From the Pastor’s Heart: A House of Prayer, of Healing and Encouragement

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 offerings to mission and ministry.  We also believe our focus should be the House of God as a place for worship, see Exodus OYB reading, a place of healing and allowing the Holy Spirit to encourage and renew the Image of God which was tainted due to sin.  Our passion is to invite children, students and adults to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. During February we want to ask you to grow in your relationship with Christ as we seek to love God and love people:

• “Going The Distance in Relationships” continues throughout February—Invite a Friend
• Starting February 1, let’s read a chapter each day from the Book of Acts following up on the 21 Days of Fasting and Prayer. Pray for the power of the Holy Spirit to move within us and among us as a church that not only believes in prayer but prays! (Pastor Harley shares more below.)
• February 6: Attend Upper Room Prayer Service - “My Temple will be called a house of prayer”…so let’s come together from all campuses and pray.
• Bring canned goods and nonperishables to stock Salvation Army’s Food Pantry.  This week their food pantry was empty where they serve roughly 400 families each month.
• February’s Second Mile Offering will go to the Salvation Army as they sleep the homeless 365 days a year.  Children, women and men are able to have a warm bed.
•  February 14: Ash Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. at all campuses, so singles, families and couples can celebrate Real Love on Valentine’s Day as we gather to begin the Lenten Journey remembering Jesus’ love for us.

Grab some canned food and Invite a friend to join you as we gather “In the House of Prayer” this weekend at Christ Church.  

With deep appreciation and love
Pastors Charles and Julie

The Power of Words
Perhaps one of the greatest lies we were ever told was spoken to us when we were young children. You may have even said it: “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.” Anyone who has ever had harsh words or insults hurled upon them knows well the ability of words to hurt. While words can inflict painful feelings, the Bible is clear that there is also power…life-giving power in words.

Hebrews 11:3 reminds us that God created the heavens and the earth by speaking them into existence (Genesis 1). Proverbs 18:21 says, “Death and life are in the power of the tongue…” Even Ephesians 6:17 instructs us to “Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”

The Greek word used for “word” is rhema. It doesn’t just mean a written word. More accurately, it refers to the spoken word, an utterance.

We just finished 21 days of fasting and prayer. I believe it was meaningful to many and helped move the needle in our faith, finances, relationships, etc.

Let’s keep the momentum going! For the month of February, we are asking the entire Christ Church community to take the sword of the Spirit and speak the word of God by reading aloud one chapter of the book of Acts every day. There are 29 days in February this year. There are 28 chapters in Acts, so on February 29 read Romans 12 as we prepare to begin the Lenten sermon series called Unreasonable Faith.

We believe there is power in the spoken word. We also believe there is even more power in the Word of God. The merging of the two will have a significant impact on your walk with Jesus, your family, your church, your community, and beyond.

We start, of course, on February 1 with Acts 1. Then, February 2 will have us reading Acts 2, and so on. You might choose to read the chapter aloud during your morning devotions, just before bedtime, on your lunch break, or some other time during the day. Anytime will work.
I heard a pastor say recently, “The reason many Christians keep losing battles is because they don’t know they’re in one.” Make no mistake, we’re in a battle…a war! It’s a war for our minds, our children, our marriages, our faith, our communities, our country, our world. Together, let’s pick up God’s weapon