tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-137887412012-02-15T23:18:48.597-07:00Live...Grow...ReachThe Gatheringhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02318481214108752008noreply@blogger.comBlogger631100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13788741.post-66361551632111037082007-11-26T12:22:00.000-07:002007-11-26T13:23:26.630-07:00

The plane is in the air! November 25th marked the final Gathering service. Click here to check out our brand new young adults ministry that will take this community into the future, and figure out how to get involved and stay connected while we take a break through December. Our future really is bright! We've got some awesome things in store. God bless you guys!!!In Him,-Tim

The Gatheringhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02318481214108752008noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13788741.post-54835284885169169872007-11-19T11:15:00.000-07:002007-11-19T12:00:11.749-07:00

You're sitting on an airplane and suddenly you hear the "ding." It's a different ding than normal because you know what's coming. You look down the plane and see all the people trying cram into such a small tube, and the flight attendant comes on the speakers and says, "Ladies and gentlemen, we have a full flight today. If any of you are willing to give up your seat we will put you on the next

The Gatheringhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02318481214108752008noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13788741.post-71840507266031541782007-11-12T12:58:00.000-07:002007-11-13T15:25:07.686-07:00

So, Sunday night you all got hear directly from Bobby and me about the future of our ministry together as a community. We've been discussing change for quite some time now, but yeah! Clarity!!! Did you miss the Gathering on Sunday night? Well, be sure to show up to the Gathering this Sunday night because I will recap what we talked about, give a little more information, and take some more

The Gatheringhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02318481214108752008noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13788741.post-41927064713113522282007-11-08T10:04:00.000-07:002007-11-08T10:43:09.261-07:00

Sermon for Sunday November 18thHow to Miss Your Flight: Part 6: Give up your seatThe passage I'm working from is Luke 14:1-11, and here's the premise:Sometimes on a plane the flight attendant will announce that if you are willing to give up your seat you will be put on the next flight out and given a voucher to fly for free anywhere in the country. The act of giving up your seat reaps blessings

The Gatheringhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02318481214108752008noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13788741.post-59709047856278176972007-11-05T13:41:00.000-07:002007-11-05T13:57:01.931-07:00

As we mature in our faith the Bible talks about moving from spiritual milk to solid food, just as a newborn baby thrives on milk and then moves to solid food. Right now we have the opportunity to try some solid food. When Jesus called Peter to step out of the boat and walk on water, Peter couldn't worry about how big the sail was, what color the boat was painted, what the boat was named, how long

The Gatheringhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02318481214108752008noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13788741.post-64497782821659646102007-10-31T16:05:00.000-07:002007-10-31T16:14:24.321-07:00

Ahh yeah! Well, I'm not writing a sermon for November 11th. Why? Because I don't feel like it. Just kidding. Actually, I will be talking on November 11th, and so will Bobby (he spoke a couple weeks ago about dealing with criticism. If you missed it be sure to pick up the CD during service because it was awesome). So Bobby is the one actually preparing a message. I just get to join in on the fun

The Gatheringhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02318481214108752008noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13788741.post-58431825957311423242007-10-30T11:04:00.000-07:002007-10-30T16:29:40.392-07:00

We all know what it's like to haul too much luggage through the airport. We hope and pray that we won't get charged for a suitcase that weighs too much. Sometimes luggage can be such a hassle and almost get in the way of making a flight. The same is true for our lives personally and as a community. We all have luggage that we haul around with us, whether good or bad. Sometimes people carry

The Gatheringhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02318481214108752008noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13788741.post-10478235441893350582007-10-24T13:32:00.000-07:002007-10-24T13:57:25.759-07:00

Sermon series: How to Miss Your FlightSermon date: 11-4-07Sermon title: Uncertain, but at this point I'm running with "Too Much Liquid"Here's the premise...Part of what drives us into the future is our own spiritual growth. We don't want to be stagnant individually or as a community. So, we must grow in our faith. With maturity comes the fruit of the Spirit (see Galatians 5:22-23).So when we

The Gatheringhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02318481214108752008noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13788741.post-37503060068095616312007-10-17T17:04:00.000-07:002007-10-17T17:18:33.445-07:00

Alright y'all!It's Word-up Wednesday (evening). On October 28th I'm going to be continuing in the series "How to Miss Your Flight." This one in particular will be, "Pack Too Much Luggage."When we fly, we are only allowed a certain amount of bags to check and to carry on the plane. If we insist on taking too much luggage, we will miss our flight. My question for you all is... what baggage, either

The Gatheringhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02318481214108752008noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13788741.post-5403110301125050802007-10-15T13:52:00.001-07:002007-10-15T14:13:10.618-07:00

I'm interrupting our current preaching series, called "Grow" in order to present some important information about how to catch the plane to our future together. God is taking us on a journey together and the plane to our future is taking off. We all want to know what God's will is, and how to get on board with what God is doing. So over the next 6 weeks I am going to share 6 more ways to miss out

The Gatheringhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02318481214108752008noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13788741.post-21146667076800662102007-10-10T15:16:00.000-07:002007-10-10T15:18:08.835-07:00

Alright...here's what I want to do for this installment of Word-up Wednesday...Tell me what you've been reading in Scripture. How has it impacted you? What have you learned, felt, thought, questioned, been confused about, etc.? Be sure to post a comment!PEACE!!!-Tim

The Gatheringhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02318481214108752008noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13788741.post-36550929438994044552007-10-03T14:31:00.000-07:002007-10-03T14:43:37.753-07:00

That's right, it's that time of the week again!Okay, I am working on 2 sermons right now, but I will just post some ideas for one of them. I am running with the idea of how our identity is wrapped up in our faith community. Peace!-TimPassage: Matthew 16:16-18Read over this passage and reflect on it, and let me know how it makes you feel, what you think about it, how this is possible, etc. A

The Gatheringhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02318481214108752008noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13788741.post-70267328479329788982007-10-01T10:20:00.001-07:002007-10-01T10:31:39.296-07:00

Wow!!! What a service we had last night!Lord Jesus, thank you for being present with us!Well...if you were able to come down from the awesome worship, you heard me talk about growing like Jesus. Luke 2:52 talks about how Jesus increased in wisdom, in years, and in divine and human favor. The growth that Jesus models is holistic, encompassing the mental, physical, spiritual and social aspects of

The Gatheringhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02318481214108752008noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13788741.post-78365332475022405692007-09-26T16:02:00.000-07:002007-09-26T16:39:30.556-07:00

"Word-up Wednesday" is a new feature of this blog. Every Wednesday I will post some notes from my sermon preparation, and you can all add comments to give your feedback and insights. Maybe some of your thoughts will make it into my sermons! So, here we go for the first installment of Word-up Wednesday.Sermon Date: 10-7-07Passage: Mark 12:13-17The working title of my sermon at this point is "The

The Gatheringhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02318481214108752008noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13788741.post-56112675185607439082007-09-24T11:29:00.000-07:002007-09-24T11:53:57.439-07:00

Romans 12:1-2 is so familiar that its significance often gets overlooked. But when I was studying these verses to prepare for my message last Sunday, I was struck by how much depth there really is here. The NIV says, "Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God-this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform

The Gatheringhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02318481214108752008noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13788741.post-89078032755534335012007-09-17T12:05:00.000-07:002007-09-17T12:36:47.609-07:00

It rained on Sunday!For some of you, that might not be a big deal, but if you were at the Gathering it was a pretty exciting moment! At least...it was for me anyway.No sooner had I asked for you all to pray for rain (because I was whining about how hot it was) did it actually start raining!!! It was so heavy we could hear it through the roof! Then as quickly as it came, it was gone.I bring this

The Gatheringhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02318481214108752008noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13788741.post-8692318180171523552007-09-13T17:13:00.000-07:002007-09-13T17:14:51.354-07:00

The Gathering will be meeting at it's normal time and place this weekend...6 pm in the Family Life Center.We look forward to seeing you all there!!!!

The Gatheringhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02318481214108752008noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13788741.post-29413206527492082442007-09-10T15:57:00.000-07:002007-09-10T16:32:27.195-07:00

On Sunday we looked at the story of Eutychus falling out of the window in Acts 20. I focused on the verse that says that the family went away comforted when Eutychus was raised from the dead. Why were they comforted? Because the presence and power of the Holy Spirit, the Comforter, was at work to raise Eutychus from the dead when he fell! And what is awesome is that it wasn't like Pentecost,

The Gatheringhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02318481214108752008noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13788741.post-44465113708338074992007-09-04T10:25:00.000-07:002007-09-04T11:01:15.124-07:00

The early church is often romanticised and looked at as a perfect community that we all need to live up to. We look around at our church, or other local churches, and we see people we don't agree with, or we don't get along with, or who look different or have different ministry ideas or whatever, and then we have a tendency to criticize, to complain, and to leave in search of something better,

The Gatheringhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02318481214108752008noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13788741.post-20968592349304839622007-08-27T11:28:00.000-07:002007-08-27T11:41:28.557-07:00

Last Sunday night The Gathering didn't meet so that we could join the church for a church-wide baptism service. There were roughly 150 people who signed up to get baptized! And, at least 4 people from the Gathering got baptized during the service!!! We also had 25 people come with us to our Gathering community event at Game Works.God is doing great things!This Sunday, (Sept. 2nd) we will be

The Gatheringhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02318481214108752008noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13788741.post-11627289763764490712007-08-20T12:38:00.000-07:002007-08-20T12:50:04.024-07:00

MARK YOUR CALENDARS!!!!!This Sunday night (August 26th) the Gathering will be meeting at Kiwanis Park for a church-wide mass baptism celebration.If you are interested in being baptized, contact Tim at timm at wordofgrace dot org.If you are not getting baptized, join us to support and celebrate the baptisms of those in our community. The service will consist of worship, a brief message from Gary,

The Gatheringhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02318481214108752008noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13788741.post-19321941431742357012007-08-13T10:39:00.001-07:002007-08-13T11:14:20.266-07:00

Sometime in the 90s A.D. (not the 1990s, just the 90s) a guy named Clement wrote a letter on behalf of the church of Rome to the church in the city of Corinth. He wrote the letter because there was a division among the church that was, in the words of Clement, "...stoked by a few reckless and headstrong persons to such a pitch of madness that your venerable and renowned reputation, worthy of

The Gatheringhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02318481214108752008noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13788741.post-17839561588635429472007-08-06T13:56:00.001-07:002007-08-06T14:30:55.153-07:00

God is on the throne!As Word of Grace moves forward, we move forward with it. I am convinced that we need to be unified as a church body, and move forward together with the same vision and direction. As Word of Grace is "A community of grace transforming our world," we too are a community of grace transforming our world.Word of Grace as a whole is moving into the future, engaging purposefully in

The Gatheringhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02318481214108752008noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13788741.post-82929823786141920302007-07-30T15:12:00.000-07:002007-07-30T15:40:08.502-07:00

If God is all-powerful, and if God is all-loving, then why doesn't God stop suffering, evil, and pain in our lives? Many people wrestle with this question. It is really a question of God's character. What is God like? To answer that, the best place we can look is to Jesus Christ. When Lazarus died, Jesus didn't go to the tomb with a smile on his face because he knew the purpose for Lazarus'

The Gatheringhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02318481214108752008noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13788741.post-85066350040375743632007-07-16T09:57:00.000-07:002007-07-16T10:54:21.399-07:00

Pluralism. It's a word that is becoming more popular in our culture. It basically means that there are many different viable religious options available for you.Syncritism. It's a word that is a little less commonly known, but frequently practiced. It basically means that all religions are good and you can take bits and pieces from each religion and blend them with your own.Religious pluralism (

The Gatheringhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02318481214108752008noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13788741.post-3789878476250129992007-07-09T08:37:00.000-07:002007-07-09T09:11:47.880-07:00

Doubt is a word we never like to talk about. Everyone has questions, but no one asks. We don't ask questions or express our doubts because we're afraid of a number of things. We're afraid of what people will think about us and our faith, we're afraid that if we question God he might get angry, or not listen to us, or even worse, take away our salvation.I think sometimes we are also afraid that if

The Gatheringhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02318481214108752008noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13788741.post-31478233666984736792007-07-02T11:32:00.000-07:002007-07-02T11:56:53.516-07:00

We live in a world of worry.So what do we do? Naturally we try to control. The more we try to control, the more we realize things are out of our control, and the more we worry. It's a vicious cycle. Worry leads to control, control leads to worry, and worry negatively impacts our lives and our spiritual condition. Because of this, we have a desire to compartmentalize our lives so that things are

The Gatheringhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02318481214108752008noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13788741.post-15230790457909438622007-06-27T12:29:00.000-07:002007-06-27T14:16:34.576-07:00

Is poverty spiritual?I believe that there is a correlation between money and spirituality. The correlation exists in that our view of money is fundamentally shaped by our relationship with God. How we use our money can be an indication of where our allegiances lie, what we believe is important, and where our sense of security and well being lies.In his book The Spirit of the Disciplines, Dallas

The Gatheringhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02318481214108752008noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13788741.post-13975672152628391122007-06-18T11:57:00.000-07:002007-06-18T12:26:12.161-07:00

In Mere Christianity, C.S. Lewis says this, "[Churches] all regard divorce assomething like cutting up a living body, as a kind of surgical operation. Someof them think the operation so violent that it cannot be done at all; othersadmit it as a desperate remedy in extreme cases. They are all agreed that it ismore like having both your legs cut off than it is like dissolving a businesspartnership

The Gatheringhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02318481214108752008noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13788741.post-37316432440104640602007-06-11T09:48:00.000-07:002007-06-11T10:17:13.051-07:00

In Mere Christianity, C.S. Lewis says;"The monstrosity of [physical intimacy] outside marriage is that those who indulge in it are trying to isolate one kind of union (the sexual) from all the other kinds of union which were intended to go along with it and make up the total union. The Christian attitude does not mean that there is anything wrong about sexual pleasure, any more than about the

The Gatheringhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02318481214108752008noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13788741.post-23939886313533046982007-06-04T09:07:00.000-07:002007-06-04T09:17:07.102-07:00

Practical does not always mean quick and easy, but that is often what we mean or expect. Jesus is practical. That doesn't mean that his way is always quick or easy, but it is always very practical. When Jesus teaches on murder in Matthew 5, he tells people that those who murder are subject to judgment. The interesting thing is that Jesus takes that even further and says that anyone who is angry

The Gatheringhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02318481214108752008noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13788741.post-38566662980088635302007-05-21T09:38:00.000-07:002007-05-21T09:50:45.644-07:00

Last night we began a new series that will take us through the next several weeks.I believe that what Jesus has to say is very practical for us today. The problem is, we often think that practical means quick and easy, so we go with the quick and easy advise that the world gives not realizing that the outcomes can be destructive.I believe that Jesus is always practical, but not always quick and

The Gatheringhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02318481214108752008noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13788741.post-29766143096192211002007-05-07T09:41:00.000-07:002007-05-07T09:59:08.679-07:00

We had two very special guests last night at the Gathering. Theresa Malila is one of our ministry partners in Malawi working with HIV/AIDS, and she shared a bit with us about her experience with orphaned children. Jim Cantelon came to share the message last night and spoke of justice. Jim is the president and founder of Visionledd (yes, 2 d's). He founded a church in Jerusalem in 1981, has

The Gatheringhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02318481214108752008noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13788741.post-23878930041596804212007-04-30T11:06:00.000-07:002007-04-30T11:24:49.933-07:00

On Sunday we continued the idea that I stated last week, namely, "I am when you are."I believe that this idea comes out of the nature of God himself. Each member of the Trinity loves to exist for the other. The Father glorifies the Son, the Son glorifies the Father, the Spirit glorifies the Father and the Son. Within God himself we can see how this saying would be true for the members of the

The Gatheringhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02318481214108752008noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13788741.post-54487004143578428582007-04-23T09:56:00.000-07:002007-04-23T11:10:07.224-07:00

How far are you willing to press your mind into the experiences of other people to see how they see Jesus in them? Particularly those who are outcast, oppressed, and downtrodden in the world for whatever reason? We know that Jesus came to seek and save the lost. We know that Jesus spent his time with sinners. We know that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. We know that, and we

The Gatheringhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02318481214108752008noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13788741.post-20263641042996506012007-04-17T10:39:00.000-07:002007-04-17T10:49:51.311-07:00

Your best life is not for you. What I mean is, your best life is not a life that is self-centered, but rather, Christ-centered. If we live life for ourselves alone, we will live life for ourselves...alone. But God did not create us for isolation, he created us to be in relationship with him and with other people, and that naturally requires us to take our eyes off of ourselves. Taking our eyes

The Gatheringhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02318481214108752008noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13788741.post-81291570340724133662007-04-10T09:31:00.000-07:002007-04-10T09:59:27.513-07:00

What's up everybody!First of all I must say that we had an awesome Easter together at the Gathering! I hope you enjoyed the service, but most importantly, I hope you know that God enjoyed the service and your participation in it. It was great to see everyone connecting in worship together in celebration of our Lord who is risen! Yeah, we are broken, but we cannot remain there, we cannot focus

The Gatheringhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02318481214108752008noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13788741.post-71266316471533252212007-04-02T10:23:00.000-07:002007-04-02T10:48:48.380-07:00

We look out in the world, or around at others, and we wonder what it is that gives them the boldness and courage to live life with such passion. Some people seem to pursue life with clarity, knowing exactly what they want, giving their lives for it. The question we ask is, "What insider information do they know that gives them the confidence to do what they do?" I think of people like Martin

The Gatheringhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02318481214108752008noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13788741.post-68974532879253504832007-03-26T17:01:00.000-07:002007-03-26T17:04:12.295-07:00

Our retreat less than a week away!Here is a letter to the Gathering from our guest speaker:Dear Friends of the Gathering,Though we have not met, you each continue to be in my thoughts and prayers. Just thinking of you fills me with joy. I am excited for the upcoming retreat, but regardless of whether or not you are able to come, I pray you can be encouraged, empowered, challenged, and reminded

The Gatheringhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02318481214108752008noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13788741.post-34585086641917249662007-03-19T09:50:00.000-07:002007-03-19T10:15:02.504-07:00

Over the last two Sundays we have seen Jesus stripped and nailed to the cross. Although Jesus was stripped of his clothes physically, we also see that Jesus emptied himself voluntarily, not considering his divine status as something to use to his own advantage. And so...Jesus was nailed to the cross. We look at the cross and we can see one of two things. We can either see a man who was a liar and

The Gatheringhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02318481214108752008noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13788741.post-83646319775258514912007-03-06T10:56:00.000-07:002007-03-06T11:08:53.300-07:00

As we continue on our journey to the cross with Christ, we encountered a scene where Jesus is weak, and Simon is commissioned to carry the cross. At first glance one might assume that Simon loves Jesus, is a follower of Jesus that has come to his aid. But most likely Simon is simply a Jew in Jerusalem to celebrate Passover, not a close acquaintance to Jesus. Probably unknowingly Simon was

The Gatheringhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02318481214108752008noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13788741.post-49853286274142355072007-02-26T09:45:00.000-07:002007-02-26T10:09:25.419-07:00

Martin Luther said, "Living, or rather dying and being damned make a theologian, not understanding, reading or speculating." God can't be found in the ascent of our intellect to places of speculation through reason. God can't be found in taking our minds to higher levels or arguing the logic of forms behind reality. Our minds might be able to conceive of a universe that exists because of the work

The Gatheringhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02318481214108752008noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13788741.post-45314245878016170242007-02-22T09:45:00.000-07:002007-02-22T10:00:23.863-07:00

From dust you came, and to dust you shall return...until... Maranatha, Lord Jesus come quickly.Last night we had the opportunity to express sorrow and repentance before God. We were reminded of our condition, our fallen nature under the judgment of God to return to the dust from which we came. Until.Ash Wednesday marked the beginning of our journey to the cross together, a journey from despair to

The Gatheringhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02318481214108752008noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13788741.post-15488229761280177712007-02-19T08:39:00.001-07:002007-02-19T08:44:35.204-07:00

Use this space to sit in silence and...Let...God...love...you.

The Gatheringhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02318481214108752008noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13788741.post-30973972634385156472007-02-13T10:45:00.000-07:002007-02-13T11:01:24.070-07:00

We must understand that though our experiences of love on a daily basis prove love gone wrong, God's love never went wrong. With our sin and rebellion against God the paradise of the Garden of Eden has faded away, and with it went love. But not on God's part! God's love never went wrong, and God perseveres through the most difficult versions of love that we can muster up.We see it in the story of

The Gatheringhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02318481214108752008noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13788741.post-82330328122941073902007-02-05T10:35:00.000-07:002007-02-05T11:23:09.646-07:00

If "liturgy" is the work of the people, and God is enthroned on the praises of his people (psalm 22:3), then when we show up to worship we literally show up to work, and our job is to construct a throne of praise for God. We are carpenters and construction workers!The amazing thing about worship is that we don't do it out of duty or obligation. We worship God because of his love that endures

The Gatheringhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02318481214108752008noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13788741.post-11619904489678657252007-01-29T09:34:00.000-07:002007-01-29T10:19:41.406-07:00

Hello everybody!Sunday night marked the last of our "Open Door" series. I talked about the freedom and power in Christ that characterizes life when we step forward in faith to what God has for us. We can easily get caught up in this mentality that we have to do good things in order for God to love us, or in order to get into heaven. The truth is, the work was done by Christ on the Cross. The

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After the Israelites wondered through the wilderness for 40 years, they were presented with a new challenge to entering into to the Promised Land, namely, the Jordan River. And it was at flood stage! A whole new generation got to experience the power of God for themselves as their parents did when God parted the water for them. So they stepped up in faith and experienced God for themselves. The

The Gatheringhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02318481214108752008noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13788741.post-1167755054578284672007-01-02T09:07:00.000-07:002007-01-02T09:24:14.776-07:00

Hello All!I hope you had a chance to get some rest, catch up with friends or family, or do something enjoyable over the last couple of weeks to enjoy Christmas and the New Year. Our Christmas Eve service was amazing! And New Years Eve was full of cheese chunks, sparkling cider, and a few moments of very memorable song and dance. I'm glad I got to share it with you all. Holidays can be a difficult

The Gatheringhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02318481214108752008noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13788741.post-1166644324800130082006-12-20T12:46:00.000-07:002006-12-20T12:52:04.810-07:00

Yes, for those of you waiting with eager anticipation, the Gathering now has a MySpace page!Check it out here.

The Gatheringhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02318481214108752008noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13788741.post-1166500433865810912006-12-18T20:24:00.000-07:002006-12-18T20:53:53.876-07:00

Hello everybody!In case you missed it, the Gathering was graced by the one and only Trigger Stienbrenner this weekend. Not only did we get to spend time hanging out, but he preached as well. You could say that it was a Gathering Christmas treat. Speaking of Christmas, don't forget that the Gathering will meet this Sunday at 11:00pm for our special Christmas Eve service. I get to see behind the

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I am back on the blog hoping that everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving. I hope that you were all as blessed as I was on Sunday night at the Gathering. I really felt God’s Spirit doing a work in us as he continues to lead us into the future. Sunday night we focused on Christ who is our King, and King Herod who was afraid of losing power at the time when Jesus was born. King Herod worked hard and

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Evil is a problem for those of us who believe in God. We can object to evil on a level deeper than personal discomfort because we know a standard of morality and goodness in God, therefore, evil is a problem when we believe in God because we see it as such. Millions of Christians are persecuted and killed because of the evil that exists in the hearts of those who hate others based on their

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But we have this treasure in clay jars, so that it may be clear that this extraordinary power belongs to God and does not come from us. We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be made visible in our bodies...

The Gatheringhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02318481214108752008noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13788741.post-1162391397648568922006-11-01T07:06:00.000-07:002006-11-01T07:29:57.773-07:00

Love from God.Love from the truth about love found in the Trinity.It is a love that is radically different than what is experienced in the world, and it is a love that is found in Jesus Christ. There is a correlation between love and life. The Bible says, "We know that we have passed from death to life because we love one another. Whoever does not love abides in death. All who hate a brother or

The Gatheringhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02318481214108752008noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13788741.post-1161793258083960782006-10-25T08:55:00.000-07:002006-10-25T09:20:58.116-07:00

The world did not recognize truth when truth came in the very flesh and blood of Jesus Christ. I believe it's because Jesus' life and teachings were so fundamentally different than what is experienced everyday. The world is a marketplace of truth. People are buying and selling truth left and right, and people's views of truth and reality are constantly changing. Because of this, when people buy

The Gatheringhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02318481214108752008noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13788741.post-1161043794691815112006-10-16T16:37:00.000-07:002006-10-16T17:09:54.713-07:00

"The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous run into it and are safe." -Proverbs 18:10 (NRSV)Last night at the Gathering we talked about the significance of a name. We don't really think much about names today, but the concept of a name in the Old Testament was particularly significant. What is amazing is that God has revealed

The Gatheringhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02318481214108752008noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13788741.post-1160424403227067972006-10-09T13:05:00.000-07:002006-10-09T13:06:43.246-07:00

There are few things that have the power to transform this world. One is the extreme embodiment of hate, yet another is the power of Jesus Christ expressed in the world when a community of believers begins to share life together. Last night we saw how the disciples of Jesus went from being afraid for their lives behind a locked door after Jesus was crucified, to risking their lives to share the

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Good day Gathering!2 Corinthians 5:19 “For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself.” (NLT)We fight. That is just what we do. We try not to, and we work hard to live as Jesus did, but we still have moments and issues that we stumble over as we try to relate to others. History continues to prove this fact. But the fact is we were not created for this broken struggle. Our sins and sins

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What's up Gathering!Last night I asked, "What does the resurrection power of Jesus Christ look like? Or, maybe the question should be, what does the resurrection power of Jesus Christ sound like?" I hope you can still hear it, the sound of rocks falling to the floor all around the room, just as when Jesus set the woman free who was caught in adultery and set to be stoned to death. God was in

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So on Sunday we talked about the sea and the idea in ancient culture that the sea was a place that was the representation of chaos and evil. I said that the vision of a new heaven and new earth in the book of Revelation says that the sea will be no more (Revelation 21:1). Instead, there is a river of the water of life flowing from God's throne, and a tree of life with leaves that are used for the

The Gatheringhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02318481214108752008noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13788741.post-1158080011557369922006-09-12T09:29:00.000-07:002006-09-12T10:43:54.820-07:00

What's up everybody at the Gathering?!I hope all is well with you this week.We are now beginning to move into understanding what the future looks like for us as a community. Two Sundays ago I talked about remembrance and thanksgiving in times of transition and confusion. It is in remembering the works of God in the past with hearts of thanksgiving, that we can begin to take steps into the hope

The Gatheringhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02318481214108752008noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13788741.post-1153159639010738392006-07-17T11:04:00.000-07:002006-07-24T00:24:52.433-07:00

We're back! Yes...it's been a loooonnggg time... But it's a new day and there are so many things to say!! First, we would just like to introduce the newest member of the Gat team...Tim Miller. Tim and his wife Holly will be moving to AZ in mid-August and Tim will begin as the teaching pastor for the Gathering starting the first week of September...if you'd like to get to know Tim a little bit

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