Merry Christmas from Pastors Gary & Audra and family.  The time spent with family and friends is a time to create new memories.  We celebrate the birth of Jesus and extend the love of God that He poured into our hearts by the Spirit of God.  Emmanuel, God with us, is such a reality during this season of the year.  Peace on earth, goodwill towards men.  There is still a peace that settles over the whole earth on Christmas.  While some choose not to participate in it, it is there available to all mankind.  May the peace of God guard your hearts and your minds through Christ Jesus this year.  As we look forward to the new year, take a look at those you come in contact with and make a difference in their lives for good.  We are just a piece of the puzzle, a part of the plan, a voice among many in this community who are proclaiming the good news that Jesus really was born, Jesus really lived, Jesus really died for our sins and Jesus really was raised from the dead.  We also proclaim the message that Jesus is really coming back soon.  I will begin a series on Honor in January.  Practical ways to honor those in authority over you, honoring those who work with you and honoring those who work for you.  There are some powerful truths that will allow Gods favor and blessings to become a greater reality in your lives.  Join us this Sunday, December 28 as we participate in communion, close out this year and prepare to welcome the new.  May God's richest and best be yours.  

Join us Sunday, June 1, 2008 at 9:55am as we invite Kent Henry to lead us in worship and ministry.  He has the heart of a worshipper and a dynamic ministry of leading others into the presence of God through psalms, hymns and spiritual songs.  For many years he led worship on Integrity's Worship albums and continues to minister in churches and conferences, leading and equipping people to get past just singing the song and into worshipping the living God.  He is imparting this knowledge to the next generation through Revolution School of Worship in St. Louis, sending out worship leaders across the nation that are equipped to carry the light into other communities.  Come expecting.

Peter denied Him.  He wept bitterly.  In fact, three times Peter denied Him.  Jesus came back to life and Peter ran to the tomb.  He was restored by love.  In fact, three times Jesus restored him.  Peter was endued with power.  Peter stood up for Jesus on the day of Pentecost.  In fact, when he preached, three thousand people were saved and added to the church.  Just the month before, he didn't have it in him to even associate with Jesus.  Many people try to associate with Jesus from a distance, warming themselves around a fire not built for them.  However, Peter got around the fire that was built for him in the book of Acts and he saw results.  He saw fruit from his efforts.  It is a wonderful thing to see people receive help and then help others with the comfort they received.  It's the message Christians proclaim.  People are being added to the church.  Not just our local church.  Churches all over Columbia are growing.  FInd a place where you can grow spiritually.  Find a place where you can make some friends.  Find a place where you can help others and receive help when you need it.  Here's a peek into what you will see when you walk in to a service at the Revolution.  Come be our guest sometime.  I think you will like it, but don't take my word for it, I'm the pastor, of course I like it.

Luke 5:17 opens a window into a situation that Jesus found Himself in while He was teaching to the Pharisees and teachers of the law.  A man carried by four of his friends, gets lowered through the roof and laid right before Him.  The man was paralyzed.  Today we see many who have been paralyzed by some event that has taken place in their life or someone has disappointed them.  The word paralyzed means the inability to move a part of the body.  How many of you know someone that has become paralyzed spiritually.  They have lost the ability to move forward, the crowd has kept them out of the presence of God and they don't see the benefit of pushing their way through.  However, this man was carried by four friends who walked him through some things, helped him get over some things and got him to Jesus.

Do you see yourself in this story?  Are you the paralyzed man?  Have you lost the ability to move forward spiritually, relationally, financially?  Would you allow your friends to carry you through some things and help you get over some things if it meant that you would get back on your feet?  We want to help people.  We want to get to know you and see you get back into what God has planned for your life.  At the end of this passage, it says that he arose, took up his bed and went to his own house glorifying God.  Isn't it time we arose, put aside the things that supported our paralysis and glorify God for what He has provided for us! 

Why dont you come to one of the places in Columbia where people are crowding around the presence of God?  We've made provision for the crowd.  See you at the Stoney Creek Inn Conference Center at 6:30 on March 9th for our first service in our new facility.  Then every Sunday at 9:55am.

We're very excited to move to the Stoney Creek Conference Center next week.  Ths Sunday will be our last service at the Marriott Courtyard.  It has been a wonderful beginning on our journey of Honoring God and Helping People.  We have seen the people swell from 28 adults and kids to over 130 in just two short years.  More importantly we have seen relationships formed, the word get planted into our hearts and God inhabiting our praises.  We have gotten to know some fine pastors in town who are all playing a part in influencing this area with the gospel.  While it's time to wrap things up at the Marriott this week, we will have a powerful night of communion and worship and prayer on March 9th at 6:30pm.  It will be a "Sleep In Sunday" as we "spring forward" into Daylight savings time, but we'll come together that evening.

I just want to encourage you to keep on looking for opportunities to help people. Send them a card, call them up, pray for them or take them out to eat.  Don't let life get you down.  Do something different this week, break out of your routine, c'mon, you can do it.