sabbatical

this blog is on sabbatical and will re-emerge in another format in a few months...
you should now book mark the blog i'm doing with Frank Matthews

Way to Go

Has sincerely been a delight to stand at 10am to lead us in worshipping God and have the sense that a good chunk of us are there and ready to go... ready to go to the throne together. Let's continue to build on this together. From the beginning to seeing scores of people hanging (donut in hand) long after the service..... it was a great day together as a church family.

Many of you asked about the corporate prayer of confession. I'm glad it helped you to probe your heart and come to God for healing. I got it from the Worship God Conference that our friends at Sovereign Grace Ministries just sponsored.

Worshipping God is...

“Christian worship is the response of God’s redeemed people to His self-revelation that exalts God’s glory in Christ in our minds, affections, and wills, in the power of the Holy Spirit.”more definitions:

Sunday voting

On Sunday you'll be asked to cast your ballot--IF YOU PLAN TO PARTICIPATE-- towards the elective that will be offered
1. Marriage
2. This Jacked-up World and what Jesus is doing about it
3. Bible Overview
see details here

May it be so in our midst Sunday

"I read in a periodical the other day that the fundamental thing is how we think of God. By God himself, it is not! How God thinks of us is not only more important but infinitely more important. Indeed, how we think of Him is of no importance except in so far as it is related to how he thinks of us. It is written that we shall 'stand before Him', shall appear, shall be inspected. The promise of glory is the promise, almost incredible and only possible by the work of Christ, that some of us, that any of us who really chooses, shall actually survive that examination, shall find approval, shall please God. To please God…to be a real ingredient in the divine happiness…to be loved by God, not merely pitied, but delighted in as an artist delights in his work or a father in a son—it seems impossible, a weight or burden of glory which our thoughts can hardly sustain. But so it is." --C S Lewis, The Weight of Glory

Internet Amazement... at what is available

Not sure how... but i stumbled across access to a lecture (audio, powerpoint & PDF) by a brilliant Christian, entitled:
Has Science Eliminated God? Richard Dawkins & the Meaning of Life
Alister McGrath - Cambridge CiS-St Edmunds Public Lecture

Engage your heart

The puritans use to speak of preparing our hearts for corporate worship.... like this:

You come up on a fire that is almost out... a few coals remain. You must tend what is there gently and seek the result of a raging fire. So it is with my heart, usually. Yours? So we post the worship folder every Thursday. Here is a bit of our prayer of confession of sin this week:

LEADER: We have had other gods before You.
ALL: We have worshipped and served the creature rather than the
Creator. We have sought satisfaction in this world’s pleasures rather
than in You. We have loved to praise our own glory more than Yours.

So, where have you sought satisfaction?

Wednesday Night at the Bagel Bakery 7:00

Our own Greg Doles and Sydney Schaef will be playing and singing with Mo Leverette of Desire Street new orleans.... located in publix plaza on corner nw34th and 16th ave

Vision Night By Extension

The audio & documents from Friday's Vision Night are available on our site:

Go there, you'll see on the left hand side 4 options...and click on: Latest news and updates

Discipleship Course Update

If you are considering taking the Discipleship Course from me this Fall... and you DO NOT have your materials... please phone 379-4949 immediately.... like POST HASTE-- I need to know you are taking the course AND get you the materials! Here is more info:
Discipleship Course, Fall 2006

Purpose: Raise up gospel-driven & kingdom-minded leaders for God's glory in the church, home, marketplace, world

Methods:

<>Instruction from Rob

<>Homework: at least 60-90 minutes per week, depending upon your temperament

<>Interaction with accountability partners

<>Scripture Memory (Romans 3:19-26) {we will all memorize the ESV for harmony in our memory}

Workshops will include:

<>Life History evening,

helps understand God's sovereignty over your life and His gifting and calling of you

<> Prayer & planning evening,

thinking prayerfully through your family’s life & ministry together

Curriculum:

~Bible

~Gospel Transformation from World Harvest Mission

~Westminster Confession of Faith and Larger & Shorter Catechism

Please pay as much of $30 per person as you can.


Nightly format

1. Share memory work and 1 key concept with accountability partner. (Not your spouse, they tend to be too lenient.)

2. Worshipping God together through singing and prayer

3. Teaching from Rob with 5 minutes of sharing & prayer mixed in per half hour

When?

11 Wednesdays in the Fall, beginning September 6th and ending November 15

7:15-9:15pm weekly at Hope Church (corner Tower & SW 24th ave)


Childcare:
babies are welcome to come with parents; all others are your responsibility




This course –at this time--is not for everyone and you should feel no pressure. If you prayerfully consider it and have a “not now, thanks” response you are ok with me. If you prayerfully consider it and say, “I’m in” then be ready to be “in.” This will be the most intensive and intentional training I’ve done in the last 5 years.

This learning community will be operating together on the following understanding…


Believing that continuity is important to the development of a unique learning community and knowing my own weakness…

* I will purpose to attend both hours of all 11 Wednesdays of the discipleship course.


* I will complete lessons 1-6 of GospelTransformation PRIOR to the first class meeting on September 6th.


* I will memorize Romans 3:19-26 PRIOR to the first class meeting on September 6th


* I will purpose to complete the weekly homework.

STARTS NEXT WEEK! Update...here:
Friends,

How about some grace right out of the gate? I’m updating what you have to have done prior to next Wednesday.

You need to show up at Hope Church (Tower & 75th) on Wednesday

more here soon

Vision Night Excerpts

Soon the audio from Vision Night will be posted on the church website. We're also compiling the praises you offered in answer to the question:
IN WHAT ways are you thankful to God for what He is doing in the life & ministry of Christ Community?

Here are a couple:
"The children's ministry and youth ministry."
"The gospel centered focus and the impact that has had on my life."
"For the desire to reach out to our unbelieving friends."

Initiative #3 Authentic Community

We are seeking to UP this aspect of CCC... so the community life time of our service must be important, right? right

and those who were valiantly serving in children's ministry would want to hear the audio, right? Sure
Or those missed our worship gathering entirely because they slipped and fell on the way-- would want to hear the audio, right? Sure
So we are now putting this on our siteChrist Community Church - Gainesville Florida - Downloads

Y O U said what?

Thankful to God for:
~ the rich relationships that I have in Christ Community
~ the biblical foundation our children are receiving

we'll post more all week... you need to hear the encouraging things that you all said at the Vision Night

Great morning in worship

How thrilling to sing with your strong voice this morning. And to those who were actually seated before 9:58... wow!

Several single folks asked me if the discipleship course I'm offering is open to non-married. Yes! When I was originally pitching it to folk, they were all married and I didn't update the text. All are welcome!

Bob Dylan

:: cawleyblog :: : World Magazine Cover Story: Bob Dylan

sunday we ascend....

... we'll gather 'round the throne of God

Great Vision Night at Hope

Highlights for me:

--Seeing one our students sitting at table with a number of our wonderful "senior saints"

-- Watching people clean up as a team to get things done

-- That our people enjoy each other so much I have to scream on the microphone to get the room quiet

-- The kindred spirit i feel when speaking to this group about Christ and His Kingdom

-- more to come

Gathering tomorrow is at 10am in the theater of Oak Hall... seek to be there "ready to go" before 10, please.
Greg Hamilton is leading Children's Church during the sermon.
Here is the worship folder for tomorrow. Read/pray/think through the elements... may God give us His presence tomorrow!

I just dropped by Hope Church...

and the place is really looking groovy... 7:00PM tonite you will enjoy great desserts, coffee, friends, and we'll dream together of a Beautiful Day

I've put together a 5 page word.doc that I'll walk you through... throughout today and tomorrow I'll post some excerpts from it...

Here is the link to the first excerpt
more: Discipleship Course

and the 2nd:
Worship

We are a SIGN, a foretaste... an instrument

Mission is the creating, reconciling and transforming action of God, flowing from the
community of love found in the Trinity, made known to all humanity in the person of Jesus,
and entrusted to the faithful action and witness of the people of God who, in the power of the
Spirit, are a sign, foretaste and instrument of the reign of God. --Anonymous, for now

Church as SENT People

For most of us...This will take some paradigm reworking by the Spirit

"Unlike the previous notion of the church as an entity located in a facility or in an institutional organization and its activities, the church is being reconceived as a community, a gathered people, brought together by a common calling and vocation to be a sent people." (page 81 Guder)

quotes on us as God's Sent People

"A church is a community of God's people who live into the imagination that they are,
by their very nature, God's missionary people living as a demonstration of what God plans to do in and for all of creation in Jesus Christ." --Alan Roxbourough

“We have come to see that mission is not merely an activity of the church. Rather,
mission is the result of God’s initiative, rooted in God’s purposes to restore and heal creation.
‘Mission’ means ‘sending,’ and it is the central biblical theme describing the purpose of God in
human history” (Darrell L. Guder, ed. Missional Church: A Vision for the Sending of the Church in North America)

quotes about vision toward vision nite

“The greatest mistake we make is living in constant fear that we will make one.” --John Maxwell

Pulling out the compass

Why does a traveller pull out their compass?

Why does a singer want to hear a pure note struck?

Among other things... to re-center themselves... to remember what is central and to receive guidance.

THAT is what we're trying to do Friday night at 7pm

Who is Rod Whited? And why is he speaking Friday?

Rod Whited will be addressing the Vision Gathering for 5 minutes on Friday Evening...

Who is he? A 70 year old man who is passionate about Jesus, the gospel, and the Church.

An executive with MA BELL, Rod took an early retirement and became a pastor. He planted and pastored Pinewood Presbyterian Church for 20 years. He was on the ground floor of the Presbytery Committee that brought me to Gainesville.

~In the last 6 months... He's come to monthly elders meetings, concluding most visits by having dinner with 4 (non-staff; non-elder) leaders from the church. Many people have gotten to experience his humor and heart as he has given his wisdom and time to us. He also was the chair of the search committee that found Frank Matthews for us. (The others who served on that committee were Charlie & Debbie Staples, Rebecca Schackow, and Billy Crow)

Prayer Meeting

Friday Mornings at 9am at the church house (1603 SW 122nd street)
on parker road, just south of 8th Ave


There is a small group of folk gathering to pray specifically for the Lord to come down in our public worship gatherings on Sunday morning.


Lord to come down? Oh that you would rend the heavens and come down,
that the mountains might quake at your presence— (isaiah 64:1) Feel free to join us! Physically on Parker Road... or spiritually around God's throne.

Thursday August 31 at 7pm

you saw a veiled reference in Sunday publication... to MANLAND, an event for men...

this is quite simply an opportunity for men to gather and hang
what men? all men age 16 and up

what will we do?
there will be fooseball, checkers, chess, darts, billiards, chips & drinks, etc
Also, at 8pm we'll flip on the tube and (for those interested) keep one eye on ESPN as Steve Spurrier seeks his first victory in Starkville, Mississippi. Apparently the S.Carolina coach had trouble winning there with his former school.

The location is TBA

A number of parents have been inviting their friends kids

I have heard from numerous parents of youth that they wanted to get a packet of events into the hands of some friends... well

Youth Packet is here!

Evening of Vision... What we'll do

After a time of gathering and informal hanging out together... I will lead us:
~ through a brief time of celebration together, a prayer of thanksgiving and praise to God
~ in listening to a brief presentation by Rod Whited, Chairman of the Mission to North America Committe of the North Florida Presbytery
~ in looking at the 5 major initiatives that I believe Christ Community must undertake with vigor to accomplish the next phase of our mission as the sent people of God

Then we'll hang together some more (as long as your schedule allows) and call it a night.

Friday Night and Our Future Together

August 18 started in my mind as an opportunity ....

a chance to come together as a church family and say... What is next?

If we exist to simply be a stable church... we are there. God save us from existing for that purpose only!

We exist to experience and extend the grace of Jesus Christ. How will we do that in the next phase of our mission? What is God calling us to devote our attention to next?

What are you dreaming about for Christ Community? For the Kingdom of God in Gainesville?

But we aren't...

The Knowledge of the Holy, A.W. Tozer (1961) writes,

Left to ourselves we tend immediately to reduce God to manageable terms.

But we are not left to ourselves. Tomorrow we'll gather together to seek together to fight our reductionistic tendencies... and step into reality. 10:00am

Looking in all the wrong places

Sunday we'll confess our sin together and a portion will be:

WE have looked for redemption everywhere but in your arms.

Where have you looked recently?

I am not my own... I have been bought

Sunday we will enter God's presence with Praise... that always (if we're sane & sober) leads to a "GOD HELP! I'm not like you!" cry. So we'll enter a time of renewal when we confess our sins, are reminded that He's removed our guilt, and celebrate with words and songs of celebration and assurance. Which brings me to a public statement of faith we'll make together. Think on this prior to Sunday, please.

My only comfort in life and death is that I am not my own.
I have been bought body and soul,
by my Saviour Jesus Christ who has fully paid for all my sins
with His precious blood.
He has set me free from the power of the devil.
Without the will of my heavenly Father,
not a hair can fall from my head.
The Holy Spirit assures me of eternal life
and makes me heartily willing to live for Him.
Indeed, all things must work together for my salvation.

Pray for our banner?

Well, the banner is OK and doesn't need prayer. But as a special banner is scheduled to be hung on the fence at Oak Hall Friday afternoon... I just wonder if there aren't people driving down Tower Road who might need hope.

Pray that they might see our banner and commit to come find hope at 10am. Join me in this. Finally, pray that God will make you and me ready to welcome them?

The Cross Chart

  

Pray for 2 sinners...

Frank Matthews and Rob Pendley are spending Wednesday planning and praying for Christ Community and Gainesville. Ask God to pour out His Spirit on them, please.

Why knowing Christ's love is so urgent

“Christians who are no longer sure that God loves and accepts them in Jesus, apart from their present spiritual achievements, are subconsciously radically insecure persons-much less secure than non-Christians, because they have too much light to rest easily under the constant bulletins they receive from their Christian environment about the holiness of God and the righteousness they are supposed to have. Their insecurity shows itself in pride, a fierce defensive assertion of their own righteousness and defensive criticism of others. They come naturally to hate other cultural styles and other races in order to bolster their own security and discharge their suppressed anger. They cling desperately to legal, pharisaical righteousness, but envy, jealousy and other branches on the tree of sin grow out of their fundamental insecurity…it is often necessary to convince sinners (even sinful Christians) of the grace and love of God toward them, before we can get them to look at their problems. Then the vision of grace and the sense of God’s forgiving acceptance may actually cure most of the problems. This may account for Paul’s frequent fusing of justification and sanctification”. (Richard Lovelace, Dynamics of Spiritual Life).

Adoration of the Lamb

Jan Van Eck, 1437 "Holy Holy Holy" 

Tuesday Haiti Meeting 7:30 PM TONITE

Mildly interested? Really planning to go? Somewhere in between?

THere is a meeting tuesday nite at Omli's house to hear more.

contact info coming, or see website

Worship Preparation for when Christ Community Gathers

Sunday morning there are NO CLASSES

We begin promptly at 10am with our worship service. Children age 5 through grade 2 will have opportunity for children's church during the 2nd half of the service. (Thank you to Will Harrell and Pierre Delinois for leading.)

We're asking you to begin preparing now (whenever you read this) for Sunday at 10am when we gather for worship...

Why prepare? The Puritans used to call it "stoking the fire". You know what I mean... before you go to Chicago you read up on the Sears tower and Wrigley Field et al. Same idea... you prepare before you get somewhere, so that when you arrive, you are more quickly oriented and can move from "getting your bearings" to experiencing your surroundings.

Ways to prepare:
1. Read one or all the hymns/songs we're singing
2. Read one or all the prayers we're praying

Please be seated in the theater prior to 10:00. The childcare workers are ready to receive your child at 9:50... so plan now for early arrival.

More to come on Communion and other ......

The Excellency of Christ

Christ's holiness never so illustriously shone forth as it did in his last sufferings, and yet he never was to such a degree treated as guilty.

--J. Edwards in this sermon

Sunday we gather at 10:00am

Frank Matthews and I will put info here on Friday that will be important in prepping to worship. Please check back.

Worthy is the Lamb

Then I looked, and I heard around the throne and the living creatures and the
elders the voice of many angels, numbering myriads of myriads and thousands of
thousands, saying with a loud voice, “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to
receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and
blessing!” Rev. 5:11-12

read, think, digest

our Communion Prayer this sunday...

Father, we give you thanks and praise, that when we were still far off you met us in your Son and brought us home. Dying and living again, he declared your love, gave us grace,and opened the way to glory. May we who share Christ's body live his risen life; we who drink his cup bring life to others; we whom the Spirit lights give light to the world. Keep us firm in the hope you have set before us, so that we and all your children shall live in perfect freedom, and the whole earth live to praise your name; through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Last Women's Study

Today at 10:45am... at home of Tara Gallagher... details at www.christcommunitychurch.com