


Day Four:

Passionately Follow - Revelation 2:4-5; 3:8, 15-16; 14:4

Faithfully Follow - Revelation 2:10-13; 13:10; 14:12;
+++++++++++++++++


Day Five:

Jesus - Revelation 1:5, 8; 2:1, 12, 18; 3:7, 14; 5:5-6; 19:11, 16; 22:16

No matter the cost - Revelation 6:9-11; 12:11; 13:15-17
+++++++++++++++++

Keep an eye out weekly for the blog version of the Daily Revelationa s it will sometimes contain supplements and added material not found in the paper version included in the weekly bulletin.

New Sermon Series: "Followers of God"

The Lord is emphasizing discipleship in the life of our church this year and we want to continue that theme with our next sermon series on Sunday mornings. The series is entitled, "Followers of God: Practical Life Lessons for Today from the Saints of Yesterday." The series is based on a study of the lives of the faithful in the Old Testament including Daniel, David, Moses, Abraham, Ruth, Joseph, Hannah, Elijah, and Deborah.

Pastor Gary and I believe God is leading us to dive into the Old Testament and learn life lessons about what it means to be a follower of God - a true disciple. We'll walk with the saints of old and apply practical principles for today. The book of Proverbs says, "He who walks with wise men will grow wise." (Proverbs 13:20) Our hope is that you will grow in wisdom as we walk with these wise men and women who followed God and established a great testimony for Him.

2007 is the "Year of the Disciple" at SouthGate Church. So far, we have preached series on "Community of Disciples," "Disciples in the Community," and "Following Jesus." This next series keeps our focus on making disciples and runs from Sunday, April 15th into September.
Join us and invite others to come and be encouraged to be "Followers of God."

In Christ's love, Pastor Kevin McGinley

Following Christ on the Job (in the workplace)

Who are the ministers today? If we let the history of American Protestant and Evangelical churches speak, we might assume that clergy, pastors, elders and other church ordained leadership are the ministers. However, if we let God's Word speak to us, all of us again, we'll recognize that we are all the ministers. God, in the Old Testament and repeated in the New Testament exclaims,

"Now therefore, if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my treasured possession among all peoples, for all the earth is mine; and you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. " Exodus 19:5-6 (ESV)

"You are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's own people, in order that you may proclaim the mighty acts of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light." 1 Peter 2:9 (NRSV)

The theme of God's work with humanity is that He calls people out of darkness and into his glorious light. God, the Spirit of Christ is in the world, today, reconciling the world to Himself. The point of the matter is that God is using His people, all of His people on mission to reach others. God is not interested alone in those called and enabled to be leaders within the local church. God wants each person to be on mission with Him wherever they are.

The American worker is devoted to his job nearly 60 hours a week. People devote a third of their time, their energy to their work, yet the church may not see the impact of this. Christian men and women have an incredible opportunity to carefully direct their work focus and energy toward serving, blessing and ministering to others. The evangelist Billy Graham has predicted that "One of the next great moves of God is going to be through believers in the workplace."

Sharing life, struggles, experiences and hope at work are not forbidden by the laws that regulate religion in the workplace. The obnoxious, disrespectful and hateful attitudes that accompany some forms of religion are the concern in the workplace as well as religious harassment. If we oppose the use of religion to create a hostile work environment, and stand against religious discrimination than we also have a legitimate right to bless others. Wherever we take the good news, we want to do just that-share the peace, love and hope of Christ with others. Ministry in the workplace is building and nurturing relationships with other workers that result in changed lives-lives filled with the truth and goodness of God. Everyone of you embody the wish and desire of God to bring transformation wherever you go. Once each believer accepts that God is using them wherever they spend their time, often on the job, the kingdom of God can begin to advance in all sectors. Don't let anyone tell you that God only used the Levites, certain priests on certain days of the year, clergy, religious officials and others-God is filling each of us and compelling us to carry the message of reconciliation into our workplaces. Go ahead and build relationships and let Christ shine.


-pastor gary