Cool Creeker Videos

All the videos that we shared over the 3 weeks of talking about vision in September are now online thanks to Jason Evans!

These are awesome tools for you to use if someone wants a closer look at Oso Creek . . . They can go to the website and watch Creekers talk about how God has transformed/and is transforming their lives!

You can go to the Connect, Navigate and Discover web pages and click video at the bottom here: Connect, Navigate, Discover

Or go straight to the videos here: Connect, Navigate, Discover

Finder or Loser

I can't tell you how pumped I was last Sunday to talk about Discover. It's because I know that only as we discover God's mission for our lives, does life really become worth living. And living to the fullest.

I quoted Mark Batterson from Wild Goose Chase on Sunday: "I'm not convinced that the date of your death is the date carved on your tombstone. Most people die long before that. 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."

And then this morning I was pounded by what Jesus said in Matthew 10:39: "Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it."

Jesus is saying that if we settle on living this life on our terms, in our strength, in our wisdom -- If we become enamored with 'finding ourself' --- our life will be lost. It will be wasted.

BUT . . . Jesus says that if we are willing to surrender to Him. If we are willing to 'count our lives as rubbish' without Christ. If we are willing to forsake our ways and our wisdom and give our lives - moment by moment - for the Kingdom of God . . . Then we will find LIFE. Then we will find mission that will not only fill us up to overflowing, but will echo into all eternity.

The choice is yours: You can keep it, and lose it. Or, lose it, and keep it.

Evidence

This is a powerful picture. 9 years ago when we came to Corpus Christi, Andrew Nycum was about 11 . . . I remember him riding to the Elementary School where we met on his bike . . . and pestering my daughters :)

This is Andrew leading worship this Summer at Laity Lodge in the hill country.

I'm so proud of Andrew. . . This is so cool!

Andrew is evidence that God is still up to something here. Now, don't hear me wrong, I'm not claiming credit for what God is doing in Andrew's life and it's not even just Creekers, many different folks have poured into Andrew. But his family - and this family - have impacted this young man and he is discovering who he is in Christ.

And so with new hope we press on with greater passion than ever before!

Whose the Andrew who you are helping discover who they are in Christ?

The Church Has Left the Building!

A week from Sunday - on July 13th - The Church Will Leave the Building . . .

On that Sunday instead of having church, we're going to BE the church! We're gonna fan out in 2 different directions and Serve our community. And at the same time my hope is that some of us will Discover what God has made us for, or Discover a mission that we've never seen before.

We're going to have two different projects going (and we'll have an opportunity this Sunday to sign up):

1) Washing the Mission of Mercy mobile medical clinic - We'll wash it at Walgreens on Saratoga and Staples. We get to serve Mission of Mercy (who serve the medical needs of the poor and needy) -- and also by washing it in a public place we get to introduce other people to their mission. Awesome! We are also going to hand out water and love. The one limitation here is that everyone needs to be 13 and over for your family to participate here.

2) Collection for Corpus Christi Food Bank - With rising prices, needs are growing and supplies are low. We're going door to door in different southside neighborhoods collecting food for the food bank. And at the same time we get to Connect with our neighbors! ANYONE can participate.
We also need people who will go on Friday or Saturday (11th or 12th) and hang the empty bags and notes on doors. (If you can do this please email Audie by clicking here.)


Last time we did a Serving Sunday I heard a couple of comments about folks not coming because we weren't 'doing church.' I guess what they really meant was we weren't meeting their desires. Because in reality this is probably the one Sunday that we are really 'doing church' more than any other! I can't wait!

Caring for Orphans in Mexico

I'm excited to let you know that we are creating an awesome opportunity for you to be used by God to show the hope of Christ to some of the least loved in Mexico.

On June 14-21 we will be taking a trip to Queretaro, Mexico where Richard and Ximena Roseland live and give their lives through the Orphanos ministry to children.

Dino Roseland will be leading the trip and there will be many ways to be involved from being hands on with the kids to building projects. But there's only room for 30 folks who will be staying at Pan de Vida - so you'll want to get signed up quickly!

You can email Dino for more info (click here).

Your ARE Divinely Designed!

The feedback that I've gotten from Sunday's message has been awesome!

I know that many of us struggle in discovering what God has made us to do. And that struggle can keep us from really living!
And as I said on Sunday we want to do all we can to help in this journey of seeking God's vision for your life.

Next Saturday - February 23rd at 9am - we'll be offering the Discovering Your Divine Design Class that I talked about on Sunday. This isn't the end all - but it is a great discovery point on the journey.
This is one of my favorite classes that I do as we focus on the talents and personality that God gave you at birth . . . the spiritual gifts that He gave you at your spiritual birth . . . as well as the passion(s) that burns in your soul.

So if you are seeking or stuck anywhere on the journey of what you were made to do, then get to this class! Email Linda by clicking here if you want to sign up.

And remember: Vision without action is just hallucination!

Thoughts on Sunday

Wow, Praise God for powerfully being there on Sunday!

I talked about stepping out and taking the risks that God calls us to in order to Discover our God Destiny! The alternative is staying the same and possibly missing the 2nd half of what God has for us in life. [Click here for the sermon]
God has called us all to chase the lions that keep us from the lives He's created us for!

It was super awesome to see two-thirds of everyone come down front at the end of both services saying that they wanted to chase the lions that have kept them from God's future! I'm praying that you will follow Benaiah!

If you feel like you weary and need strength or need to be dusted off to make your run at your destiny, read Isaiah 40:28-31.
If you're feeling timid toward the direction God is calling you read Joshua 1:7-9.
If you need to be reminded that it's in God's STRENGTH that lions fall read Psalm 20 or Psalm 27.

It was awesome to have Clif back leading the worship team --- ALL of you guys did a marvelous job leading us!

To keep you thinking about what you are willing to risk in order to follow God, check out this great post by Perry Noble.

And thanks to all of you who are making the switch and coming at 9am! 9 o'clock is getting close to as full as 11am . . . but we still have empty seats at both times. God didn't give us seats for them to be empty! Who are you going to invite/bring this Sunday??

In 2 weeks - on October 7th - I'm beginning a series called Confessions of a Soiled Christian. I'm going to be very candid about my struggles and yet how God will redeem those areas of darkness in all our lives! So be praying like crazy and bring everyone you can who doesn't know Jesus. He will be lifted up! And people will be drawn to Him!