Keyes for the Kingdom

Staff Changes...

We say "goodbye" to Jake Miller and his family who will be stepping down from leading our children's ministry at CRCC. We wish them the best as they make plans to look for a new church ministry opportunity.

Our new staff member to head up this ministry will be: Shawn Thompson. Shawn has been a charter member of CRCC for 12 years. She's married to Charlie and has one daughter, Shelley. She's a former elementary teacher at Southside Christian School and has a contagious LOVE and PASSION for kids. Shawn currently is in charge of leading our "Kid's Club" in worship each week.

She'll be meeting with Jake to make a smooth transition, so be praying for Shawn as well that she would see this ministry grow and prosper in the coming days. If you'd like to jump in and help Shawn each week, give her a call - I KNOW she'd LOVE to hear from YOU!!!

Awesome day at CRCC!

It was great to hear Chad Norris today (Wayfarer Ministires) - He spoke on one of the most unusual truths I've ever heard on "Pray without ceasing"... wow... He reminded all us to keep a constant communication with God on an ongoing basis to have an intimate walk with "abba father". Audrey Jones and Doug Bailey shared testimonies of the growth in their prayer life...

Chad's story about getting to play Augusta National golf course was just....well... go to our website and hear the message!!!

Music was awesome as usual - Sue and Paul Johnson just returned from a mission trip to Poland and Sue said, "What a JOY to be back here today and WORSHIP with such a great spirit in the service" - I wholeheartedly agree.

Ladies retreat

Thanks so much for all the hard work put in by MANY of our CRCC ladies to prepare for this year's retreat - this is the best attendance that we've EVER had for such an event - wow... great enthusiasm from some awesome gals for sure!

Ruthie Young will be our special speaker, mother of Joanna Butler. She came to lead a prayer retreat last year with her husband at CRCC and was a HUGE blessing to our people.

So while Becky is gone, guess what? I'm all alone till Sunday afternoon - what will I do? How will I survive? HA!

Since so many of our ladies are GONE this weekend, if you ARE here, how about stepping up and helping with our Kid's ministry this Sunday? You could help in the first or second service. Just contact Pastor Brian Woodard and let him know that you can help.

Band of Brothers

I got this email from Mark Joseph, one of our leaders in Men's ministry - I thought it was so awesome that I copied it here - Men: COME and join this guys on Saturday morning if you'd like to be lifted, encouraged, and blessed!!! THANKS Mark, James, Randy, Bill, and ALL our guys who lead!!!

This past week we had one of our better discussions as a group. As we discussed the cage of responsibility I was challenged by these words by Mark Batterson “We start dying when we have nothing worth living for. And we don’t really start living until we find something worth dying for. Ironically, discovering something worth dying for is what makes life worth living.”

 

What God-ordained passion are you willing to die for?  Are you playing it safe or are you living dangerously for God?  Our greatest responsibility as Christians is following our God-ordained passion. When we turn our earthly responsibilities into excuses for not following our God-ordained passions, then that is when our responsibilities actually become a form of irresponsibility. Our responsibilities become the cage that keeps us for chasing the Wild Goose.

 

Band of Brothers are you ready to reclaim the adventure of pursuing God? Join us this Saturday @ 7:00am in the youth room @ Crossroads as we look at another cage that hold us back from chasing the Wild Goose.  We will discuss chapter 3 of Wild Goose Chase – “ Coming Out of the Cage of Routine”

 

You can pick up a copy of the book at any Christian bookstore.

(This is one of the BEST books I've read so far this year!!! Steve K.) 

 

Great time with Mark...

What a great day - I got to spend some time with Mark Joseph - He heads up our Good News Club which meets weekly at Simpsonville Elementary School. They have had NINE kids come to faith this year so far! - average about 110 kids in the club each week.

He told me of a young Spanish boy that said, "Mr. Mark - do you think you could get me a Bible? I'd be glad to buy it from you!" - Well, after hearing that, I found Mark an awesome Bible just for KIDS - Mark gave it to him this week and guess what? He came to faith - accepting Jesus as his Lord and Savior. He also told Mark "I've been reading it and I"m up to page #20 so far!" - Is that awesome or what?

THANKS MARK and to all your awesome team seeking to reach boys and girls for Jesus in our very own public school.

Fun with Photoshop....

Pray without ceasing...

Have you ever seen these words in the Bible and wondered how in the world can anyone REALLY do this? I sure have...

This Sunday we'll be addressing this topic with special speaker, Chad Norris, from Wayfarer Ministries. Prayer is a vital part of Chad's life and I want him to speak to you out of an overflow of things he's learned about this important topic.

This will fit well in our new series on "Core Values" - this value will be that CRCC VALUES a "Prayer Culture" - which is the heart and soul of our ministry. I just left our Monday night prayer warriors who intercede for people each and every week.
Some people MIGHT think that this is the only place to really get your prayers answered - NOPE - It's one GREAT place for sure, but God can hear and answer your prayer ANYWHERE at ANYTIME in ANY situation!

So plan to come this week and learn how to stay active in a communicative state with the Lord on a daily basis. How much of our lives is consumed with random thoughts of no value at all. Maybe, just maybe, we can learn to pray on a whole new level! I sure need to do better at this. How about you?

New First Service - AWESOME!

I love our new first service at CRCC!We've moved the pipe and drape to create a more intimate "classroom" setting. I sit on a stool extended into the audience and have a great time interacting with our people. Today I gave away a Daily Walk Bible and got some good feedback from people during the talk.

We'll be doing more "chilled" music in this session - not as loud as session two. We'll try to have some surprises each week to make this service a wonderful gathering for our early morning crowd! So if this type of "coffee house" service appeals to you - come and join us and see the difference in action.

I LOVE it!!!

the BOOK of books...

Looking forward to talking tomorrow about.... the BOOK  - The Bible! (Did you know the word "Bible" is not found in the Bible?" - it just means "the book" - the collection of 66 books that speak to us from the very mouth of God! It's inspired which means "God breathed" and is without error in the original manuscripts.

There are THREE ways to translate the Bible personally - 1. IN YOUR MIND - just hearing it and processing the things you hear - maybe to gain some new information, or to hear something fresh.
1. IN YOUR HEART - when it starts to really SINK IN - when you begin to feel the truth it is teaching. This can effect your emotions as well. 3. IN YOUR LIFE - when you now become a "living epistle" - a living letter of TRUTH to influence and impact people around you. That's LIFECHANGE in action and it happens when you read and hear the WORD OF GOD.

New President....

Did I vote for our newest president? No... Am I concerned about some of the things he "might" do ? Yes...   BUT... He is our President and I am commanded by God to pray for Him - I will pray that he will govern with unusual wisdom and be open to doing the right things even when popular opinion screams the opposite.

I am thankful that we do have our first African American president. I detest racism and always applaud anyone from a minority status who overcomes adversity to live the American dream. I think this shows the world that we've come a LONG way as a country regarding race and politics.

President elect Obama said he wanted to "listen to those voices who did not vote for him" - I hope he keeps his word on this... I'm sure conservatives like me have a few things to say to him...

So let's don't throw him under the bus before he ever even has a chance to settle in. I'm all for benefit of the doubt, so let's pray for our new president - what a country!!!