ELEVATE - Christ’s Church Leadership Blog

I shared this in services this past weekend and have had many request a copy. Enjoy!
-Jason Cullum, Lead Pastor

The Fellowship of the Unashamed
by Dr. Bob Moorehead

I am part of the “Fellowship of the Unashamed.”
The die has been cast. I have stepped over the line.
The decision has been made. I am a disciple of
Jesus Christ. I won’t look back, let up, slow down,
back away, or be still. My past is redeemed, my present
makes sense, and my future is secure.
I am finished and done with low living, sight walking,
small planning, smooth knees, colorless dreams,
chintzy giving, and dwarfed goals.

I no longer need pre-eminence, prosperity, position,
promotions, plaudits, or popularity. I now live by
presence, lean by faith, love by patience,
lift by prayer, and labor by power. My pace
is set, my gait is fast, my goal is Heaven, my
road is narrow, my way is rough, my companions few,
my Guide reliable, my mission clear. I cannot be bought,
compromised, deterred, lured away, turned back,
diluted, or delayed.

I will not flinch in the face of sacrifice, hesitate in the
presence of adversity, negotiate at the table of the enemy,
ponder at the pool of popularity, or meander
in the maze of mediocrity.

I am a disciple of Jesus Christ. I must go until
Heaven returns, give until I drop, preach until all know,
and work until He comes. And when He comes to get
His own, He will have no problem recognizing me.
My colors will be clear.

I am not ashamed of the gospel . . . Romans 1:16

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We have had many people ask us for the poem that Randy used in service this weekend about the Statue of Liberty. Many people were touched by the message in the powerful words. Below is the song in its entirety. For more information on the story behind the song, click here.

Statue of Liberty

In New York Harbor stands a lady,
With a torch raised to the sky;
And all who see her know she stands for
Liberty for you and me.

I’m so proud to be called an American,
To be named with the brave and the free;
I will honor our flag and our trust in God,
And the Statue of Liberty.

On lonely Golgotha stood a cross,
With my Lord raised to the sky;
And all who kneel there live forever
As all the saved can testify.

I’m so glad to be called a Christian,
To be named with the ransomed and whole;
As the statue liberates the citizen,
So the cross liberates the soul.

Oh the cross is my Statue of Liberty,
It was there that my soul was set free;
Unashamed I’ll proclaim that a rugged cross
Is my Statue of Liberty!

© Words & Music by Neil Enloe

We’ve also had several ask about the video that was shown during services. Below is a copy. It’s called “America” and was created by Worship House Media.

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By David Lawson, Executive Minister

“Tax collectors and other notorious sinners often came to listen to Jesus teach. This made the Pharisees and teachers of religious law complain that he was associating with such sinful people—even eating with them!” Luke 15:1-2 (NLT)

So, what did Jesus do?

He told three great stories.

The first one was about a lost sheep that the shepherd went out to find, leaving the other 99 behind to find the one that was lost.

The second was about a lady losing one of her ten silver coins and doing an all out search to find it.

And then there was this story.

Here are the basics of the story of the prodigal son. A son wants his inheritance so he can go out on his own. His father gives it to him and he goes and blows all of it and ends up eating with a bunch of pigs… literally. He decides to go back to his father and beg for a place on his father’s staff as a servant. As his father sees him coming, he runs out to meet the son and gives him shoes, a ring, and a robe. Dad kills the big calf that was being saved for a special occasion and throws a crazy party for his son who had returned. The older brother gets upset and complains that he has never had a party thrown for him.

OK…make sure you read the story to get all the details. It is Luke 15:11-32.

This week I heard a message about this story that challenged me. It was by Reggie Joiner, during the opening session of the Orange Conference that I was attending in Atlanta.

Looking at this story in the context of the chapter, there is a definite parallel between the Pharisees in verses 1-2 and the older brother in this story. There is also a connection between the way Jesus engaged with sinners and the way the loving father treated his prodigal son.

Think about these comparisons.
A loving father mentality is preoccupied with who’s missing.
An older brother mentality is preoccupied with self.

A loving father mentality operates from a context of forgiveness.
An older brother mentality operates from a context of shame.

A loving father throws a party – he’s about building relationships.
An older brother throws a fit – he’s about tearing down.

A loving father confronts older brother’s thinking…then takes him to the party.
An older brother criticizes the loving father from a distance.

A loving father keeps the lights on as long as it takes.
An older brother closes the doors and turns off the lights.

So, who are you? Loving father or older brother? Now, don’t do what I first did and start to think through people in your head who you think would fit into one of these categories. Honestly deal with yourself. Who are YOU?

“Don’t just think about who is sitting around the table, but who is not there.” -Reggie Joiner

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It is amazing to see how God uses our ministries to change families and bring healing to lives and relationships. He is using our Celebrate Recovery program as a tool to do just that.

Below is one example we received this week via email. (Note: Some of the personal info has been removed to protect the privacy of the family.)

-David Lawson - Executive Minister

Hello!

I’d like to take a minute to express my thanks to your church for your Celebrate Recovery program.

Even though we have always lived hundreds of miles away from my family in Jacksonville, we have experienced great pain and heartache as a result of the addictions that bound my brother and sister. My Mom and Step-Dad have tried for years to help them and their families, exhausting their resources as well as minds and bodies.

Now, however, my heart is filled with joy and hope as my years of prayers for their recovery are being answered because of the Celebrate Recovery group at your church. My Mom, Sister and Brother all attend with their families and are involved with the program. I have witnessed their emotional freedom and the restoration of relationships because of their small groups, step programs, and the genuine worship they experience together every week. They are beginning to see and experience the love and mercy of Christ as they cut through the chains and shackles that have bound them for so long. And they are doing it together and with others who accept them as they are!

It is a slow process to be sure but it is happening in a way that I can see is real. My children are seeing this wonder as well and are encouraged about the prospect of having healthy relationships with their Aunt and Uncle! They have also prayed for this for a long time.

I am so grateful. It is impossible to express its depth. I praise our God and Savior for His work and ministry through others. I have been praying for a Family of Faith like yours that offers a place for the healing of my family and others. I will continue to pray for you all. I pray God’s richest blessings on your church family for supporting the work of Celebrate Recovery. It is with tears of joy that I write this to you. I want you know you all have had a part in the restoration and hope of at least 15 people (3 families) and 4 of us are 738 miles from you!

Please keep this ministry available. You are indeed affecting a lost and hurting world!

In the Hope of Christ our Lord!

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I came across this video a few weeks back. I thought it would be great to share around the Easter holiday. Click the play button below to watch it.

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The story of Jesus Christ’s crucifixion is one of betrayal, brutality, despair, and pain. Yet we know even before His death that redemption was promised to be coming soon. We know that the story does not end at the cross. We know what many did not realize – that Sunday’s comin’.

Celebrating Easter means rejoicing in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus and recognizing what each of those events can teach us about the character of God. Be reminded of this truth during Easter: God has worked, is working, and will work through all things, even now, as we find ourselves awaiting his return.

I pray that you will find a few minutes this Friday to slow your heart and focus your mind on the incredible sacrifice that Jesus made for us…for you. Thank Him for taking your place on the cross. Thank him for his offering. But also know that the story didn’t end on the cross…Sunday was a comin’!

-Jason Cullum, Lead Pastor

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Why do I volunteer? Why invest so much of my life in other people?

I have to admit… sometimes I ask myself these questions, but I received a story this week that served as a great reminder for me and I had to pass it on.

Morgan has served the kids in our Mainstreet program for a couple of years. She is getting married and moving from Jacksonville, so this Sunday was her last one with the kids. We are going to greatly miss Morgan!

Below is a part of the email she sent to Myra, our elementary director. It serves as a great reminder of why we invest our time in other people.

-David Lawson, Executive Minister

The reasons I have served on Mainstreet for the past couple of years are simple. I am molding the lives of children who will one day have a strong foundation to fall back on when they are facing the tough decisions as teenagers and young adults.

I think of looking into the eyes of kids like [a hyper boy], who some weeks can be very challenging. But on other weeks, we could be sitting in “Power-Up” and he is the only kid who remembers the story from several months ago and he shouts out the answer to our question. I also think of when he came and gave me the biggest hug on my last day and said thank you for being a wonderful teacher to him for two years!!

[A specific girl] is another child who has impacted me forever. I remember the transition into 1st grade was rough for her and I was the one with open arms to welcome her to Mainstreet. She has truly grown in her relationship with the Lord and has been learning how to pray and understand that He is her friend she can always depend on Him. It was so hard to say goodbye to someone who has impacted your life and has a special place in your heart.

When she cried after hearing it was my last day, all of those days when you don’t feel like teaching or they don’t stop screaming, or don’t listen to you, or you feel as though everything you have taught them that day went in one ear and out the other, you realize all of that is Satan. We impact these kids and they impact us. All of God’s grace, mercy, and purpose for having me be a small group leader was crystal clear in the tears rolling down her cheeks.

The parents who came in to pick up their kids on Sunday were just as emotional as their children. …They all were truly grateful for the impact we have on their children through Mainstreet. One parent, in particular, gave me a huge hug and squeezed me - I mean truly squeezed me - and you could feel all of her emotions and the relief she had after her child had become a part of the Mainstreet family. …Her mother said, with tears in her eyes, that she has tried to explain Christ to her daughter, but could never truly tell if it was soaking in, but since she has come to Mainstreet, all of the things we teach and that they, as parents, reinforce, have blessed their family in ways she could never imagine. That hug and those tears in her eyes warmed my heart and soul.

I could go on forever, but that is why I have served on Mainstreet. I serve because of the children who God brings in through the doors, giving us the opportunity to impact their lives. Myra, thank you for dragging me in to serve in Mainstreet as a senior in high school and in my first month of attending “Mandarin Christian”. I will forever be thankful for the talents you saw in me and for giving me the opportunity to allow God to work through me and help build foundations in the lives of so many children.

I will miss this every Sunday!!!

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Two weeks ago I was able to share the vision I feel God has laid on my heart for Christ’s Church [listen here]. That vision is quite simple… to be a people driven church. It’s to create a clear path that enables us to connect with God and one another, to grow in those relationships, and to serve God by serving others. Every facet of our ministry should help people move from one step to the next along their spiritual journey.

Over the coming months we’ll be looking at better ways to help this occur. As we continue to evaluate each area of ministry we will share specifics on how connect>grow>serve will be implemented. You will begin to see the tangible expressions of this occurring across our ministry in the coming days.

Below is an outline of what these words mean. I pray they will make a huge impact on the lives of those we serve. - Jason Cullum, Lead Pastor

CONNECT
Connecting is all about relationships… with God and one another. As you begin your journey at Christ’s Church, we encourage you to make that first “connecting” step by attending worship services to see if Christ’s Church is a good fit for you. Three identical services are offered at 5:00pm on Saturday and 9:00am and 10:30am on Sunday at the Mandarin Campus. Services feature a blended set of traditional and contemporary music, communion, prayer, and teaching from God’s Word.

GROW
Once you find that Christ’s Church is a good fit, and you complete our Growing Strong class, you’re ready to go deeper. We believe that spiritual growth happens best in connection with others. That’s where our Small Group and Adult Bible Fellowship (ABF) Ministry comes in. We have men’s groups and women’s groups, groups with singles and couples. We have groups with older folks and younger folks, and new groups forming all the time. It’s our intent to share the relevancy of God’s word in every area of your life.

SERVE
Journeying with Christ is more than connecting and growing. We believe we’re called to reach our church family, our community, and the world with the love of Christ. These tangible expressions of God’s love are seen in those who roll up their sleeves and serve.

Everyone at Christ’s Church is encouraged to identify a place of service inside the church. We have a myriad of opportunities from working in the Nursery to leading small groups. Not only do we serve our church, but we also serve our community. Individuals, families or small groups are encouraged to find a community project to get involved in. The opportunities to serve are limited only by the imagination.

Is this it? Not at all! Once you have made the journey to Connect, Grow and Serve, now it’s your turn to pour what God has shown you into someone else. It’s your turn to make a difference in someone else’s life and share what you have learned on your journey.

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For months I have been challenged by that word… convicted by that word… led by that word… inspired by that word.

God has been calling me to understand what it means so that I will reflect it in my life, so that I can better understand who He is and what my purpose in life is all about.

To be honest… I struggle with the word surrender. It runs opposite of my personality. I want to control my world. I want to dictate what happens around me. I want to have the ultimate say about my life. I don’t want to give up… I don’t want to surrender. I don’t want to relinquish control.

But here is what I have found as God has revealed its meaning to me through life, scripture, and friends. I’ve found freedom.

“How can you find freedom when you surrender? Isn’t freedom pretty much the opposite of surrender?”

Yes… and no.

If you have ever taught your kids to ride a bike, then you may already understand this principal. It always starts the same. They want to fight your help. They don’t want your hand on their back or on the handle bars. They are confident that they can do it alone. But you insist, because you have seen, or even experienced, what the maiden voyage on a two wheeled bike is like. So a tug of war ensues. You run down the street trying to let them go, but because they are fighting against you, you can’t let them take off.

You stop and remind them to quit fighting you, to quit struggling against you. You reaffirm that you want them to feel the wind in their face, but if they don’t let you lead, the journey is going to be tough and could end in disaster.

You try once more… but again, they fight for control.

You stop… you get down on your knees… you look them in their eyes and simply say, “I love you. There is nothing more I want right now than to see you soar. To see you speed off down the street at full speed. I want to help make that happen as badly as you do. Trust me. Let me steer the bike. And I promise you will experience one of the greatest freedoms you have ever felt.”

A bit dramatic? Maybe. But we have a loving Father who is saying the same thing to us. “You want to really be free? Surrender. Give up. Quit fighting me. Put your life in my hands. Allow me to guide you. Quit struggling and I will show you true freedom.”

“In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.”
-1 Peter 1:6-7

-Jason Cullum, Lead Pastor

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Welcome to Elevate, the leadership blog from Christ’s Church. In the coming days you’ll see posts from Jason Cullum (Lead Pastor) as well as David Lawson (Executive Minister) along with periodic posts from other members of the Christ’s Church leadership team. These posts will share insights into the church, news and updates as well as various articles and nuggets of insight to lift you up and encourage you throughout your day. We invite you to join the conversation at any time by posting comments. You can also subscribe to the “Elevate Blog RSS Feed” or the “Elevate Blog Email” and receive email updates of new posts.

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