This week, we've been working on some of the challenges associated with our weekly gatherings, and I have some changes to share that I'd like you to pray about. Starting Sunday, Convergence will meet in two places, at two different times.
On Sunday mornings at 10:30, we will meet at the Richards' home. This time will include a gathering designed especially for kiddos, 5th grade and under.
On Sunday evenings at 6:30, we will meet at our (Jeff and Tamara's) home. This gathering will relieve some of the congestion we've been experiencing with one big gathering, and will allow some of our friends who are currently serving at Grace the opportunity to finish with those ministries as Convergence begins.
As a church, we are still in the most preliminary of stages, so this may be a temporary change. But for now it is an option that gives us a little room to grow. Not only that, but it will be a great environment for talking about small groups, discipleship, and other things associated with "living in community."
I'm really jazzed about the things God is doing- I hope you'll join me this week in praying that we will follow HIS lead.
In Him We Live,
Jeff
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Thursday, July 24, 2008
July 24th
Hi there!
Thanks for praying for Convergence Christian Church! I can't adequately express how powerful a gift I believe prayer to be.
When Jesus talked to His disciples about faith He said, "I tell you the truth, if anyone says to this mountain, 'Go, throw yourself into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him. Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins." -Mark 11:23-25
Do you notice the link with prayer/forgiveness/faith? This isn't Jesus saying, "Make a shopping list and I'll give it to you- just like Santa!" He is indicating that, as we grow in our relationship with Him, our faith and trust increase, which will give us confidence as we pray.
However, part of our growth comes from seeing things more like He sees them. Hence, we begin to forgive others, but not because they have done something to deserve it. Instead, we do it because it reflects that we realize how God has treated us and that we want to be like Him.
If we strive to see things more like God sees them, it not only affects how we forgive; it affects how we pray. Our prayers are less likely to be influenced by a "shopping list" mentality and more likely to be influenced by a seeking of His will. When we seek His will, we can pray and be confident that He will answer.
May you be confident as you pray.
In Him We Live,
Jeff
Thanks for praying for Convergence Christian Church! I can't adequately express how powerful a gift I believe prayer to be.
When Jesus talked to His disciples about faith He said, "I tell you the truth, if anyone says to this mountain, 'Go, throw yourself into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him. Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins." -Mark 11:23-25
Do you notice the link with prayer/forgiveness/faith? This isn't Jesus saying, "Make a shopping list and I'll give it to you- just like Santa!" He is indicating that, as we grow in our relationship with Him, our faith and trust increase, which will give us confidence as we pray.
However, part of our growth comes from seeing things more like He sees them. Hence, we begin to forgive others, but not because they have done something to deserve it. Instead, we do it because it reflects that we realize how God has treated us and that we want to be like Him.
If we strive to see things more like God sees them, it not only affects how we forgive; it affects how we pray. Our prayers are less likely to be influenced by a "shopping list" mentality and more likely to be influenced by a seeking of His will. When we seek His will, we can pray and be confident that He will answer.
As the week continues, please keep praying with us as we look for a place to meet. We certainly don't need anything huge, but our group has grown past the point of being comfortably full in a home. We still have several months to go before our "official" public start date, so we are looking for a sort of "in between" location; something that could fit around fifty people total, and have a good space for our kids/youth.
In the meantime, we will keep meeting in homes, and I would appreciate your prayers for those meetings as well, since things are a little crowded right now.
May you be confident as you pray.
In Him We Live,
Jeff
Monday, July 21, 2008
July 21st
Hi there!
Wow- our big move is over, and we have been working to get things unpacked and in their "place" in our new digs. Tomorrow, we will finally get phone and Internet installed at the house- something for which I am very grateful! It's been about 3 weeks since I had easy access to an Internet connection, and in that time I have been relying on "borrowed" wi-fi from our friends Ron and Kathy while visiting with them, or public access points like the one I'm using today at Starbucks.
Yesterday, several of the Convergence "core" joined my family and I at Crossbridge Christian Church in the Cypress-Fairbanks area of Houston, where I got to share the morning message. It was a blast, and I really appreciated the opportunity. (If you would like a copy of the message, just let me know, and I'll do my best to get one to you.)
Outside of yesterday's "special" circumstances, our group has gathered together two other times in July. This brings me to our most pressing need this week. As we made plans for this time in the life of Convergence, I projected that we would be of a size that allowed us to meet in one home or another for a few months. However, we have had more folks coming than I originally anticipated. This is a wonderful situation, and it's given us yet another reason to praise our great God (because this is all about what He has done), but it also presents us with the need to find some sort of temporary location in which we can meet for a few months.
I'm asking that you pray this week about this need- that we will be able to quickly locate a venue that serve as our temporary "home,"- and that this location will be affordable for our young church.
Thanks so much for being a C3 prayer partner!
In Him We Live,
Jeff
Wow- our big move is over, and we have been working to get things unpacked and in their "place" in our new digs. Tomorrow, we will finally get phone and Internet installed at the house- something for which I am very grateful! It's been about 3 weeks since I had easy access to an Internet connection, and in that time I have been relying on "borrowed" wi-fi from our friends Ron and Kathy while visiting with them, or public access points like the one I'm using today at Starbucks.
Yesterday, several of the Convergence "core" joined my family and I at Crossbridge Christian Church in the Cypress-Fairbanks area of Houston, where I got to share the morning message. It was a blast, and I really appreciated the opportunity. (If you would like a copy of the message, just let me know, and I'll do my best to get one to you.)
Outside of yesterday's "special" circumstances, our group has gathered together two other times in July. This brings me to our most pressing need this week. As we made plans for this time in the life of Convergence, I projected that we would be of a size that allowed us to meet in one home or another for a few months. However, we have had more folks coming than I originally anticipated. This is a wonderful situation, and it's given us yet another reason to praise our great God (because this is all about what He has done), but it also presents us with the need to find some sort of temporary location in which we can meet for a few months.
I'm asking that you pray this week about this need- that we will be able to quickly locate a venue that serve as our temporary "home,"- and that this location will be affordable for our young church.
Thanks so much for being a C3 prayer partner!
In Him We Live,
Jeff
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