Is going to
church a means or an end? If you take a
stroll through church history you are going to see that it has been seen as
both, depending upon the time in history and the group of believers. If going to church is seen as an end, it gets
easy to fall into legalism – there becomes a right time, a right place, a right
day and a right way. That means there
also become wrong times, wrong places, wrong days and wrong ways.
I believe
going to church is a means to being the church. Being the church is being part of a local
group of people who gather to fulfill the greatest commandment – love God with our whole being and love
others (Mark 12:29-31). That local
group of people is part of a worldwide group of people and a historical group
of people going back to Jesus (Colossians 1:17-20). The church exists to lift Jesus up by
worshipping him (John 4:23-24), hold Jesus up as the way to be saved (John
14:6) and build each other up so we are more like Jesus (Ephesians 4:11-13).
Cold Springs
Church is committed to being the church in our
community. And, a part of us being the
church is to help people go to church
so they can meet Jesus in worship, discover Jesus is our savior and experience
the grace of Jesus that restores and strengthens. So, we seek to be like the early church
- meeting where and when people were
able.
Thursday,
November 21st marks the launch of a new way we are continuing to be the church in our community. Within a 10-mile radius of the Cold Springs
Church property are 72,000 people! An
optimistic estimate would put only 15% being connected to Jesus and his
church. That means there are 61,000
people who Jesus loves but are not experiencing his love because they aren’t a
part of being the church.
Imagine
with me 200 men of courage, women of dignity and children of hope gathered
together each Thursday night who are worshipping Jesus, finding salvation and
experiencing a grace that restores and strengthens their lives, marriages,
families and community. That is what I
see as we fully launch Thursday Night Church on February 6th, 2014.
November 21st,
December 19th and January 16th we will be doing preview
services so we can get a taste of what God is going to do. We will start with a meal at 6:15 for
everyone and then start the service at 6:45 with full youth and kids programs
available.
Here is
what I need from you: PRAY for us, for our community,
for your friends and family. Pray God
will bless our faith and effort and many will come. INVITE
anyone and everyone! Grab a handful of
invite cards and pass them out to your friends, family, neighbors and
co-workers. SERVE by volunteering – be a greeter, be part of the
children/youth ministry team, help in clean-up and tear-down. There are many opportunities to
volunteer. Send us an email at volunteer@coldspringschurch.net
and we will help you find a place to serve.
Let’s be
the church and see what God does through our faithful obedience!
Peace and grace,
David
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