FromthePastorsHeart - Christ Wesleyan Church

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“If Weak In Prayer, We Are Weak Everywhere.”

Leonard Ravenhill

I truly believe that God is beginning something powerful within the life and ministry of Christ Wesleyan. By now all of our Home Group Bible Studies have completed their study called, “When God’s People Pray” by Jim Cymbala. It has been so encouraging to hear the many positive responses to this program. As well, this has been the best attended study since we began our Home Groups. Thank you to everyone who opened your homes and your hearts to this study.

Pastor Cymbala referred to activities in the church like notes within a musical chord. The individual ministries and activities of the church have their own distinct sound, but when they are played together as a chord they form a stronger and unique sound. The musical chord requires each of these notes in order to carry the pitch that is desired. However, he pointed out that many churches today find that the chord they seek to represent in their ministry is missing one key note. That is the note of prayer.

This is not to say that our people place no value in prayer, or that individuals do not share in their own times of private prayer. What I am saying is that there are times when God raises up a hunger in the hearts of His people to call on the Lord, and a longing to hear from heaven. And I believe this is that time in the life of our church. I believe this is something we need, and it is what God desires for us.

This is a unique time in the life of Christ Wesleyan Church. I believe it is a time when we are poised for future growth and blessing. Our ministries have taken shape. Our community focus is developing. Lives are transforming before our eyes. People are serving together with joy in their hearts. Are we missing anything? What about that missing note of prayer? Think for a minute how all of these ministries and activities could be infused with greater power, deeper unity, even more joy and an even more compelling witness of the gospel. I’m telling you, that’s what I long to see in the life of our church.

Therefore, I would like to invite you to be part of a special discussion we will have on Sunday evening, March 7 at 6:00 P.M. in the sanctuary regarding the formation of a Prayer Ministry within the church. I would like to hear your thoughts, and know how God is leading you as we develop this ministry. And then, we’ll follow that up on March 14 at 6:00 P.M. when we’ll share in a Concert of Prayer. At this time we’ll put into practice what we have learned and experienced during our study, “When God’s People Pray.”

I am so looking forward to seeing what God has in store for us!

Your Pastor,

Upward Soccer

We are tremendously excited to announce that our first Upward Soccer league will begin this month. At this time we have three teams that will play a league schedule of 8 games. There are children from our Live Wire ministry, our Hispanic ministry, as well as from the community. Already, four of the children from our community have begun attending church on a regular basis. Practices begin on March 6, with games beginning the first weekend in April. Please keep these children, their families and all those who will be volunteering in your prayers. We pray that this will be the first step in building a strong league that will make a spiritual impact on the lives of families within our community.

“Because He Lives . . .”

Just the mention of those three words has already caused most of our minds to begin to think of an old Gaither chorus. “Because He lives, I can face tomorrow. Because He lives all fear is gone . . .” More than likely you know how the rest of the song goes. It is amazing that a really simple tune has been able to transcend all of the music preferences, styles and generations.

The song was written during a very difficult time in the life of Bill and Gloria Gaither, in the late 1960s. They were expecting their third child, and they were suffering personally through a traumatic time of criticism of their ministry. Bill was facing his own physical battles. And in the nation, there were protests and dissensions on so many levels. Gloria tells the story of sitting in her living room on New Year’s Eve and feeling a great sense of despair of the kind of world she would be bringing a child into. But just then, she recalls a sudden, quiet and unexpected calming peace settling on her heart. In that moment her panic gave way to the assurance that because the Lord Jesus Christ lives, she could face uncertain days. How thankful we are today that she didn’t just hold that blessing inside, but rather she shared her experience with the world.

I truly believe that what makes this song so powerful is that it causes us to reflect on the central truth of our Christian faith. That is that our Savior, Jesus Christ lives! We’ve got to understand how this truth that we hold in our hearts stands in contrast to every other religious leader that has walked the face of this earth. They have all come and left words of wisdom, life instruction and some attempt of connecting with eternity. But Jesus is the only One who has broken the bonds of this world, and is alive today. “An empty tomb is there to prove my Savior lives.” Are you shouting yet??

On February 17, we begin the season of Lent, a 40 day period of spiritual preparation for our Easter celebration. On the following Sundays, we will focus our attention on many of the blessings that have touched our lives, all because of the fact that Jesus Christ lives. Because He Lives . . . we have hope, life, truth, joy, power, forgiveness and salvation.

Throughout this series, we will celebrate the victory of our resurrected Lord, but we have to keep in mind the uncomfortable truth that for each of these blessings, Jesus had to lay down His very life. These expressions of hope, life, truth, joy, power, forgiveness and salvation are not naturally found in our hearts, and are not easily preserved. Have you found yourself giving in to the opposite of these blessings? Have you found yourself allowing discouragement, lies, discord, weakness, hard heartedness and selfishness to control your life? It is time to find a quiet place and sing a chorus or two, or ten, of “Because He lives . . .”

Your Pastor,

“Because He Lives . . .”

Sunday, February 21

“There Is Hope”

I Corinthians 15:19

Sunday, February 28

“There Is Life”

Luke 24:4-6

Sunday, March 7

“There Is Truth”

John 11:25-26

Sunday, March 14

“There Is Joy”

I John 1:1-4

Sunday, March 21

“There Is Power”

Romans 8:11

Sunday, March 28

“There Is Forgiveness”

Hebrews 9:27-28

Easter Sunday, April 4

“There Is Salvation”

Romans 5:9-11