Savior’s Here

Kari Jobe

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“Are you ready to hear some good news?” In Phil’s last sermon, Him We Proclaim, he mentioned how a pastor he recently met started using this question before every sermon to help make sure he stayed focused on the essential; the substance of the gospel. This question is a great reminder for all of us to return our focus to the good news of the gospel from secondary matters. Our next new song should also help with this as it focuses on the good news of Jesus Christ. It is called, “Savior’s Here,” by Cody Carnes and Kari Jobe.

One cool thing about the song is how it takes the theme of declaring the saving work of Jesus in our lives and combines it with the truth that our savior is here. He is here when we gather together (Matt 18:20), and He is also with each of us (Col 1:27). When I think of how I should respond to this truth, it makes me think of what a similar response might be for something far less significant than Jesus’ saving work in our lives. How would we honor and celebrate a newly elected president who we think will bring desired change if he visits our city or town? How do we honor a local sports team that wins the championship when they return home? Think about those for a bit…

Now, think about what we celebrate each week when the church gathers. We celebrate Jesus’ saving work in our lives. We celebrate His victory over sin and death (“You have saved us You have one, sin is broken death is gone”). We rejoice in “blood that covers sin” and “grace that never ends.” We recognize how He has opened our eyes and awakened our hearts, bringing hope to our lives. As we proclaim these things, it stirs faith and we believe that even in the midst of everything going wrong, “breakthrough’s near.”

This is really good news. The gospel is so good that I know I don’t fully understand how good it is, but I want to know and believe it more. The more I really believe it, the more He will be proclaimed in everything that I do, and as Kari mentions in the video, I am also excited about what this song will do for the church.

You can check out the video, listen to the song, and follow the link to WorshipTogether.com to read through all of the lyrics with the web media player above.

A theme that is found throughout the Bible is the steadfast love of God. In some places it is emphasized over and over again, such as Psalm 136 which has the phrase “His steadfast love endures forever” in all 26 verses (Psalm 136:1-26); a reminder of how God works good for His people because of His enduring love. This enduring nature of God’s love is the theme of the song “One Thing Remains.”

The chorus of the song, similar to Psalm 136, uses repetition to emphasize God’s love. I believe this repetition is important because many times when someone tells us that God loves us we are quick to say, “I know,” like Will does to the statement, “it’s not your fault,” in the movie Good Will Hunting; when deep down we don’t really believe it to be true. Three declarations about God’s love are repeated to help us understand it’s nature. His love “never fails,” “never gives up,” and “never runs out” (see 1 Cor. 13:7-8 NIV). I like how the later two phrases add more clarity to the first. I know how easy it is for me to give up on something or someone, or feel like I have given all I can to something. Understanding this about myself leads me to think that, similarly, God must want to give up on me or is close to running out of patience. It is seems unbelievable to think that God’s love always hopes and always perseveres.

It would be a good idea to listen to the song several times to ponder the great thoughts in the verses and the bridge (which alludes to Rom. 8:37-39) that further draw out a picture of God’s steadfast love. As we sing this song together, hopefully we will grow more to “know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge” (Eph. 3:18-19).

Pre-Teen Camp – June 3-8

Our Pre Teen camps are for campers in grades 5-6 (school year 2011-2012)  There will be swimming, outdoors activities, crafts, worship, teaching, and more. The cost for this camp is $150 if you register by midnight on May 27 and $175 after this date.

We’ll meet at the church at 1:30pm, check-in, load up, and go to camp on a bus together.

Check-in begins at 1:30 pm Sunday at CFC and pick-up is at 4:30pm Friday at CFC.

For camp scholarship funds or for more information contact Kaylyn by email or phone (573-445-8561).  To receive a scholarship, you must register with the church office by May 27.

 Click here to register.

First Chance Kidz Camp – July 8-10

First Chance Camp is a great way to introduce young people to camp. This camp is a 2 night event for campers in grades 3 & 4 (school year 2011-2012) where the camper stays without a parent or guardian. They will have fun and learn about God as well in a group setting.  There will be swimming, outdoors activities, crafts, worship, teaching, and more.

The cost for this camp is $80 early registration and $95 after midnight May 27.

We’ll meet at the church at 1:30pm, check-in, load up, and go to camp on a bus together.

Check-in begins at 1:30 pm Sunday at CFC and pick-up is at 3pm Tuesday at CFC.

For camp scholarship funds or for more information contact Kaylyn by email or phone (573-445-8561).  To receive a scholarship, you must register with the church office by May 27.

 Click here to register.

Every Easter we usually sing a few songs that are new to CF to fit with a specific theme for the morning. Some of these songs may become a regular part of worship at CF, but others will not. Even though these songs might not fit the usual criteria for the New Song Blog, I still thought it would be a good idea to give a preview for Easter Sunday without taking away all of the mystery. Hopefully this will not only help the newer songs be more familiar to everyone but also stir in our hearts the meaning of Jesus’ resurrection.

The main idea behind Sunday’s worship time is to focus on how Jesus’ resurrection redeems life and rejoice in all that He has done. I believe the rejoicing part is key. Easter is a day we have much to celebrate, and I believe when we rejoice it helps move the truths from our mind to our heart and bring transformation. I have found that many times I have to let myself rejoice, get excited, or have fun before I actually “get it” or believe how amazing the Good News of Jesus is.

So in the player to the right you should see several of the songs that will be part of the services on Sunday. One of the songs, “Oh Great Love of God,” we sang a couple weeks ago and was the topic for the last New Song Blog post. “Stronger” and “Death in His Grave” are two hymn like songs that highlight how Jesus overcomes the consequences of sin. “Freedom is Here” is a song we haven’t done in a while that portrays the new life in Jesus, and “Tell the World” is a fun song that reminds us how the Good News is something we want to share with others.

There will be more songs than this to celebrate Easter, but I hope you enjoy listening these and are able to join us Sunday morning. I also encourage you to come on Friday for prayer and worship. The Good Friday service will have three ordered themes for prayer, worship, and reflection; and there will be several fresh songs to support the themes.

Oh Great Love of God

David Crowder Band

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As Easter approaches we are going to look at a new song by the David Crowder Band called “Oh Great Love of God” from the album Give Us Rest Or (A Requiem Mass In C [The Happiest Of All Keys]). This song is about Jesus being the Lamb of God (John 1:29), and how His sacrifice and resurrection brings us life. There are many thought provoking lyrics in the song, and some of them go by fast, so it is a good idea to take some time and reflect on what we will be singing.

When I first heard this song and looked at the lyrics it brought to mind the story in the book of John about the death of Lazarus where Jesus makes the famous statement, “I am the resurrection and the life.” This intriguing declaration along with the surrounding statements (John 11:23-26) seem to be a major theme in the chorus and bridge. The chorus speaks of how Jesus takes away our sin and brings resurrection, highlighting that Jesus brings “life to the dead and dying” and that in Him “we will rise.”

The bridge even further emphasizes the theme of resurrection and life. The first line is an interesting statement which says, “This is not a song.” At first glance this line could seem incorrect or even arrogant since it is part of a song; however, when examining the rest of the bridge it can be seen that “this” refers to something much bigger than the song itself. By using this bold line, it helps reinforce the reality of Jesus being the resurrection and the life. In the next line, I love how the word “revival” is used. I’m so used to thinking of this word simply as a time of increased interest in God, but in its context, I think it gets more to the idea of a return or restoration of life. The end of the bridge moves pretty fast and the word “life’ is used many times so it can be hard to follow. There are several scriptural ideas represented here – living your life for Jesus, Jesus living in you, and giving up your life to find true life (Gal 2:19-20; Matt 16:24-25).

Since I’ve already written quite a bit, I’ll just encourage you to visit Worship Together to read the lyrics and watch the video with David Crowder. Also, for a better understanding of the first verse and Jesus’ title “The Lamb of God,” read Revelation 5:1-14 and Hebrews 9:11-10:18.

Never Once

Matt Redman

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For quite a while now I have had the desire to start a New Song Blog. The idea is that every time the CF Worship Community introduces a new song to become a regular part of worship, one of the leaders will share some thoughts about the song and links to videos or other sites with resources related to the song. This is something we do as a Worship Community that helps us connect with how the song reveals the character of God and how we can or should respond in worship. By sharing these thoughts and resources with the whole church, I think it will be a great way to help everyone learn and connect with the new songs.

The first song we are going to look at is the song “Never Once” from Matt Redman’s latest album 10,000 Reasons. This song about God’s faithfulness has verses which emphasize two different places we find ourselves in life. The first verse speaks of the good times in life, when we feel like we have accomplished something, when we have reached the top of the mountain, and reminds us how God was the one who got us there. The second verse speaks of the tough times in life, when we feel low and in a battle and reminds us how God is with us in the battle and He is the one who brings victory. These verses help the song identify with us no matter where we feel like we are in life and draws us to declare in the chorus how God is faithful and always with us.

There are many more things I could share about this song, but instead I’ll direct you to visit the video at Worship Together to hear Matt Redman talk about the song. While you are there take a look at the lyrics and pay attention to the new ideas added in the bridge and ending chorus.

Please join us for any or all of the following dates.

Saturday, February 4: 8:30-12:30

“Caregiving as Your Parents Age”:  Information on  Homecare, Lifelines, Independent Living, Assisted Living, Skilled Care, and Hospice. Potential Costs, and financial sources such as VA Assistance, Medicare, and Medicaid.
Presenter: Kelley Zynda-Upham, Outreach Coordinator Tiger Place and The Neighborhoods
Also legal concerns: Understanding Living Wills, Durable Power of Attorneys, Wills, & Probate. Presenter:  Brett Barton, attorney

Saturday, February 25: 8:30-12:30

“The Aging Brain and How It Affects Us”: Understanding the effects of Dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease
Presenter: The Mid-Missouri Alzheimer’s Association

Saturday, March 10: 8:30-12:30

“What We Learned; What We Wished We’d Known” : An open discussion with those who have cared or are caring for aging parents; Also an occupational therapist shares tips on adjusting a home for the elderly and a hospice chaplain talks about addressing spiritual matters with parents.

Sign Up Now
 

Christianity Explored is a seven-week class that meets on Sunday nights at Christian Fellowship Church. This class gives you time and space to consider the big questions of life and to explore the life of the person at the heart of the Christian faith – Jesus Christ.

What will a typical evening look like?

You’ll arrive at six and sit down for a casual meal with a small group of people around a table. You’ll watch a video and discuss some questions in a workbook. The night begins at 6:00pm and will end at 8:00pm. Free childcare is provided, but please let us know how many kids you will be bringing. There is no charge for the meal or workbook.

• You don’t need to know anything about the Bible.
• You won’t be asked to read aloud, pray, or sing.
• You can ask any question you want, or just listen.

Details:

Starting date: Sunday, February 12th

Time: 6:00pm-8:00pm

Location: 4600 Christian Fellowship Road

Register Now

Register by calling the church office at 445-8561 or email office@christianfellowship.com or complete the form below:
Sign Up for Christianity Explored

Help Cook and Serve

If you attend Christian Fellowship and would like to help with the meals we will serve at the Christianity Explored class, please complete the form below:
Volunteer to Serve at Christianity Explored

Questions?

Contact Debbie Koske at office@christianfellowship.com

Van Ministry

The van transportation ministry is expanding so there is opportunity for more drivers. We currently offer transportation to our 11:00 service, but would like to provide rides to our 9:00 service as well as to events and meetings that happen during the week.

Room At the Inn

We will participate in a community effort to house the homeless. The program is called Room at the Inn and is located in central Columbia, off Old Hwy 63. Many other churches will be participating and each has a role to play. CF is responsible for collecting food as well as organizing volunteers to spend the night on Tuesdays in February.

G.E.D. Tutoring

We plan to offer a G.E.D. tutoring to a small number of refugees. Volunteer tutors will meet with students once a week in a group setting. A curriculum, books, supplies, and training are provided.

Sign Up to Help

Click the following link and complete the form to sign up. Someone will be in touch with more details.
Community Compassion Sign Up – Winter 2012

Throughout church history, the season of Advent  has been observed during the 4 week period prior to Christmas. The Church all over the world celebrates the first coming of Christ and anticipates his second coming. The season is marked by prayer, worship, and scripture readings regarding Messianic prophecy and the gospel stories of his birth. Many churches use a wreath with candles to help remind them to pray.

Especially now in our modern experience of the holidays, it can be challenging to keep our hearts and minds focused on Jesus rather than the hectic pace of the season.

Observing  Advent can help. It’s about putting yourself in a position to watch and wait for Him. He’s promised to come. Keep your eyes open and your heart expectant and be ready for him to reveal Himself in surprising ways.

Here are some Advent opportunities to consider:

• Participate in Advent corporate prayer times on Wednesdays: November 30—December 21, at both 6:00am and 6:00pm in the church multipurpose room. You can print out your own Advent corporate prayer guide.

• Make it a priority to attend corporate meetings every Sunday during Advent.  We’ll explore a different Advent theme each week and light our corporate Advent wreath candles.

• Print out an Advent family prayer guide.  Plan a weekly family gathering, make your own advent wreath and use the prayer guide to lead a family devotion time.

May God be with you as you prepare for Christmas. May you be led forth with joy and praise. May He make His name great through your life and may you be a blessing to others during this season. He will bless you and use you as you seek Him.

Guiding Scripture:

Isaiah 42

¹Behold my servant, whom I uphold,
my chosen,in whom my soul delights;
I have put my Spirit upon him;
he will bring forth justice to the nations.
²He will not cry aloud or lift up his voice,
or make it heard in the street;
³a bruised reed he will not break,
and a faintly burning wick he will not quench;
he will faithfully bring forth justice.
⁴He will not grow faint or be discouraged
till he has established justice in the earth;
andthe coastlands wait for his law.

⁵Thus says God, the LORD,
who created the heavensand stretched them out,
who spread out the earth and what comes from it,
who gives breath to the people on it
and spirit to those who walk in it:
⁶“I am the LORD;  I have called you in righteousness;
I will take you by the hand and keep you;
I will give you as a covenant for the people,
a light for the nations,

⁷to open the eyes that are blind,
to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon,
from the prison those who sit in darkness.
⁸I am the LORD; that is my name;
my glory I give to no other,
nor my praise to carved idols.
⁹Behold, the former things have come to pass,
and new things I now declare;
before they spring forth
I tell you of them.”