BridgePointe Life

Mid-Week Video Newsletter

2009-09-18T12:17:00.002-04:00

I'm Concerned

2009-08-26T13:07:00.001-04:00

On Sunday we opened the voting for your favorite Encore moments of the One Hit Wonder series. I was really hoping to see Jeffrey have to reprise his Vanilla Ice’s "Ice Ice Baby" but at the current time, its not landing in the top five! How can that be??? You need to rock the vote today. You have until midnight Thursday to let your voice be heard. Vote for whatever is your favorite, but VOTE.

Below is the link to take you straight to the Encore ballot. You can vote more than once. Remember the 500th vote will get a big prize — so go big on the vote!

Pastor Chuck

VOTE HERE

Video Newsletter for Aug. 23rd

2009-08-21T10:02:00.002-04:00

Fall Life Group Signups

2009-08-12T08:58:00.003-04:00

Have you signed up for a Fall Life Group yet? If not click here to take a look at the full lineup of groups being offered. There are groups available on each day of the week and a full variety of group topics to choose from. Groups begin meeting the week of August 30th and run through the end of November. If you need help choosing a group that fits you best, contact julie.guebert@bridgepointechurch.org.

Video

2009-08-07T11:29:00.002-04:00

Get your Robes and Hymnals

2009-08-05T08:58:00.003-04:00

HAHAHAHA! If you enjoy worshipping loud and energetically, we need you in the BridgePointe Choir. We lead in worship this Sunday, August 9th in both services. Meet us Thursday night at the Outback at 7:30pm to rehearse the music for Sunday and get more information. To preview the music for Thursday click here.
We'll see you Thursday night!

New Series Starting This Sunday

2009-08-02T20:04:00.003-04:00

Next Sunday we kick-off a new series looking at the significance of some of the least known characters in the Bible. Some of these characters do not even have names, but their impact was significance on our lives.

Student Motion Conference Update

2009-07-31T08:27:00.002-04:00

88 students and adults from BridgePointe arrived in Birmingham, AL for the Motion Student Conference. They had an amazing first session last night with intense worship and challenging teaching by David Perkins on living a life that is consuming Christ to the max. Pray today as they students are in session and worship all day that they become more passionate and on fire for the things of God. They will be traveling back to Woodstock on Saturday.

For more information on the Motion Student Conference visit: www.motiononline.tv

KidLife Promotion Sunday

2009-07-30T12:30:00.003-04:00

Mid-Week Video Newsletter

2009-07-30T09:19:00.002-04:00

To register for Inside BridgePointe click here.

This Sunday is promotion Sunday in KidLife. If your child's birthday falls on or before Sept 1st of this year, they will be promoting up to their next age/grade level. There will be plenty of volunteers leading the way to help our kids find their new spot, so if you're not sure where your child belongs just ask anyone with a name badge on, they'll be happy to help you get your kids to right place!

We'll see you on Sunday

Mission Team Update

2009-07-29T15:30:00.002-04:00

We have a team of students in from Oklahoma this week serving with the students of BridgePointe Church to reach out to and pray for the residents of our community. On Wednesday the teams prayer walked throughout Towne Lake and Woodstock and prayed over and left prayer cards to 1,400 homes. That is amazing. We are praying that God will bless their efforts and that peoples lives will be changed due to their efforts to spread the name of Jesus and BridgePointe Church. Way to Go Team!!!!

Baptism Bash II

2009-07-22T08:34:00.003-04:00

Are you ready for our second and final Baptism Bash of the season? Everyone comes to the pools from a different journey of life. Some are being baptized for the first time while others are marking a significant change or new beginning in life. Either way, being a part of baptism indicates that you are All In for Christ. If you are interested in being baptized this Sunday, July 26th, visit www.iamchanged.tv. There you will find detailed coaching and information to help you be prepared to be baptized. You can also register there to be a part of the experience.

This video story is froma couple in our church who experienced the love of God in a real and powerful way and are planning on being baptized this Sunday. Check out Ronnie and Kelly Graingers story.

Video Newsletter

2009-07-16T16:08:00.003-04:00

Hey BridgePointe, welcome to your video newsletter for this week.

To register for Jump Start, our 2 week session to help you get a jump start in growing in Christ, click here.

To register for our July 26th Baptism Bash or to receive more information about baptism, click here, or visit www.iamchanged.tv.

Prayer Walking Guide

2009-07-13T11:54:00.003-04:00

Yesterday was an amazing day at BridgePointe Church. God showed up in a powerful way and touched many peoples lives. Pastor Chuck's message on prayer from the book of Daniel was POWERFUL.

Pastor Chuck challenged us on taking our prayer lives to a new level by learning how to and embracing intercessory prayer. At the end of the message he encouraged us to begin prayer walking and praying for the people in our communities. Are you up for the challenge? Have you begun prayer walking yet?

To help you get started we created a simple prayer walking guide to help you get started in your journey.

Let us know how God uses you to intercede on behalf of people in your communities. When God does something amazing while you are prayer walking let us know at info@bridgepointechurch.org.

Jump Start

2009-07-07T13:30:00.004-04:00

Check this out. We want you to be a part of our upcoming Jump Start Session. To register to be a part of Jump Start, click here.

Video Update for July 5th

2009-07-01T12:57:00.003-04:00

Is it Sunday Yet?

2009-07-01T05:25:00.002-04:00

Just a reminder...

Adult Swim Parties

2009-06-18T07:20:00.003-04:00

During the month of June and July we going to host adult fellowships for adults ONLY. The right kids-we love you and we do a lot for you, but this time it's the adults turn. Each age group will get together once this summer. You choose the best age group for you!
30-40 year olds: June 26th
20-30 year olds: July 10th
40-50 year olds: July 24th
60 and Wiser: July 31st

Don't worry this is not a swimming party. Just a bunch of adults hanging out and having a great time at the OutBack on the church property. The address is 291 Rope Mill Road in Woodstock. To register click here.

Mission

2009-06-12T09:34:00.003-04:00

The students and our adult leaders return home today after a fruitful and exhausting week in New York City. The team was able to provide over 70,000 Evangelistic outreach touches to people in the city. They had amazing conversations about Christ, invited people to attend a life-giving church in the heart of New York City as well and planted seeds in the hearts of thousands. As they return today pray for the following:

-Safe travels home
-That the people they connected with hearts begin to turn to the things of God
-For God to be made famous in New York City
-For The Journey Church as the prepare for the harvest from the efforts of our students
-For the continued passion to reach people for Christ and to serve others by our students here in Woodstock
-That our students will bring the desire to see Christ made famous and known back to their school in the fall
-REST

They will be at church on Sunday. Make sure you let them know how proud you are of them and how you have been praying for them. We will see you on Sunday!

Mpact Men's Gathering

2009-06-11T15:51:00.004-04:00

Hey Men, this Saturday is Mpact. Make sure you are at the OutBack from 7:30-9:00am for a time of Bible study, worship and breakfast. It is a great time to connect with the men from BridgePointe as well as growing in your relationship with Christ. We will see you then. Make an Mpact in your world.

Testimonies from New York Mission Trip

2009-06-10T07:20:00.002-04:00

Over the last couple of days God has moved my heart. I have seen people who’s hearts are aching for something more; people who are hopeless and broken. This experience of serving the people in New York City has given me hope. Hope that these one million touches will change lives.
I have been able to show the love of Christ and share my testimony. Even though I have had people who were not accepting, I have gotten to love on those and show them that even in the darkness of this world there is a light. I would not trade this experience for the world.
- Celeste Angel

These past couple of days I have personally felt God’s presence. Everywhere I look I see people searching for something more. I am fortunate enough to have had the opportunity to tell several people about that something more that completely changed my life. I’ve not only seen a simple granola bar completely turn someone’s day around but also an invite to Journey Church. The experience truly is life changing and I’m sure I can say for all of us here that this is an experience that will stick with us for a lifetime. We truly are making a difference in New York City.
In Him,
Daniel Boerner
Hebrews 3:14

This trip has really taken me and my fellow leapers outside of our boxes. New York is a completely different world than we are use to. I have found that I have a passion for reaching out to people. Whether I receive a positive or negative response it’s a good feeling to know that we are working for the Lord in an effort to advance His kingdom. It has been an interesting and life changing trip so far and I am excited to see what God has in store for the next few days. He is amazing!
Love,
LeAnne Mills

Thank you for supporting these students as they grow personally, spiritually and emotionally while sharing the love of Christ with the people of New York City. Continue praying for them and the people of New York as they complete their last 3 days on Mission in New York City.

You can follow the team and Pastor Chuck directly on Twitter by clicking here.

Mission New York Update

2009-06-08T10:27:00.003-04:00

This morning, Monday, our students provided 3,900 evangelistic touches by providing Free Water, Granola Bars and the love of Christ on Wall Street. Keep praying that God will use the seeds that they plant to further the gospel of Christ in New York City. Also, please continue praying for our students. They are experiencing God in so many ways as they learn to step out of their comfort zone and share Christ with strangers and a lost and dying world. They will never be the same after this experience.

You can follow Pastor Chuck and the team on Twitter by clicking here.

Mission New York City Begins

2009-06-06T08:31:00.002-04:00

Begin praying for 26 of our Student Leaders who are on mission in New York City beginning today. They flew out of Hartsfield this am around 7:45am. Keep checking the blog throughout the week as we will be posting updates from the team as they experience God in amazing ways.

VOLT (Volunteer Training)

2009-05-29T10:11:00.002-04:00

Volunteer training is setup for all volunteers at BridgePointe. Whether you have been serving for five years, or this is your second weekend serving, you are encouraged to attend. We will have a leadership training session led by Pastor Chuck and then we will break into individual groups based on the area that you serve in. Regardless of where you serve or if you want to serve at BridgePointe, Volunteer Training is for you. Sunday, May 31, 2009 from 6-7:30pm at Bascomb Elementary. Childcare will be provided.

Change Sunday

2009-05-26T10:21:00.003-04:00

This Sunday we are challenging you to invite friends and family that you know are far from Christ or who need to make some changes in life to be at BridgePointe Church. If you are like us, we have a lot of people we pray for on a regular basis to come to know Jesus. This weekend will be an incredible opportunity for them to experience Christ in a powerful, authentic and real way. Pastor Chuck will be wrapping up our Change series and giving people a chance to Change their lives.

I am forever grateful to 2 people who took the time to pray for me, modeled an authentic relationship with Christ and who invited me to learn about Christ. Because of them, my entire life and and my family's life are forever Changed. This weekend you can be that person to someone. We will see you and your friends this Sunday at BridgePointe.

Video Newsletter

2009-05-22T10:38:00.002-04:00

Graduate Recognition

2009-05-20T15:05:00.002-04:00

Are you or someone in your family graduating from high school or college? If so, encourage them, or yourself, to sign up to be recognized at our Graduation Recognition on Sunday, May 31, 2009. If you are interested in being recognized, click here to register.

Change Teaching Series

2009-05-13T15:50:00.003-04:00

We all experience Change in our lives. This week we are curious to hear about some of the changes God has made in your life. We want to know how He has changed you for the best. Identifying areas that God is changing you in will help you grow closer to Him as well as help others learn from how you are walking with God. To let us know, simply click on the "comment" button below and type away.

We cant wait to hear what God is doing in your life.

And the winning moms are...

2009-05-12T09:15:00.003-04:00

Congrats to the following moms who won our Mother's Day Drawing this past Sunday at BridgePointe. We will have your gifts waiting for you at the BridgePointe Booth this Sunday.

Leslie Mote: $25 Gift Card to Old Navy
Amanda Orzoco: $25 Gift Card to Old Navy

Jennifer Best: $25 Gift Card to Bokitas Restaurant in Towne Lake
Tanya Hale: $25 Gift Card to Bokitas Restaurant in Towne Lake

Shelli McClannahan: Flip Camcorder
Kristi Ditirro: Flip Camcorder
Misty Rutcosky: Flip Camcorder
Alyce Atkins: Flip Camcorder

Congrats to all of our moms. For more information you can contact amanda.lowe@bridgepointechurch.org.

You know your a mom when.... The Winner Is?

2009-05-08T21:53:00.002-04:00

Congratulations to Angie Mitchell for submitting the winning response to our contest, "You Know Your A Mom When..." Amongst all the entries, Angie's response was chosen as the best of the best. If you see Angie on Sunday make sure you congratulate her. She has won a $25 gift card to Kohls.

Here is her winning response:
"You know your a mom when...you cannot go to the bathroom without an audience. The kids follow you to the bathroom because they have to tell/ask you something that ABSOLUTELY CANNOT WAIT, even though you have spent the last 2 hours giving them your undivided attention. It leaves you begging, "Can I PLEASE have some privacy for 30 seconds?" They then look at you like you are a crazy woman and might go away."

To read the other entries, scroll down to the Mother's Day post and view the comments.

BridgePointe Video Newsletter

2009-05-07T12:03:00.002-04:00

Welcome Home Frank Gonzalez

2009-05-07T10:48:00.002-04:00

Over the past 6 months we have been praying for one of our family members, Frank Gonzalez, as he has been battling leukemia. We are excited to let you know that Frank is now out of the hospital and back home. Below is a thank you letter on behalf of his family. BridgePointe, you stepped up and displayed God's love in an unbelievable way in their lives.

We would like to inform everyone that Frank Gonzalez has come home. His Leukemia is in remission! Although, his battle is not over, we are joyous that God has allowed us this journey for His glory. We are all grateful to God and everyone at BridgePointe that has reached out to Frank during his struggle the last six months. Many of you have provided Blood Platelets, Meals, Transportation, Prayers, and Skills. All which played a vital role in our sanity and his recovery. Your kindness has done wonders for Frank and the family, and for that we are grateful. As Frank continues through his journey, we pray that God will bless all of you, as you have blessed us. We love you all, The Gonzalez Family

Special Mother's Day Offering

2009-05-05T15:48:00.003-04:00

On Mother’s Day we will be collecting a special offering that will go towards a specific missions opportunity in our body. We will be giving towards our LEAP Loves New York Mission Trip. The students in our LEAP leadership program will be traveling to New York in June to assist in making over 50,000 evangelistic touches including acts of kindness, Bible studies and street evangelism in New York City. Every $1 invested will result in 22 evangelistic touches. Be praying about what you and your family can give to help our students love the people of New York.

Attention All Men

2009-05-05T09:30:00.003-04:00

Mpact, our monthly Men's Gathering is meeting this Saturday at the OutBack from 7:30am-9:00am. Make sure you are there as we help you grow in your relationship with Christ as well as grow in all relationships in your life. A light breakfast will be served. Make sure you do not miss out on May's Mpact.

Mother's Day is Coming

2009-05-01T09:57:00.002-04:00

Mother's Day is coming next Sunday. In order to get people excited and thinking about Mother's Day we are offering a little challenge and prize for some Mother's Day creativity. Here's what we want you to do. Complete the following:
Ladies: "You know your a mom when..."
Men: "You know your wife is a mother when..."

Its that simple. You can post your response by clicking on the post comment section below. We will announce the winners on the blog on Friday, May 8, 2009. Make sure you check back to see if you are the winner.

Day Six: Trusted Resources

2009-04-25T08:00:00.000-04:00

This is the final post of Pastor Chuck's followup from Sunday's teaching. For additional insights you can check out the previous posts from this week or purchase the resources listed below.

Day Six: Trusted Resources

If learning more about engaging in spiritual conflict is a topic of interest here are a few suggestions. Each of the books can be found at Amazon.com.

For a book that does a thorough overview of the topic:

The Invisible War: What Every Believer Needs to Know about Satan, Demons and Spiritual Warfare by Chip Ingram.

A book that provides some practical strategies on engaging in the conflict: Winning Spiritual Warefare, Neil T. Anderson.

An older novel that provides some fictional, but realistic glimpses into the nature of the supernatural conflict: This Present Darkness, Frank Peretti.

If you have some need for pursuing ministry that can help if you have some lingering issues and some continual challenges with spiritual oppression consider the resources of Cleansing Stream Ministries (cleansingstream.org).

Day Five: A Plan of Action

2009-04-24T08:00:00.000-04:00

Day Five: A Plan of Action

So what do we do? How are we to begin this mission of confronting demonic intimidators? There is a three step plan of action to help us challenge and triumph over their schemes.

Step One: Assert authority over them and proclaim Jesus Lordship over our life and places of our habitation.

This is gained by being sure of what Jesus accomplished at the cross. Colossians 2 states emphatically that Jesus accomplished both the forgiveness of our sin (“He canceled the record of the charges against us and took it away by nailing it to the cross.” Col. 2:14) and He gained authority over the powers in the earth (see earlier verse in Ephesians 6) “In this way, He disarmed the spiritual rulers and authorities. He shamed them publicly by His victory over them on the cross.” Col. 2:15.

These spiritual intruders have no right or claim over us because Jesus death changed their control over us and our environments.

Demonic spirits do not have access to our thoughts. Only God has all knowledge, they are limited to whatever information that we give them. They collect that information and remember it exhaustively. Things we have said have been heard, and behavioral patterns have been observed and logged. For that reason silent prayers or quiet thoughts will not confront the powers. We have to use our words. Revelation 12:11 states that Christians overcome “by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony.” We have to speak or address spiritual authorities out loud with our words. We must remind them of Jesus authority, remind them that they were stripped of their rights by Him, and tell them to release all claims over our life and leave the atmosphere. They have no choice but to obey (“at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth” Philippians 2:10).

They can return and will return in due time because this area of attack is a strong hold, a place that they have laid claim to for a long time. We have to establish over a period of time Jesus authority in our life. Eventually they will give up and seek a different line of attack.

Step Two: Restricting Access by closing doors that have been opened in the past.

For a variety of reasons we can open a door for demonic spirits to attack. Typically its because of some connection to a past issue. Perhaps an act of rebellion (choice to do drugs), or a previous wound that we continue to hold on to (someone has hurt us and we stay bitter instead of forgiving), or a habit of sin that perpetuates a way of being that is contrary to God’s word (could be something as simple as a habit of lying or something more pronounced like a sexual addiction).

We need to close the door on that. How? By repenting of it, making whatever amends that needs to be done and avoiding any tendency to repeat that transgression.

Again the Scripture reminds us that Jesus died for our transgressions. That is not only our past actions but things that continue to repeat and cause us to be vulnerable to ongoing attacks from the enemy.

When we button down these issues then we take away the access by no longer allowing a place for the enemy to come and accuse us of sin. (The name Satan is literally the word “accuser.”)

Step Three: Break free from feeling intimidated and pushed around by the agents of evil.

For some people the whole topic of spiritual conflict makes them fearful. Being attacked over and over can lead to feelings of intimidation and the development of a spirit of fear. That spirit will rob us of life. It will keep us from being full of love, hope and faith because we will fear the worst and expect the worst.

The Bible says that “God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” (2 Timothy 1:7) If God hasn’t given us a spirit of fear, then we need to reject this “gift” and remove that spirit. This takes a long time of uprooting a lot of things that have been sown in our lives over time.

We have to begin the process of recognizing our power or authority. This comes from knowing who we are in Christ. Many New Testament verses tell us who we are and we need to pour over that list and choose to believe what God says (“let God be true and every other voice a lie” Romans 3:4).

Letting love have its affect on us also takes time. God has to love that fear out of us: “perfect love casts out fear” (1 John 4:18). We have to begin to remember that God has perfect love for us. He will protect us, He will guard over us, He will guide us in His life plan for us. Once we are sure that God absolutely loves us then we start to loose our fear: “If God be for us, who can ever be against us?” (Romans 8:31) “Can anything separate us from Christ’s love?” (Romans 8:35) “I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels or demons, neither our fears for today and our worries about tomorrow – not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love.” (Romans 8:38)

Finally a sound mind has to be established. Fears generate unsound thoughts. And words spoken to us that are not true create false mindsets. We have to learn how to uproot and reject thoughts and words that are spoken that are not true. We have to cut off any influence that might speaking into our minds contrary images and truths of God. Any movies, songs or other forms of media that are not consistent with truth should not be allowed to influence our mind.

If we can take these steps and cultivate these spiritual disciplines then we can expect victory over time.

“despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.” Romans 837

Day Four: Why doesn’t God just take Satan out?

2009-04-23T10:37:00.001-04:00

Today is the 4th installment of Pastor Chuck's followup from this past Sundays message on taking the fight to the real enemy.

Day Four: Why doesn’t God just take Satan out?

That is one of those questions that is hard to answer if we are not willing to embrace some mystery in our pursuit of faith. Because, no matter how much human reason we bring into responding to this question, in the end it still feels a little inadequate.

One thing to keep in mind when considering the rationale for satan’s existence is that God did not choose for things to be in the condition that they are in – a fallen world with suffering and evil. He created the world in perfection and intended mankind to live in peace and fellowship with Him as the Creator. Rebellion in Satan’s heart and ultimately in man’s heart has caused things to end up as they have.

Even with that, we still are left questioning why Satan had to be banished to the earth? Why didn’t God just eliminate him from the start and keep him from being an evil influence to tempt man in the first place?

God loves His creation freely and His desire is for us to love Him in the same way. In order for that to occur, a choice must exist: love and obey, or reject and disobey. On some level, Satan’s temptations bring clarity to the choice to love and serve God.

From the beginning of time, God patiently allows mankind to learn through first hand experience that the only way of life that will work is God’s way. The lesson will not be complete until all of humanity has learned the truth of that and expresses it in the fact that “Jesus is Lord.” (Philippians 2:9-11) No alternate way of life achieves God’s purpose or leads to human fulfillment.

How can God get this point across to people? He could have preprogrammed us to think and behave only according to predetermined instincts. But then we would be mere automatons, having no choices, no individuality, and no character. That is not the existence that God intends – a spiritual family filled with loving sons and daughters who love Him and one another freely.

God created mankind to be like Him (Gen.1:26-27), to rule, have dominion over His creation. To learn how to properly exercise such authority and responsibility, man had to discern right from wrong, good from bad and the wise from the foolish. Learning real wisdom involves learning how to make wise choices. From the beginning God pointed out the right way, but He allowed humanity to be exposed to and make choices.

Does that in some way make the devil’s presence necessary? In some sense, the answer might be yes. But that is because our understanding is limited. God could have had another plan in mind that allowed the same affect to happen without Satan’s place in the creation drama. We don’t know. What we do know is that God still managed to accomplish His purpose within a broken system. He has worked within the situation “as is” but will move it towards a conclusion of “as it will be” – one ultimately without any influence of sin, evil or the devil.

When Jesus Christ returns to earth, God will remove the presence of Satan. He then will begin, on a universal scale, the process of reversing the damage Satan has done. Eventually none of the devil’s influence will remain. So the question “Why doesn’t God take Satan out?” is only answerable by saying He will.

One other thing to consider on the question of why God allows Satan to continue to operate is that it is in the struggle that we find a deeper revelation of God’s heart. Only in the context of walking through life with its frailties and evil do we find out how much He is for us, How much He loves us, and that He Himself will never leave us. Would we be able to know or understand any of that without some pain and struggle? It seems that this dark context provides us the best opportunity to appreciate the light of His love. The Bible says that even the angels are curious about man’s knowledge and intimacy with God in this manner: “To them it was revealed that, not to themselves, but to us they were ministering the things which now have been reported to you through those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven – things which angels desire to look into.” (1 Peter 1:12).
As I said, we are still left with questions but ultimately we can trust the heart and wisdom of God in all things! Sometimes that’s all we know, and perhaps its all we need to know.

Day Three: Satan is real but so is Jesus!

2009-04-22T13:47:00.002-04:00

As Christians we are to engage in spiritual battle. That means that we have to contend with the real forces and enemies in life – not those of flesh and blood but the hosts of darkness described in Ephesians 6.
In the message on Sunday we detailed a few things about the armor that is described in the passage and wanted to offer some different thoughts about how these pieces of a soldier’s uniform say some things to us about how to deliver some tactical strikes. Check out the message if you haven’t done so click HERE.
Whether its doing some of the “small” unseen things like Scripture reading or prayer, or digging in with more determination or coming together with other believers – there are so many things we can do to take some meaningful swings at our real enemy. No matter what punches we throw, the key is to get up swinging when we’ve been knocked down. Don’t settle for being a punching bag, take the fight to the enemy!
And, we should do this with great confidence. Paul reminds us in Colossians 2:15 that Jesus has “disarmed the spiritual rulers and authorities. He shamed them publicly by his victory over them on the cross.” That means that although they still put up a fight, our enemy is defeated. The battles are still being fought, but the war has already been decided! Jesus has won the victory and Jesus reigns over all.
That is the reason that we don’t have to fear or be subject to anything that the enemy is throwing at us. We have authority in Jesus' name and we can overcome all attacks.
Recently, Nightline hosted a forum that debated the question of Satan’s reality. Pastor Mark Driscoll did a very nice job of summarizing the reality of the devil, but more importantly the reality of Christ. Hit the link and watch how he lifted up the truth of Jesus in his opening statement. (It happens about 2 minutes into the first video segment.) Click HERE for video.

Day Two: Organized Crime

2009-04-21T16:16:00.002-04:00

Today's post is a follow up post from this past Sunday's message from Pastor Chuck. Make sure you check the blog every day this week for additional insight and teaching from this our teaching series, Get Back Up.

Day Two: Organized Crime
Because Satan is a created being he does not have the infinite capabilities of the Creator. Although the devil’s capacities are highly advanced, he is not all knowing (omniscient), all powerful (omnipotent), or ever present (omnipresent). In fact we can take great comfort in the fact that while Satan has the luxury of operating in the Earth, his jurisdiction is not autonomous. There are limitations that God has set on what he can do in the Earth and to people.
When we read of the horrible things that Job suffered, God set boundaries on how much affliction could be inflicted (Job 1:12, 2:6). So like the ocean has its borders, so to does the enemy have limitations on how much harm he can cause. As bad as things can be, they are not as bad as they could be because of the mercy of the Lord.
But be assured, the devil will utilize the full boundaries of his limitations and cause as much misery as he possibly can. Jesus described his m.o. as that of a thief, to “steal, kill and destroy” as much as from people as he can (John 10:10). But being limited in time and space, satan can’t accomplish this destructive aim for each and every person without a network of highly organized evil agents. In fact, few people will ever encounter the devil himself. We, on the other hand, will contend with demons, fallen angels who are aligned with the devil and take their orders from and through this organized chain of evil command.
This is the purpose of Paul’s description of the hierarchy presented in Ephesians 6: “we do not fight (wrestle) against flesh and blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, against evil spirits in the heavenly places.” (v.12) The Apostle doesn’t explain this chain of command, he simply references it as a way to cause us to realize that we are facing a force of evil that is more organized and strategic than we realize.
Popular radio teacher and pastor John MacArthur offers these thoughts about the satanic mob: “Rulers, powers, world forces of this darkness, and spiritual forces of wickedness describes different strata and rankings of those demons and the evil supernatural empire in which they operate…Rulers no doubt reflects a high order of demons, powers are another rank, and world forces of this darkness perhaps refers to demons who have infiltrated various political systems of the world, attempting to pattern them after Satan’s realm of darkness (Daniel 10:13). Spiritual forces of wickedness are possibly those demons who are involved in the most wretched and vile immoralities.”
While no one can be certain what these different levels of organization represent in the demonic realm, it is enough to provoke in us a sense of urgency. We can’t play games or ignore the opponent that we face. We are up against sophisticated power. Anything less than a tactical response of our own will almost assure us that we will experience less than the victory intended and secured by Jesus through His death and resurrection.

Day 1: Does Satan Exist?

2009-04-20T14:03:00.003-04:00

For the next 5 days we will be posting follow-up from the this past Sunday's message. Check back each day this week for additional teaching and insight from Pastor Chuck.

Day One: Does Satan Exist?
A Fox News Poll says that 92% of Americans believe in God, 85% in heaven and 82% in miracles. These are similar numbers to previous polls Fox has conducted. But belief in the devil has increased over the last few years from 63% in 1997 to 71% today.
But The Barna Group’s polling data revealed some different numbers, their research indicated that 40% of self-described Christians said that they strongly agreed that Satan is NOT a living being but is a symbol of evil; and an additional two out of ten (19%) said they agree somewhat with that perspective. A minority of Christians (26%) indicated that they believe Satan is real and about 8% were completely unsure as to what to believe on this matter.

One final poll result reveals an interesting finding. A Harris poll found that more Americans believe in a literal hell and the devil (62%) than Darwin’s theory of evolution (42%).

What does this conflicting polling say to us? If anything we need to consult the Bible if we want to have any assurance that our belief or opinion has any objective nature.

So on the question of Satan what does the Bible say?

God did not create Satan as we know him, God created an angel with beauty and moral excellence. “You were the model of perfection, full of wisdom and exquisite in beauty…I ordained and anointed you as the mighty angelic guardian. You had access to the holy mountain of God and walked among the stones of fire. You were blameless in all you did from the day you were created until the day evil was found in you.” Ezekiel 28:12,14-15

God has no degree of evil present in His being and therefore has no capacity to create evil (James 1:13-17). Angels were designed and fashioned to reflect God’s goodness. They were to serve His purpose and provide a means for conveying God’s glory in His creation. So the devil was first created as an angel with good and holy intentions.
Angels, like human beings, have some element of free moral agency, meaning they can choose to obey or disobey, follow or rebel God. Yet there does seem to be a distinction between humans and angels in the sense that human beings are capable of choosing salvation once fallen, but angels are sealed to their fate – one and done kind of moral choice. The Bible offers no redemption or hope of salvation for angels once they make their decision.

Ezekiel goes on to describe that a shift happens in the heart of the angelic guardian we have come to know as the devil: “Your heart was filled with pride because of all your beauty. Your wisdom was corrupted by your love of splendor.” (28:17)

The prophet Isaiah describes this development further. He offers to us the devil’s given name “Lucifer” which means shining star. This tells us something of how lovely and beautiful God created him to be. Yet his pride in his position, purpose and presence captivated his heart and ruined him for all eternity: “How you are fallen from heaven, Lucifer, son of the morning! You have been thrown down to the earth, you who destroyed the nations of the world. For you said to yourself, ‘I will ascend to heaven and set my throne above God’s stars. I will preside on the mountain of the gods far away in the north. I will climb to the highest heavens and be like the Most High.” (Isaiah 14:12-14)

God’s response to Satan’s coup attempt was to remove him from the domain of heaven “So I banished you in disgrace from the mountain of God. I expelled you, O mighty guardian” (Ezekiel 28:16). And, not only was Lucifer thrown down but all of the angels that he influenced which constituted one third of all the angels God created (Revelation 12:4).

So Lucifer, the guardian angel, was created for good but he chose, along with other angels, to be corrupted and sealed to a fate of selfish existence.

For the time being, these fallen angels that now are described as the devil/satan and demons are consigned to the present realm of creation but in the future they will be isolated in abyss of hell described in Revelation 20.

Easter 2009

2009-04-14T08:51:00.003-04:00

WOW!!!!! We had an amazing, life-giving and powerful celebration of Jesus Getting Back Up from the grave. All across the room people were giving their lives to Christ and asking Him to help them Get Back Up. People who walked into the service with heavy hearts and emotionless expressions left energized an renewed. It was a day we will never forget at BridgePointe Church.

Thank you to all of our BridgePointers who stepped up to serve and allow others to experience God in a fresh way. You each are directly connected to each person who entered into a relationship with Christ. A special shout-out to all of you who hung around to help us tear down after the service. We had a record tear down time of 24 minutes in the auditorium. If you are interested in volunteering to tear down once a month, email info@bridgepointechurch.org. Put "tear down" in the subject.

Thanks again for making this an Easter many people will not forget. God Bless You all for your commitment and devotion to the vision of BridgePointe Church and to our Pastor and His family.

In case you missed it or wanted to see it again, here is the intro video for the Get Back Up series from Sunday.

Peeps Peeps Peeps

2009-04-08T09:52:00.002-04:00

What's your favorite Easter Candy? For me...I love me some Peeps. Which makes me think. Who are your peeps? Who have you invited to come with you to BridgePointe this Easter. Go on, get on the phone and start inviting your Peeps. We'll see you on Sunday at 9am or 11am.

Peep

Inbox Session

2009-04-07T15:50:00.002-04:00

On April 19th and 26th we are offering a 2 week course called InBox. The course is designed to help you gain basic training on how to read, study and learn from the Bible on your own. The session will be a 2 week session being held at 9:00am at Woodstock High School. If you are interested in being a part of this 2 week session click here to register. Hurry and sign-up before the classes fills up.

Easter Weekend

2009-04-07T09:06:00.004-04:00

This weekend is Easter weekend. Continue inviting people to experience life-change at BridgePointe this weekend. I am so grateful that someone invited my family to church one Easter when I was a child. It changed the course of life when I encountered God. Be praying for those that will encounter God for the first time on Easter.

Don't forget, we need as many of you as possible to attend the 9am service. We are expecting a large crowd during the 11am service and want to have as many seats as possible for them.

We are launching an incredible new series called Get Back Up. The enemy tries to do everything he can to knock us down and destroy our lives. It is time to Get Back Up and fight against the devil. This series will help you learn, encourage and train you on how to Get Back Up. Check out our promo video for this new series.

Grandma's for Easter????

2009-03-31T10:11:00.003-04:00

Are you heading to Grandma's church for Easter? Why not bring her to BridgePointe this Easter? Spend Easter 2009 with your entire family at BridgePointe. Don't worry we will provide Grandma with ear plugs if she needs them!!!!! We will be having identical services at 9am and 11am at Woodstock High School. Don't suffer through Easter service when you could be having FUN at BridgePointe. Don't worry Grandma will love it!

Feeling Sexy?

2009-03-25T12:53:00.004-04:00

Check out our new series promo that kicks-off this Sunday.
Parents: This series will have a PG13 rating. We are encouraging our parents of young children to take advantage of our Children's Environments during this series.

5th Anniversary Update

2009-03-24T14:10:00.003-04:00

What an incredible weekend. God showed up in an amazing and powerful ways. The reports from the day are still coming in. Make sure you are at BridgePointe this Sunday to hear the final count total from our 5th Anniversary. From what we can see and tell, you will be VERY excited to see and hear what God through you this past weekend. Hang on to your seats because God did some amazing things at BridgePointe.

This weekend we are kicking off our new series, Exxxposed. We will looking at God's perfect plan for SEX! It is going to fun. Over the next 2 weeks, our sermon portion of the service will have a PG13 rating. We encourage you to utilize our children's environments for your younger children. Be prepared to learn something that will enhance your sex life!!!! It's time to put the bed back in church and the church back in bed.

5ive is HERE

2009-03-20T09:08:00.003-04:00

Can you believe it is here? We have been gearing up all month for this weekend. The buzz has been insane. If you are on Facebook you've seen the invites and the amount of people being creative and using any means necessary to invite people to the carnival. The weather forecast looks amazing and I know God is already preparing the hearts of the friends you have been inviting. We will be hosting a prayer night tonight to pray for our weekend experience. If you invited friends and family, join us tonight to pray for them. We will be meeting at the OutBack from 7-8pm.

Its not too late to invite people. Be creative and look for ways to continue to invite people.

God Bless each one of you for your commitment to the vision and purpose of BridgePointe Church and for being so passionate about seeing peoples lives changed by God.

We will see you tonight or Sunday AM.

Upcoming Series

2009-03-17T09:03:00.005-04:00

We are gearing up to launch a racy, in-your-face, provocative series starting March 29th. Figure out the topic yet? SEX. Lets talk about sex baby. Some of you may say, I'm too sexy for this topic. Well, for those of you who want to discover God's perfect plan for sex, Lets get it on. This series will cover the good and the bad of sex, and we need your help. We are asking people to complete our Sex Survey. We want to know about your sex life and position on the concept of sex. Don't worry...it is all anonymous. If you are interested in being a part of the planning and preparation for this new series, click here. You may even learn something about yourself while taking the survey!

Pastor Chuck is Home

2009-03-17T08:57:00.003-04:00

Pastor Chuck arrived home safely from Moldova last night. He has an amazing experience and is looking forward to our future trips and partnerships with Equip Ministries in Moldova. Thank you for praying for him and his family while he was on mission. If you would like to drop him a welcome home email and let him know how you were praying for him, you can email him at chuck.angel@bridgepointechurch.org and his assistant will pass the email along. We are looking forward to celebrating BridgePointe 5th Anniversary this weekend!

Pastor Chuck on Mission

2009-03-15T20:20:00.001-04:00

I've just finished three intense days of ministry here in Moldova. On your behalf and in the name of our Lord, I've stood in state supported orphanages and held the broken and lonely children of this nation. I've knelt and prayed with teenagers in faith based transition homes that have become safe houses for those who have been told they are too old and too much of a drain on the resources of the state. I've sat and listened to the stories of teens who have been rescued from the streets. I've fed hungry pastors, business and civic leaders the life changing principles of Jesus style servant leadership. And, I can tell you that I've been touched by the compassion of Christ in a way that will never allow my heart to be the same!

One final blessing. After the conference, many in broken English with thick Romanian and Russian accents lined up to share how much this time meant to them. One young leader (in his twenties) shared that he had been praying for FIVE years for God to send people that could teach these things to him and his people. He said he believed with all of his heart that this was a strategic moment, a God moment for changing the mind set of the next generation in his nation.

Thank you for your prayers, your financial investment and your deep commitment to the mission of reaching, growing and serving people all over the world.

Here's a high five from Moldova with love!
Pastor Chuck

Pastor Chuck Mission Update

2009-03-11T16:42:00.001-04:00

Arrived in Moldova at 7:00pm on Wed night. We are six hours ahead of eastern time. Met the country coordinator Oleg and his wife Marina and their three children. Precious family. So passionate about their country and the people of eastern Europe. This will be a fruitful partnership in the next three years and beyond.

Tonight at dinner Oleg spoke with such concern over the condition of his country. The next generation is immigrating to try and find a better life, the country doesn't have leaders. The leaders of the former soviet union are now in power positions in a democratic republic that has chosen to support a communist regime. This gives many opportunities for exploitation and manipulation. Oleg said that in the 20 years since the liberation of the soviet oppression the country has not gone forward it in fact has gone backward. He said that close the 20 years of liberation without leaders. But he sees Equip and our partnership as a part of that solution.

In fact he identified the lack of hope and the lack of leaders are their two biggest problems in ministry to these wonderful people. Pray we can do something about it.

Tomorrow we are in schools and different ministries to build some local partnerships to bring back BridgePointers to minister when we are here in the fall. Friday and Saturday is the conference. I will be in 5, and they just possibly added a sixth church today to be at on Sunday. Then home at 4:00am monday.

Please keep praying, Oleg's wife has a serious cancer threat that needs to be removed in Jesus name. Seek God's mercy and supernatural healing for marina.

Looking forward to briefing the day tomorrow with some pics.

love to you all
pastor chuck

www.HeresMyStory.org

2009-03-11T16:40:00.002-04:00

Have you checked our 5ive Story website lately? We posted a few new stories that you submitted this week. WOW!!!! God has done amazing things in the lives of people at BridgePointe. It is definitely worth checking out. If you have not submitted your story, do so today. www.HeresMyStory.org

Pastor Chuck on Mission

2009-03-11T09:57:00.003-04:00

We received update today that Pastor Chuck is almost in Moldova. He has completed the first leg of his travel and should be in Moldova by this evening. Continue to pray for safe travel and for his adjustment to the culture and time change. We are praying for a very productive week of training leaders and for Pastor to be a part of changing the leadership culture of Moldova. We take for granted the access and abilities we have to grow as leaders. The people in Moldova are hungry for change and desire to move beyond their current living standards. Pray that this week will begin a revolution in their country.

Mission Tanzania Recap for Pastor Keith

2009-03-05T12:28:00.006-05:00

I am back from Tanzania, and I am tired. Though I'm tired and back in the swing of things in Woodstock, I will never forget my time in Africa. I have been told several times by friends that i must go to Africa. Many friends just knew that it was a place for me. None of my friends were able to convince me, and i only went this time because I was sure that God wanted me to go.

When I got off of the plane I expected some magic African dust to fall on me causing me to fall madly in love with Africa. I expected to look at each tree, each flower, each cloud, each animal and just be enamored by the beauty found within. To be honest, I wasn't swept away by Africa like I thought I would be. I did find a lot of natural beauty in Tanzania. It's hard to beat the view that we had of Mount Kilimanjaro our last two days on the trip. It is difficult to imagine many things as beautiful as the waterfall that I saw on Kilimanjaro; it was also cool to stand under the heavens and have a picture-perfect view of the stars. I did find beauty, but it wasn't this magical feeling that I expected.

The magical moments for me came from the people-more beautiful than Kilimanjaro or even the stars. I spent time in several small, hot homes. I ate with people; I prayed with people; I laughed with people; and I cried with those same people. It was during most of these moments that i saw God the most; I saw beauty personified. I saw people that I expected to feel sorry for inspire me. Sure, they are poor financially, but they have class and dignity and strength. I have never seen people work so hard to obtain so little. I saw kids walking with five gallon buckets of water on their heads; I saw boys shepherd cows and sheep before the sun came up. I watched old ladies push huge barrels of water down a dusty dirt road; and i saw men and women contribute all that they had physically to the building of a small church.

I cried a lot in Africa-not because I felt sorry for the people. i actually felt inspired by the people to the point that tears flooded my face daily. The people that knew God loved Him-really. These people sought everything from Him. They didn't see their job as their source; they didn't see investments as their source; and they didn't see the government as their source. It was life-changing to be with people who rely on Him completely. I was given a purple, African shirt as a gift; it brought tears to my eyes because I understand that purple symbolizes royalty. I actually felt like royalty, and I was proud to know that I came from somewhere on that huge continent.

After leaving Africa I realize that I have seen the face of God, and I also realize that I have no more excuses that make sense. I now have no choice but to be used completely up by my God. I didn't get sprinkled with magic dust, but my friends were correct. I needed to go to Africa. Peace.

Time Change Weekend

2009-03-04T15:00:00.005-05:00

Neither Rain Nor Snow Nor Sleet Can Keep Them Away

2009-03-03T15:59:00.002-05:00

Despite the "lovely" weather we had on Sunday, people arrived on Sunday ready to celebrate BridgePointe's month long 5th Anniversary Celebration. It was a great kickoff to an awesome month. Pastor challenged us to see 2,200 people attend our Carnival Sunday Celebration. When Pastor Chuck announced 2,200 people as our goal the place went crazy. We are excitingly anticipating God's favor on that day. Begin inviting everyone you know to be in attendance on the 22nd. It is going to be a memorable day.
2,200 people is something to get excited about.

Pastor also challenged us to share our stories with the world. Many of you have stepped up to the plate and submitted their "I've" story with the world. Have you? If not make sure you stop by www.heresmystory.org to submit your story and read other stories that have been submitted. This past Sunday, Janice Tucker shared her story on video of what God has done in her life in the past 5ive years and it touched our hearts. We have posted her story on the website for you to pass onto others who could be inspired and moved by what God is doing and has done in her life. Bookmark www.heresmystory.org and check it out throughout the month of March.

New Series Begins Today

2009-02-28T20:45:00.003-05:00

Make sure you visit www.HeresMyStory.org to post your story with the world.

Mission Tanzania Update

2009-02-25T10:10:00.001-05:00

Please continue to pray for the team as they wind up the mission trip. They will depart from Tanzania to begin their journey home Friday evening 7 pm Tanzania time which is 11 am our time.

Continue to pray that God uses them to lead people to him during their final days in Tanzania. The little town of Moshi where they are staying tonight and tomorrow night has several very large Mosques so they will have plenty of people that God may lead them to touch.

Mission Tanzania Update

2009-02-24T09:35:00.004-05:00

Our mission team in Tanzania has had an incredible weekend. Thanks to the generosity from BridgePointe this weekend the team had an opportunity to help build a church that had been started on a previous trip. They provided basic construction services to help the church host worship gatherings. Pastor Keith and Lamar also had the privledge of preaching and leading worship at a local church. The video below is a quick clip of Pastor Keith leading worship in a small church in Tanzania. Pray for the team as they continue to provide medical treatments, work in orphanages and minister to the people and especially the children in Africa. We are very pleased to report that the entire team is doing well. There has been no issues with food or illness. Keith was pleased to report that he is getting a tan while in Africa. The team feels awesome and they feel like God is blessing them richly with their service in Tanzania.

Mission Tanzania Update

2009-02-19T09:45:00.002-05:00

Today the team travel several hours away from Morogoro to a very small village called Golgotha to the Bethel Children’s Support Center. The Support Center now provides assistance and training to 170 children. The children and the founder of the center were so excited to share with the team the fact that they now have a building and the building now has a roof. Last fall when our team went to Bethel Children’s Support Center, the building had side walls but no roof and even then they had come a very long way from meeting underneath a tree. The team was very excited to made a contribution to Bethel Children’s Support Center for 500,000 Tanzanian Schillings which equates to less than $420.00 – this money will provide the center with a concrete floor and windows. The windows are not really windows in that they aren’t made of glass, they are essentially concrete blocks that have holes to allow air flow. The team was very moved by the children of Bethel Children’s Support Center. They enjoyed playing soccer and basketball with the children and there were tears of sadness and joy during the day. The team also had the pleasure of meeting the major of Golgotha and other village dignitaries. s.

This afternoon when the team returned from Bethel Children’s Support Center, Sandy spent time with Stephen a teacher from the Deaf School teaching him to use the audio meter that the team took to Tanzania. This machine will assist the school is determining the severity of the deafness of the children and allow them to modify the teaching to the degree of deafness.

This evening the team had a farewell dinner with Mama Helen of Village of Hope and the medical staff at Uzema Medical Center. After the team was dropped off at Amabalis for the night, Mama Helen and Sandy went back to Uzema Medical Center for additional training on the EKG machine.

Continue to pray for good health and opportunities to change the world and the people of Tanzania over the next week.

You Asked and We Answered Part 6

2009-02-18T09:45:00.002-05:00

Here are a few more questions from this past Sundays message on Courage Drift. Check back tomorrow for the final few answers to your questions.

How do you courageously and respectfully confront someone who you believe is following unbiblical beliefs while also pursuing God?

The best thing to do when confronting untruth in someone's life whom you care for is to first, pray. Ask God to open their eyes and to take off the blinders. Then ask the Lord to give you an open door to share in a non-conflict moment so that you will have a loving spirit. Secondly, ask for boldness to stand your ground and make sure you have a clear understanding of what you want to communicate about what the Bible says. Third. Don't argue. Proverbs tells us that any fool can quarrel. Simply state the truth and leave the results in God's hands.

How do you go from fear to courage?

Slap yourself. No seriously, sometimes you have to just do the thing that causes you fear to realize that you can overcome it. An acronym for fear is FEAR: False Evidence Appearing Real. Courage is in you. God put it there. You have to choose to take steps in the direction of courage and not cower down to fear. Memorize scripture that will help you in moments of weakness. 1 Peter 3:6; I John 4:18

Mission Tanzania Update

2009-02-18T09:40:00.001-05:00

From Pastor Keith Norman on the field in Tanzania.

Today has been another great day. The team has delivered medicine to the Uzima Medical center today, and we have also helped to stock the medicine at the center. Uzima is the medical center that belongs to Bethel Revival Temple. Never Alone Ministries has also donated a computer to the center, and, as I type, members of the team are installing the computer. It is truly amazing to see the work and ministry that is done from both the church and the center. The community is alive because of the church and center. This place has been jumping all day. Between the church, medical center, and Uzima Nursery school so much is going on; it has been an exciting day just seeing the community here on the church grounds. Just to think, one day BridgePointe will have its property jumping with people who need life pumped into them. We will be able to do the same type of things that I have seen here-all day long.

We also visited K'ndege Deaf School today. The team felt much like a rock band as we watched kids run towards our bus. Many of the children already knew Lamar, as Never Alone has partnered with this school in the past. Our main reason for being at the school today was to donate an audiometer, so that the teachers would be able to test the hearing of the children. One of our team members is a nurse, and she will be teaching the teachers how to work the audiometer; Sandy is also a BridgePointe Church member.

Everywhere that we have gone we have noticed how grateful the children are. Things that are small to us have been blessings to them. The blessing for us has been the people of Tanzania themselves.

You Asked and We Answered Part 6

2009-02-17T10:19:00.002-05:00

Here is another question that was texted in this past Sunday during our Courage Drift teaching segment.

How do you grab courage in a needed time?

Pastor Chuck talked about the fact that God given courage is inside all of us, it is just a matter of what we do with it. The best way to act in courage in a needed time is to be prepared for it. How do we do that? Stay close and connected with God. Spend time reading your Bible on a daily basis, pray regularly and be connected with other believers. When your everyday life and actions are based around following Christ and acting like Jesus, your ability to grab courage in needed times will be easier and you will be able to act in courage. This is a great verse that reiterates this point, "I have hidden Your Word in my heart, so I will not sin against you." Psalm 119:11

You Asked and We Answered Part 6

2009-02-17T09:59:00.002-05:00

Throughout the Drift teaching series we have given you an opportunity to text in questions pertaining to the teaching topic of the day. This weeks message was on Courage Drift. We will be answering a couple of questions each day. Check back throughout the week to see if you questions have been answered.

Is courage still acceptable if, when being courageous and doing the right thing, people get hurt?

Well, it depends on the intention behind the act. Sometimes doing the right thing is not always easy and people may get hurt. Always keep in mind that when being courageous and doing the right thing other people may be involved. Do not back down on your courageous stand, but be wise and observant of how you handle the situation. Courage is not taking a stand and destroying everyone in your path. Courage is doing what is biblical and godly. Sometimes that may mean you have to take a different approach when handling situations. Remember form our drift teaching a few weeks ago, "the power of life and death is in the tongue."

Mission Tanzania Update

2009-02-17T09:35:00.001-05:00

This was written by Pastor Keith who is on the team in Tanzania.

The team visited Morogoro Children's Home on Saturday. Mr. and Mrs. Robert Simba started and run this orphanage. I must admit that the first few minutes there was sad for me; after all we were with children who are orphans-48 of them. We packed into a small room and talked and sang and handed out gifts, and then we played with the children-and sang some more. It only took me a few minutes to get over my feelings of sadness. Why? The simple reason is the smiles on the children's faces. Mr. and Mrs. Simba are obviously training them in the way that they should go-in the fear and admonition of the Lord. I quickly realized, after being at Morogoro Children's Home that I was in the presence of the Lord. I immediately stopped feeling sorry for the children, and I just let them bless me. One of the kids played with my shades, and I prayed every minute that he would not break them. Another girl, Faith, played with my locs. I again prayed that she wouldn't break them-just kidding. The saddest part of my trip to the orphanage was leaving because I realized I was leaving God's manifest presence, and I actually felt for many of our youth in America. I realized that many of our youth have stuff, but they haven't been raised to fear the Lord. I saw orphans who were blessed. Go figure.

Yesterday was a long day. The team got up early and headed to church. We attended Bethel Revival Temple, and we "had some church". We attended two of the three services that are held on Sunday mornings, and I preached at the 9 AM and 11 AM services. The 9 AM service was mostly college students, and I preached in English. The 11 AM service was packed with everybody, and I preached with a translator-what an experience. To say that the people praised the Lord is an understatement. The singing, dancing, and fellowship were off the chain. I felt at home. I have heard most of the songs that were sung, but each song had an extra amount of salt and pepper on them. You couldn't help but praise the Lord; you would have felt left-out otherwise.

We left church and had lunch in the local village. The food has been good-similar to my wife's Jamaican cuisine. I liked the time at lunch because there were so many people out in the village, and I'm a people-person. We left lunch and headed to Village Of Hope. Village of Hope is another orphanage run by Momma Hellen. Momma Hellen is one-of-a-kind;you just feel like you have known her all of her life. She is raising the children to fear the Lord, and it shows. We all have felt privileged to be in the environments that we have been in so far. I assure you that one can't help but feel God's presence at the orphanages that we visited. We played with, sang with, and exchanged gifts with the children at Village of Hope. We even shed tears with them after one of our team members gave a part of her testimony. It was one of the most powerful moments thus far. I encourage anybody reading this to visit and volunteer at an orphanage; don't be surprised if your life is changed.

We left the Village of Hope and went to an evening service at Golgotha Church yesterday. Pastor Stamford is the pastor at this church. It was a lot smaller than Bethel, but the energy was the same. Little children danced down front as praise music filled the air. We were all tired, but the service gave us inspiration and energy. We thank God for the work that Pastor Stamford is doing there.

Right now I'm sitting in an office at Bethel Revival Temple-the church that we worshiped at yesterday. The Bishop here is Bishop Barnabas, and he has a presence about him. I heard a little of his story this morning. He worked in a school in the village but was soon fired because of his Christian lifestyle. He stayed in the hood and started a church on grounds that was a cemetery. You should see it now. There is a school on the grounds; there is a medical center on the grounds; and there is a life-giving church on the grounds. I sit here typing and looking at the hundreds of children who are getting a Christian education because Bishop Barnabas had a vision. We are working all day at a medical center that serves the community because Bishop Barnabas had a vision. When the church was being built in 1987 skulls and bones were found because of the cemetery, and now I sit and write at a place that is giving life. Praise God!

I hope that I get an opportunity to write again, but if I don't I simply ask that you pray that God will continue to teach and mold us. We have seen Him in the little things, and we look forward to learning from the people of Tanzania more over the next two weeks. Peace.

5th Anniversary Celebration

2009-02-14T23:01:00.003-05:00

Did you know that it will take over 400 volunteers serving for the day to host over 2,000 people at the anniversary. Are you ready to be one of the army of 400? We need you. If you are interested in stepping up to volunteer email info@bridgepointechurch.org and type sign me up in the subject line. We will contact you and get you scheduled for the day. We need volunteers in children's areas, outside at the carnival, serving and preparing food, greeting, setting up and cleaning up the carnival and planning team. If you have a preference, let us know in the email. If not we will contact you and find the best place for you to serve.

Mission Tanzania Update

2009-02-14T22:55:00.001-05:00

The team arrived safely. We received word that everyone arrived on time and safely. They begin working tonight on the field. Over the next few days pray for the team as they adjust to the culture and conditions of where they are staying. Once they become comfortable, the more effective they will be. We will update you as we hear from them. Just so you know, you gave over $4,500.00 towards their trip.

Student Movement Weekend

2009-02-12T12:55:00.004-05:00

Do you have a student 6th-12th grade? If you do, make sure they are a part of our upcoming Student Weekend Conference Feb. 27 & 28th.
Student Life Movement Weekend will be an incredible weekend for students 6th-12th grades. This 2 day conference will help students move their hearts back to God. The weekend conference includes 2 days of worship and spiritual training. The conference is Friday evening from 7-9pm and Saturday from 9am-8:30pm. Students will not be spending the night away from home during this conference and will be responsible for their own transportation to and from the conference events. Students will encounter fresh teaching, impactful worship, opportunities to serve our community and a chance to get to know other students their age. You can register your student for only $25 this weekend in the lobby at church or next Wednesday at Fusion.

Mission Tanzania

2009-02-10T13:08:00.002-05:00

This Thursday a team from BridgePointe Church will be heading to Tanzania East Africa on mission. While they are there they will be delivering 100,000 malaria treatments to kids, preaching at local churches, helping repair and work on existing churches that need construction assistance and helping to provide hearing screenings for children. All of these activities will allow them to bring the message and love of Jesus to the region. While the team is gone they will be sending updates on what they are doing and how you can pray specifically. We will be posting those updates here on the BridgePointe Life blog as they come in. From today until Friday we ask that you pray for safe traveling to Tanzania and that they are able to rest in route so they can hit the ground running ready to share Jesus with those they come in contact with. We will keep you updated as they travel.

Marriage Drift Followup 5

2009-02-06T09:45:00.003-05:00

Today is the last blog post this week focusing on our teaching topic on Marriage Drift from this past Sunday. Today we are looking at the myth that many marriages deal with, My spouse and I should never have conflict. It is a very common myth and one that lead to you have having the wrong expectations of your spouse.

Conflict is normal in love. It is not a relationship-ender, it is a part of love. You need to understand that good conflict enhances a good love life. Most of the time couples will agree on issues that arise, but sometimes they will not agree. This disagreement can lead to a healthy session of discussion and communication or it can lead to an unhealthy argument. When these types of conflicts arise practice these simple steps to help you overcome the conflict in a healthy manner.

1. Pursue a win-win solution. Works towards finding a solution where both spouses feel comfortable and connected at the end of the conflict.
2. Be specific and direct. No one likes for someone to hint and beat around the bush when they are trying to resolve a conflict. Be open and honest. Being indirect causes anxiety for everyone involved.
3. Keep it two-way. Resolving conflict is more than conveying your feelings and requests. It is dialogue between 2 people. Don't say what you need to say and be done. Keep the dialogue open.
4. Have a structure. Do you often have the same fight over and over again? Why? This happens when you don't really resolve the conflict. You need structure in your approach to dealing with this conflict. Try these tips to develop structure in your fighting: Stay Focused, Give time limits, Be direct and honest, agree beforehand to remain calm and don't avoid topics.

Remember that conflict is not done for its own sake. Fighting and conflict is for the sake of love, relationship and connection. Any conflict should bend its knee for love.

If you need help moving beyond conflict in your marriage, contact keith.norman@bridgepointechurch.org for additional help and resources.

You asked and We Answered Week 5 Part 4

2009-02-06T08:00:00.000-05:00

Here are the final couple of questions we received this week relating to drifting in your marriage. If you have additional questions or need help with your marriage, contact Keith at keith.norman@bridgepointechurch.org.

Do you have to say I love you when your spouse never tells it to you even though you know you love each other? Do you have to?

I would say no. Should you? I would say yes. The power of life and death is in the tongue, so that makes the tongue a powerful thing. The tongue can be used to turn lives around, so why not say, "I love you." Those may be the words that provide life to a withering sou

Do you think the wrong expectations of the right person extends to boyfriend/girlfriend?

I do think that the wrong expectations of the right person can extend to boyfriend/girlfriend, especially in our culture. In our culture boyfriends/girlfriends are expected to be like spouses in many ways. We should really be looking at others like family in a dating relationship. I Timothy 5:2 sheds light on this issue. We have to think of young women and/or men with all purity according to that passage. When we use the simple guidelines set up in 1 Tim. 5:2 we will not ask too much of the opposite sex when dating. "If you love me, then you would..." would never have to be uttered if we learn to not extend the wrong expectations to the wrong person.

Does God put us through hard times to test your faith or to let you know you are drifting off the path He wants you to follow?

I do think that God can send you out into a storm just like he did with his disciples after they fed over 5,000 people with Him. That particular difficult storm caused them to worship Him in the end right in the boat that they were in. Sometimes when we are drifting God might choose to use difficult times to bring us back to a place of worship. He says many times in the OT things like, "Then they will know that I AM the Lord." When it seemed like God was being mean to the children of Israel, He was really wanting them to understand that they were making horrible decisions to go after that which really wasn't the Best. He used calamity and even death to get them back to the Best, which was himself.

You asked and We Answered Week 5 Part 3

2009-02-05T11:46:00.002-05:00

Here is another 2 questions we received this week in regards to Pastor Chuck's message this past Sunday talking about Marriage Drift.

If two people are about to get divorced is there a chance God will help bring them back together and help them realize they love each other?

There is definitely a chance. I have witnessed on more than one occasion people coming back together in a way that honored God. I think that is awesome when that happens. I do think that the same God can also keep the apparent impending divorce from happening in the first place. I would advise asking for His power to be applied even before the divorce takes place. There's a great chance that He will step in early, and then a lot of pain can be avoided.

What should we do if we feel we need help with our marriage?

We have marriage mentors here at BridgePointe. You should call the BPC office or e-mail us through our website. Our number is 770-517-2977. We also have a staff member who would be willing to provide counseling. The thing that you can't do is nothing, and you can't pretend that everything is ok. I know that through our mentors and/or counselor you will be shown God's word on the subject of matter. If you learn to practice God's way your marriage is sure to grow.

Marriage Drift Followup 4

2009-02-05T08:00:00.001-05:00

Today's follow-up topic from our Drift teaching on Marriage, deals with intimacy. Today we are looking at the myth that says, "My spouse should be perfect at sex." In today's posting we are clearly talking about a marriage sexual relationship between a man and a woman.

What is good sex? Maybe the question should be what is healthy sex? According to our society and our culture, there are varying opinions about what makes sex good. It’s no wonder that so many marriages are struggling in the intimacy department. We tend to believe what our society says about sex and what it should be like in our marriage. When it is less then what is portrayed to us, we feel that our sex is not perfect. Sex is a very individual topic-and for good reason. It draws upon the most personal and vulnerable aspects of a man and woman. It is individual in that, only you know what satisfies you. In order to have a healthy sex life, you must be open and communicate. Here are some descriptions of what healthy sex is:

Healthy sex is sex that expresses knowing one another in the deepest sort of intimacy with the absence of fear, shame, hurt or guilt.
Healthy sex is connected sex. When you are connected to your spouse mentally, spiritually and physcially, your sex will also be connected.
Healthy sex is freely given. Freely given sex is where both parties feel like they are there, in the act, by their choosing. They have said yes with their bodies and heart. The problem arises when someone says yes with their body, but not their heart.
Healthy sex is accepting sex. Good sex is not expert sex, but rather sex where both people feel accepted right where they are. When a person feels totally accepted by their spouse, barriers will go down and that translates into sexual freedom.
Healthy sex is fun.
Healthy sex requires communication. Couples with the greatest satisfaction are those that talk about their desires, wants, likes, dislikes, fears, pain and whatever else comes into the picture. Sex is not supposed to be a natural instinct. You have to talk about it.

Sex is an easel on how your marriage relationship is painted. If your marriage is very independent and selfish, the sex will reflect that. If you and your spouse are detached from each other, the sex is in danger of being just a routine physical act. If the relationship is self-centered, the sex will reflect that. We all deal with work, kids, personal pressure and life issues. Despite all that fills our schedules and drains our energies, we have to give sex time and space so that it gets the attention it deserves in our marriage. If you invest time in growing together and keep working on your sex life, the returns will be worth is all.

You asked and We Answered Week 5 Part 2

2009-02-04T17:23:00.002-05:00

We are also posting the answers to the questions you have been texting in about Sundays teaching on marriage drift.

Here is one of the questions you sent in.

My friends parents marriage is drifting and falling apart. How do I help them and what do I tell them?

The best way to help your friend is to just be there for them. You can't change the circumstance that your friend is in but you can help them through it. This can be a very hard and lonely time for your friend. Your friend probably needs some one to just listen and be a safe refuge for he or she. Spend time with them, when you are going through a hard time you need time away from the conflict. Have fun with your friend, he or she needs to get out of the situation to be encouraged. Also pray for them, God says to not worry about anything pray about everything. We serve a big God greater than life situations, pray with passion. Know that whatever happens that all God has called you to is to pray and bring His compassion.

Marriage Drift Followup 3

2009-02-04T08:58:00.002-05:00

Today as we continue our followup from this past Sundays teaching session on Drifting in your marriage, we are going to look at myth that causes many issues in marriages. By the end of this post we hope to provide you with information that will help draw you and your spouse closer to each other.

Today's topic: My spouse should trust me without question.

Trust is something every good relationship has in the fabric of its being. Often, it is the thing that must be built-or rebuilt-for intimacy and rescue to happen in a relationship. Trust is the ability to be totally real, authentic, and unguarded with your spouse. It means being able to bring all parts of yourself to them, good or bad, strong or weak. Couples who have learned to trust receive many benefits from their marriage. Trust forms the foundation of the love life you want to have.
Trust is not a mystery. It is not an either you have it or you don't kind of thing. Trust can and must be developed and matured for your relationship to be successful. It is easy to say you love your spouse, but is it easy for you to say I trust them? Trust comes with baggage from the past. The way you trust your spouse can be directly related to past experiences and hurts in the trust department. Here are 3 elements that you can weave into the fabric of your relationship that will help build and restore trust.
1. RISK. To develop trust you will need to take risks relationally and extend yourself out of your comfort zone. You will need to determine how much risk you will take to being or restore this journey in your connection. Couples who refuse to take risks because they are afraid of the consequences may think they are protecting themselves and the relationship from hurt, but they are actually building up walls that eliminate trust in their lives.
2. WELCOME. Appreciate the effort and humility it takes for your spouse to take a risk and trust you for the sake of the relationship. Accept them and welcome what they have to say. Extend love and grace with no hint of condemnation. Basically, you are welcoming your partners vulnerability.
3. TRUSTWORTHINESS. Trustworthiness means that you take your partners investment in you very seriously and you will not do anything to break that trust. This aspect requires time. Trustworthiness can only be proven over a series of experiences and time. A couple who is trustworthy has a high value on faithfulness, loyalty and reliability.

Tomorrow we will be taking a look at intimacy and the myth that my spouse should be perfect at sex.

Marriage Drift Followup 2

2009-02-03T09:31:00.002-05:00

Everyday this week we will be posting followup resources and information that will help you strengthen your marriage and help draw those of you who are drifting in your marriage back to God. If you have not had an opportunity to listen to the audio recording of Sundays message that Pastor Chuck taught on marriage, click on the audio link to the right and listen. It may change your marriage.

Today we are breaking down the myth that in order for your marriage to improve, your partner is the one who needs to change.

One of the key to improving your marriage is changing yourself first. Growing marriages are made up of growing people. We are not saying that your partner is always right and you are always wrong, but the key to improving your marriage always starts with you changing yourself first. Nothing helps the relationship more than when you shine a spotlight on yourself and see your own issues, baggage, hurts, weakness and fault. Your capacity to love, give grace, communicate and to be honest with your spouse is greatly enhanced when you solve your personal issues first. At its essence, this concept is defining love in your relationship. You are saying that you love your spouse enough to change yourself for the betterment of your marriage. Our love for each other is generated from God. When we are connected with God and growing and changing to be more like Him, we are demonstrating our love for our spouse. 1 John 4 says, "Let us love one another, for love comes from God."
Focus on this principle today. What do I need to change in my life that will strengthen our marriage. Once you identify those areas, begin changing. Watch how God matures you and begins to draw your heart back to your spouse and to Him.

Tomorrow we will be looking at another common myth that plagues marriages, "My spouse should trust me without question."

Marriage Drift Followup

2009-02-02T10:45:00.002-05:00

Yesterday at BridgePointe was a powerful day as Pastor Chuck taught on Marriage Drift. So many times we catch ourselves drifting in our marriage and we need help getting back on track with our spouse and with God. Everyday this week we will be posting followup information from the Sunday teaching topic and also answering your questions you texted in at the end of the message.

Todays followup topic: What to do when you have been hurt in marriage.

Pastor Chuck talked about yesterday that whether or not we like it, we will all hurt each other at some point in our relationship. We are imperfect people and imperfect people love imperfectly. So what should you do when you have been hurt?

1. Accept the fact that your mate will sometimes do things that will hurt you.
When you accept this fact, you will be able to deal with these hurts when they come and those come they won't destroy the connection and love you share.

2. Hang on to the things that you love about your mate, even when they disappoint you.
Don't label your mate as bad or always wrong. Everyone gets it wrong at times, but you need to realize that they are a wonderful creation made by God with unique qualities and gifts. Don't let the hurts blind you from the great qualities God created in them.

3. When hurt happens, face it with honesty and directness.
Good marriages do not deny problems. When you are hurt, tell each other. Speak the truth, but do so in love, not in anger (Epehsians 4:25-26). Remember that the power of life and death is in the tongue.

4. When you are the one that has hurt the other, apologize.
Confess your wrongdoings-do not excuse it-and empathize with the hurt and pain you have caused. The worst thing you can do is try to rationalize it or explain it away. Confess your mistake and ask for forgiveness.

5. When you are hurt, grieve and forgive.
Forgiveness is as vital as your digestive tract. It is the way we metabolize, heal and remove waste from our relationships.

6. If the hurt is severe, get support and healing and process the pain.
Sometimes when you are grieving you will need outside help processing the pain if it is a sever hurt.

7. Work together on how you process pain and hurt.
Talk to each other about how to let each other know when you are hurt. Discuss what you need from each other in these moments. Grow in your communication, listening, and conflict resolution skills.

If you need additional help with your marriage, check back throughout the week as we unpack additional information that will help you grow closer together. If you would like to speak to a marriage coach or a staff member, please contact keith.norman@bridgepointechurch.org.

You asked and We Answered Week 4 Part 5

2009-01-31T13:07:00.000-05:00

God has given me the dream to pursue music ministry. What can I do to prepare myself?

When we purse any kind of dream there is always a season of preparation. As it is said, "dreams don't become realized until you wake up and get to work!" Whatever your dream, be diligent where you are. Read books, ask questions, put yourself in the path of those involved in your dream. Learn all you possibly can about your dream and ask God for wisdom on how to proceed. Dreams do not happen without preparation and perspiration! Choose to learn and find every outlet to be involved in your destiny. Finally, the Bible says to be faithful in the little things and God will give you more responsibility and favor. But don't get discouraged when the timing seems slow. Continue to pursue the call and He will faithfully guide your steps along the way to realizing the dream He placed in you.

You asked and We Answered Week 4 Part 4

2009-01-30T12:56:00.000-05:00

How do I keep my dreaming from keeping me from drifting?

As a young child I had a dream of running away from home. It was during a time in my life when I was not happy with my relationship with my parents. Can you imagine a 9 year old dreaming of leaving home and surviving on his own? If I would had followed through with that dream who knows where it would have gotten me. It would have made me drift. Drift away from my family, away from safety and away from a healthy future. We have to be careful in this life to ensure that our dreams are taking us in a God honoring direction. We are still humans who battle sin and selfishness. If your dreams are self centered they will cause you to drift. Here is a way to discover if your dreams are taking you in the right or wrong direction. Does your dream end with you? When you accomplish your dream will it have a lasting effect on your world or the people you know? If your dream is for no one but you it is not a dream worth pursuing. Allow God is give you dreams that will please Him and you will discover greater meaning for your life and the dreams you have.

You asked and We Answered Week 4 Part 3

2009-01-29T09:49:00.002-05:00

These are a few more questions we received during this past Sundays message.

What if I have more than one dream?

That is a good thing, and it is not that uncommon. God is generous and often gives us more than one thing to accomplish for His glory. Just make sure that you are checking to see if the dream lines up with His Word, and you want to make sure that your dream will give Him glory.

What if you don't have time to dream?

One of the things that was mentioned in the message on Dream Drifting is making sure you get back to the place where you first dreamed. If you've never had that place, you simply need to get that place. Once you get the place make no excuses. We really don't have time to not have time. We have time to worry; we have time to fear; and we have time to stress. Replace that time with dream time. It doesn't take a ton of time. It might be wise to meet with somebody who can help you better organize your time.

Can everyone dream?

Everyone can dream because everyone has talents and skills that God wants to use for His glory. Joseph was only 17 years old, but he dreamed. There seemed to be nothing extraordinary about him. He was young; his family had major issues; he was a taddle-tale; and he was apparently pretty arrogant. God still allowed him to dream because God had something for him to do for His glory.

How do I know when God is telling me to wait?

I can't say that I know the answer to this all of the time for your life, but I would go back to the place where you dreamed and seek His Presence and His Promises. Being in His presence and meditating on His promises will help you to have faith, and you will be reminded that the steps of a righteous man are ordered. God often times puts people in your life who will be able to help guide you. Sometimes they are unexpected people. In Joseph's story there were so many people who had everything to do w/the timing of the manifestation of the dream. I don't know if God always is telling us to wait; He's telling us to trust and obey. He will take care of the details that we don't know anything about including timing.

I believe in God, but do not feel loved beyond reason. This holds me back from dreaming. Help.

Get back to God's promises again. I wonder if Joseph always felt loved-in the pit, the palace, or in prison. I don't know if he did, but I can see how he could have questioned God's love several times. God's love has nothing to do with how we feel. That's what we've been taught by the culture we live in. I would never just trust my feelings when it comes to God's love, but I would trust His promises. God's Word makes it clear that He loves us all of the time. Find verses that help you recall His love. Also take time to count your blessings, even the small ones.

You asked and We Answered Week 4 Part 2

2009-01-29T07:20:00.002-05:00

Here is another question from this past Sundays message.

How do I deal with people who are trying to discourage me from pursuing a dream?

Great question. Pastor Keith talked a lot about "haters" on Sunday. He mentioned the people in Joseph's life that continually put him down for his dream and who tried to stop him from pursuing his dream. You have to be careful who you share your dreams with. Some people will not understand or will be critical. Make sure you are sensitive and wise about who you share your dreams with. If you have already shared your dream and people are discouraging you from pursuing your dream, step back and evaluate the situation. Are the people actively involved in your life and have your best interest at heart? If so, listen and consider what they are saying. They may see something or have advice that can help you. Once you have done this and truly believe you should keep pressing forward head in that direction. Just make sure that the dream you are pursuing lines up with God's character and direction for your life!

You asked and We Answered Week 4 Part 1

2009-01-27T18:04:00.002-05:00

Throughout our DRIFT teaching series we will be answering questions you have about the topic being taught on Sunday. The questions we are answering on the blog are the questions you texted in during the past Sunday. We will be answering the questions right here on the BridgePointe Life Blog throughout the week.

Why is it so difficult to follow my dreams?

There is an old saying, "If it was easy, everyone would do it." That saying makes sense when you are looking at following your dreams. If your dream was something easy and common to do, it would become more of task on your daily to do list then a dream. Stay focused and dependent on God as you pursue your dream. While it may become difficult to follow and strive for, in the end it will be worth it. The satisfaction from hard work and determination will outweigh any of the difficulties you encountered on the way.

Were you there on Sunday?

2009-01-27T11:23:00.003-05:00

Were you there? Were you at BridgePointe this past Sunday? If you were, I hope you felt encouraged and excited by the fact that you were worshipping with over 1200 people. It was an amazing day in the life of BridgePointe Church. Lets keep it growing. You are the greatest marketing tool and source of advertising we have. Keep inviting your friends and family and watch how God transforms their lives and BridgePointe Church. We will see you this Sunday.

You asked and We Answered Week 3 Part 6

2009-01-26T13:39:00.000-05:00

What about those in 3rd world countries who are unable to tithe?

Are the disobedient? We all have the responsibility of obeying the Word. It never is easy when one is starting as a tither even if he makes six figures. It is surprising to many people, but it is usually just as difficult for one making much to start tithing as the one who has little. It's all about starting. God expects obedience from all of us-even the poor. Tithing is really an issue that deals much more with the heart than with money.

When you are unemployed how are you supposed to be generous?

When you are unemployed you don't have to tithe if you are not earning money. Tithing is done based on what you earn. I do think, though, that it is always good to practice generosity. It might be in other areas of your life. A person could still serve in ministry by giving their time and talent. There was once an old widow in the Bible who gave all that she had, even though it was very little. This lady ended up impressing Jesus; that's what we are ultimately trying to do-impress Him!

When you are so short financially and barely have enough money to pay bills, how can you afford to tithe?

The better question is how can you afford not to tithing. Tithing is a good way to get blessed. Most people have it backwards. Not tithing is a good way to actually have your funds cursed. God simply asks us in this one area to test him, so I say, "Test Him."

You asked and We Answered Week 3 Part 5

2009-01-24T14:48:00.002-05:00

I can barely afford to pay my bills, how can I afford to tithe?

Tithing will be a lot easier for you to do if you do it as soon as you receive your paycheck. People often ask do I tithe off the net or the gross? Tithe off of what is actually given to you as income. People who don't believe in tithing often argue that they work hard for their money and can't afford to give 10 percent to the church. They don't understand--or choose not to remember--that according to the Bible, it's God that gives them the ability to make a living and everything comes from Him (Psalm 24:1). For many people, once they understand the blessings of tithing they realize they can't afford not to tithe.

You asked We answered week 3 part 3

2009-01-23T19:53:00.002-05:00

Is it better to give a lump sum or give consistently over time?

Interesting question. The easy way to answer this is to recognize what tithing teaches. Tithing teaches us to be obedient and to learn to trust and depend on God. Pastor Chuck talked about how it is better to give out of obedience then a one time sacrifice. We learn more from the acts of obedience then through a one time act of sacrifice. The option on how to give is personal to each individual as long as you are giving 10%. For me, our family is taking the road of obedience rather then a one time sacrifice.

You asked and We Answered Week 3 Part 3

2009-01-22T16:25:00.001-05:00

Does God place us in financial storms to test us?

The Bible indicates that God does indeed test us in many areas of life. (Genesis 22:1-2, Psalm 11:5, John 6:6, James 1:1-3). The key is to realize what a test is. Tests are typically given to determine if one has mastered the material. God allows circumstances to roll into our lives that give us the opportunity to grow and be stretched in our faith. We are tested so we may experience growth and victory and yes, so we may experience the realization that there is material we have not yet mastered! But rest assured this is an open book, open heart test. God loves us and wants us to experience victory and a faith that is unshakable. He's given us his word to be life to us and his heart is good towards us as any parent's heart would be to their child. Now sometimes our choices also place us in an uphill climb. But even then God can and does use "all things together for good" to grow us into His likeness. We might not always understand the nature of our circumstances but we can always be assured the nature of God's heart...it is good.

You asked and We Answered Week 3 Part 2

2009-01-21T13:21:00.003-05:00

Where does my tithe money go?

People. People. People.
When you tithe and give towards our general budget you are giving to support all of the ministry needs of the church. It goes to support and create opportunities to reach more people in our community. It goes to fund ministries that reach students and children. It goes to help us advertise and provide connecting points throughout the community. It goes to help advance the Kingdom of God. Your giving helps us advance what God is doing at BridgePointe. Unless your giving is designated to a certain area such as Blessing for Life or Equip Missions fund, it will be applied to our general operating budget which is used to reach people.

Have you reflected on 2008?

2009-01-20T15:07:00.002-05:00

2008 was an awesome year in the life of BridgePointe Church. We saw an enormous attendance boost, hundreds of lives changed and a pathway was laid for the future of BridgePointe Church. Curious to see some of amazing things that have happened this year? Click here to download a copy of BridgePointe Church's 2008 Year End Report.

You asked and We Answered Week 3 Part 1

2009-01-20T09:01:00.003-05:00

If I have never tithed before and want to begin, how do I begin tithing and where can I do it?

Tithing is like any other act of obedience that you do in your everyday life. As Christ followers it is something we do out of obedience. The easy way to do it is to immediately set aside or give 10% of your monthly paycheck or any money you earned. By taking out your tithe first, you are setting the priorities in your life. Returning to God out of obedience at the beginning will be easier than at the end. If you wait to the end of the month or after you have paid all of your bills, you will be more tempted to spend the 10% or not even give it because it was not a priority when you first received the money. There are many ways to give at BridgePointe. You can give online through paypal at www.bridgepointechurch.org. You can give on Sunday mornings in the offering buckets when they are passed. You can give in the giving station boxes that are in the lobby by the auditorium doors. You can also give through your online checking account. You can setup BridgePointe Church as a vendor and send your check online just as you would pay a any other bill (but remember tithing is not a bill, it is obedience.)
If you have more questions about tithing or giving contact the church office at 770.517.2977.

You asked and We Answered Week 2 Part 4

2009-01-16T12:48:00.001-05:00

How do I make my walk with Christ a lifestyle like it says we should and not end up like it says in Revelation? (Referring to the lukewarm passage in Revelation)

Learn Who He is each day. Don't look at learning Who He is as a task but look at it as a privilege. Try to find something different to focus on each day about Him and then enjoy, thank, and praise Him for it and be grateful that you get to partner with Him. Life is so busy make sure that He is scheduled in first.

Do you think certain events happen in our lives because we have drifted and they bring us closer again? Or are the events punishment for drifting?

If God punished us for all of the sins that we ever committed we'd all be dead by now. Even when we read the Old Testament, where a lot of people view God as being mean and mad, we see that it is really the actions of the people that get them into their situations. In Ezekiel 33:11 God said that He had no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but He wanted the wicked to turn from his way. We definitely reap what we sow in this life. When you found that you have drifted be honest about the things that you have sown, but then ask God to forgive you immediately. The great thing about God's grace is that it abounds even more than our bad decisions and sins.

If we don’t feel shame and guilt, when do we know we have drifted too far?

Constantly keeping the Bible as your frame of reference. The great thing about God's Word is that it is a mirror and allows us to see ourselves-even the flaws that we would never ever see without a mirror. A pimple or long nose hair doesn't make me feel shame and guilt, but I am sure glad that the mirror helps me to deal with such things before they cause problems

In this time of economic crisis and jobs and hours being cut, what can I do to be in God’s economy and not worry?

Get wrapped up in what He has said about you and worrying. He has invited us to cast all of our care upon Him; that includes economic crisis, job losses, and everything else. Philippians 4:6-9 tells us to be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. We are told that we are to focus on the things that are noble, just, pure, lovely, and of good report, and praiseworthy. Really we have to make a choice not to worry. The best way to influence your choices is to fill your mind with the fact that He can handle all of our care if we just give it to Him.

You asked and We Answered Week 2 Part 4

2009-01-15T10:07:00.001-05:00

What can I do as a student to keep myself from spiritually drifting?

To keep from drifting spiritually you have to make the decision to seek after God with your whole heart. Which isn't an easy thing to do, since we have so much pulling on our hearts. When you make a decision to pursue Him fully, you go after Him fully. Ways you can do this is to set a side time every day to read His word and journal as you go. Journaling connects your heart to what you are reading. Also find a community of people that are wanting the same and you can help each other a long the way. Like Pastor Chuck was talking about on Sunday, God is standing at the the door of our hearts knocking and waiting for us to let Him in. God desires to be close to us and fulfill us spiritually all we have to do is take time and let Him in.

You asked and We Answered Week 2 Part 3

2009-01-14T08:56:00.001-05:00

I have isolated my shattered heart and I am so lukewarm. How do I get the confidence to let anything into my heart?

First of all, it makes me sad that your heart has been hurt so bad. When a wound occurs, it is our natural response to pull back and to also protect ourselves from future harm, especially wounds that effect the heart. How do you get more confidence to open your heart back up? Begin with what you know to be true, and right and safe. Begin allowing God to heal those wounded places and receive what only He can pour into your life. A relationship with God, through Jesus, is one that is trustworthy, one that will build you up, one that will love you unconditionally, and a relationship where you will find no condemnation. As God continues to rebuild your heart, ask him to bring people into your life who are believers that will be a source of encouragement to you as well. The day you begin trusting in God's love for you and taking steps toward him is the day you will begin moving away from being lukewarm. You can do it, God can do it through you!

When I drift I find myself in a place of apathy. How do we counter apathy to stay alive?

Apathy is one of the first places that drifting will take you to and it is also one of the most dangerous places to be taken to by the enemy. Apathy is like a whirlpool that ends in a downward spiral which decreases your faith in our Awesome God and renders you useless for the kingdom. When you stop caring, you stop acting, you stop thinking correctly, and you slowly drop things that are meaningful to you and that helps you to grow spiritually. You will find yourself in a place where God may be acknowledged yet He is seldom sought after. The quickest way to combat apathy and to jump start your spiritual life is to make a conscious decision that you are going to engage God fully, repent (change your mind and walk in a new direction) of your apathy, and begin a new habit of spending time with God daily, praising him on every occasion, and by serving others through the church body. Keeping yourself close to the "fire" is the best way to move back to having a heart "on fire" for the things of God. By doing these few things, you will notice a sudden shift in your life spiritually that will be noticed by those around you. Go for it.

You asked and We Answered Week 2 Part 2

2009-01-13T13:52:00.002-05:00

How do you know you are drifting away from God?

As a child our family went to the beach and us kids would always take a raft out into the waves and pretend to be sailors at sea. One time we had been at sea for over an hour. We all looked around and realized we didn't know where we were. We had drifted. We started out right in front our beach house, now we couldn't even see it. How had this happened? This is what your experiencing right now in your spiritual life. You and I are in the water of God's family, but one day we wake up and realized we are not where we want to be. I hope you can stop right now and think about the first time you felt close to God. How long has it been since you last felt that close to God? If it's been a while, it probably means you've been drifting away. The problem with drifting is that we don't even realize it's happening until it's to late. Today take a look at where you are in your life with Christ and dream of where you would like to be. Small groups, personal daily devotional time, worship and pray are all things that will help you start coming back towards God.

You asked and We Answered Week 2 Part 1

2009-01-13T09:13:00.001-05:00

Make sure you check back throughout the week to see the questions and answers to the questions you texted in during this Sundays message.

What are ways that I can grow closer to God and keep from this habit of drifting away from God?

First and most important, get in a small group. These small groups will help you grow with believers and put you in a position where you are continually using your Bible and spending time with others that are in the journey with Christ as you are in. Second, make God a priority. Do everything you can to put God first. How do you do that? Spend time everyday reading your Bible. Read a chapter or two a day. If you have never done this before, the book of John in the New Testament is a great place to start. Read your Bible and then spend time praying. Ask God to show you how you can apply what you read to your life today. Third, be consistent. The easiest way to drift away is by not being consistent at church and your small group. Work on these three things for the next 21 days and see how close you draw to God.

You asked and We Answered Part 4

2009-01-09T13:21:00.006-05:00

How do you satisfy the spiritual family need with a couple that can’t agree on a church to attend?

After choosing to serve God and walk in a relationship with him the most important choice we make as a couple or family is "We Choose Us!" This means a husband and wife make choices on relationships, activities and even spiritual matters that promote "Us" as a couple and as a family. Being spiritually fed as a family is important and it should be a priority to worship together, choosing "Us" instead of splintering the family into different worship communities. Any couple should realize, however, that in their search for a church, that none are perfect, and that ultimately your search is for a place to give of yourself in service and not about preferences or programs. This kind of season in the life of a couple may actually bring about a very unexpected spiritual surge if they are committed to diligently pray and seek God's will in this matter. Find yourself, in this moment, first praying for yourself. Pray that God would give you wisdom, show you His heart in the matter and make any changes necessary in your life. Then pray for your spouse, not for change, but for wisdom and grace and God's favor. As you lift each other up in prayer and discuss together what God is doing in your life during this season, you may find not only God's answer for your place to serve, but a renewed sense of spirituality in your marriage.

I’m young, and I don’t know if I am making right choices. How do I keep form drifting?

It speaks so often throughout the bible of God being our protector but like it says in Matthew 22: 37-40 we first have to seek after him and "love the Lord with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength." We have a promise that if we truly seek he will find us! But it takes perseverance to be able to continue that pursuit which requires us to live a life of discipline. Then when those choices come we are grounded in God's word and we know his heart for that instance. He also says in Psalm 18 many times that, "it is God who arms me with strength." Therefore when you seek God with your whole heart and daily seek after him he will strengthen us and give us wisdom and revelation to make the right decisions. Basing all your future plans on this principle will help keep you from drifting as you journey into your college and young adult years.

How do I control my anger to keep me from drifting from God? I recently lost a friend a friend and I don’t understand why it had to be her. How can I be comforted instead of drifting?

I would ask your self the question why your are really angry? We serve a God of great compassion. He loves you so much and wants to be so close to you.
2 Corinthians 1:3
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comforts us in all our troubles.
God longs for us to open our hearts to him and allow him to comfort our hearts. Open your heart to him and pray with passion that He would comfort your heart. For some times when we get hurt we put up walls so that we wont get hurt again. These walls keep us from getting comforted and make us miserable. When we take our walls done and allow ourselves to be comforted our hearts start healing.
On Jan 8, 2009, at 1:58 PM, Jeffrey.Melvin wrote:

You asked and We Answered Part 3

2009-01-08T14:00:00.009-05:00

Is drifting away from God the same as turning your back from God?

There is a difference here. Drifting away from God occurs most often as a byproduct of being in a "worldly" current without taking care of our spiritual self. Let me explain. In order for followers of Christ to daily move forward in our relationship with God, we must be intentional about spending time with God. This means that we set aside time to read His word, to pray and talk with him, and to think and respond the way He would have us do. Sometimes in our business and hectic schedules, we rely on our "spiritual reserves" and can get lulled into a pattern of living our life with our knowledge of God, yet with little effort put into seeking him. Before long, we realize it has been weeks since we read the Bible or attended church or served someone in need; not because we are mad at God, our schedule trumped our priority of being an intentional disciple and follower of Christ. Turning your back on God signifies an open and willing response to walk in a different direction to God's will for one's life. Drifting occurs due to lack of intentionality, rebellion occurs out of a response to go one's own way. Yet in all of this, we are reminded in Luke 15 that God is waiting for us to return to him with open arms that will receive us back and help us get our life back where He intends for it to be.

Is it prayer or deeds that’s most important in our spiritual growth and what gets us back from drifting?

Each of these are equally important to remain close in our relationship with Christ. One without the other leaves us living an unbalanced life. Jesus' own life gives us a picture of one who spent time praying to the Father but also one whose life was characterized by spiritual actions. Praying with sincere faith in God's ability to move in your life is a great step in the right direction. Then step out in that same faith and begin to focus your actions on the kind of life habits would honor Christ. In Romans, the writer is speaking about Abraham, the great man of faith in the Old Testament. Verse 22 of Chapter 3 says "You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did." So all of us can live of life of sincere faith as we ask God for renewal in our lives and then help complete the new work by acting in obedience, proving our desire to remain close to Him.

Having spent more than 20 years of my life dealing with multiple addictions has put me on a path that leads to hurting the most important person in my life, my wife. I don't want her to drift any further away. How can I pull our lives together and live drift free?

First things first, you cannot do this alone. Meeting with and walking through this process with a spiritual coach or counselor should be your first step for the 2 of you to do. In this setting you can be honest and transparent about where both of you are in the process of recovering and moving forward together. You have to be honest and open with each other. Second, this sounds easy and basic, but it is essential, commit to 30 days of prayer and Bible study. Develop a habit of seeking God before all other things. When God is given priority in your life and your marriage, walls will begin to come down and you will begin to see changes in your spiritual life and your marriage. Finally, stay connected to the church. Attending regularly and being involved in a Life Group will give you accountability and additional tools that will help you in your journey. Stay committed. Don't give up. God has great things in store for both of you.

Can I see purpose in my life from where I have drifted? How can I be living again with God's purpose for my life?

Of course you can see purpose from drifting. Probably one of the greatest motivators and encouragement to seek purpose and a life of Christ is the commitment to never return to the previous life of drifting. You now have additional life experience on your belt and can move on to bigger and greater things. You can begin living again with God's purpose by being committed to pursuing Him with all your heart and energies. Look back to the excitement and passion and goals you had for your life when you first came to know God. Seek out pursuing that passion and you will begin to discover God's purpose for your life. This Sunday, Jan 11th, we will be looking at recovering from spiritual drifting. Make sure you are there. This Sunday may provide you with some insight about moving forward with God.

How can I find out how to help those in need in our body? Are they posted or listed anywhere?

The best way to find out how you can help is contact our Associate Pastor Keith Norman. Let the Keith know that you are willing to help others as needs become available and he will get in touch with you to see how you can help. You can contact Keith at the church office. The phone number is 770.517.2977.
You can also volunteer to be part of the SafeHouse Outreach in downtown Atlanta. They meet the last Tuesday night of each month and travel from BridgePointe to Atlanta to feed dinner and minister to homeless people in the city. To be a part of the upcoming outreach, email keith.norman@bridgepointechurch.org.

How can I get focused and stop the madness of drifting in life?

When life is crazy and you can't remember what direction you were going? Go back to the beginning. Go back to your wedding day, go back to the day your child was born and go back and think about the day Christ renewed your heart. Those where beginnings that pointed your life in a direction that you wanted to go. It's time to have a new beginning! Write on a paper what your deepest desires are for your future. This will allow you to see the future you want and if you can see what you want, then you can accomplish it.
Plug yourself into a Life Group that can help you reach the things you wrote down. The road ahead is best walked with Jesus and with other.

You asked and We Answered

2009-01-08T13:40:00.004-05:00

Here are some more of the questions you texted in and we answered from our Sunday Drift teaching experience. We will post the remainder of the answers to your questions tomorrow. Make sure you are at BridgePointe on Sunday as we continue our teaching series, Drift.

If someone isn't pulling their weight in the family, what do we do?

If we spend time trying to figure out why someone is not doing more to be helpful then we will probably run the risk of becoming infected with bitterness and resentment. Our energy is better utilized by serving in ways that we know we are called to instead of questioning why others are not. In fact the Apostle Paul cautioned us to not follow the pattern of some who "compare themselves with each other, using themselves as the standard of measurement. How ignorant!" 2 Corinthians 10:12.
Set a great example of being a faithful family member. Encourage others to join you. Practice shoulder tapping. What is that? Ask someone to join you one week and serve along side you. Get them to serve with you in the parking lot, to join you in preschool classroom, or assist you in your set up/tear down job. Sometimes people are intimidated by what they don't know. If more are exposed to how wonderful it is to serve in the family then the might be more ready to join you.
Finally pray. (Luke 10:2)

I feel like there is so much I should and could be doing for God. I get so overwhelmed with everything that needs to happen that I begin to drift. Where do I start?

The story goes that David put 5 stones in his bag with his sling because Goliath had five brothers (2 Samuel 21:15-22). He was prepared and had every intention of taking on each enemy of Israel. But he would only fight them one at a time. That's the best way to begin...just start with one thing. Climb one mountain. Take on one giant.
So one simple step on where to begin would be to get involved with a Life Group. By starting with a commitment to be involved in a small group you will begin to align yourself with the support and accountability of some trusted new friends as you grow and increase commitment to be used by God more and more. You will learn, grow and surround yourself with people who love and care about you. Start with a small group.

How can I get my family to be closer together and have them get along better?

There is no quick solution to the common problem of family dysfunction. We all endure moments and seasons where it seems that we are drifting apart. But the fact that we all might experience it, doesn't make it any more acceptable or less urgent to respond to. One thing to keep in mind is that often problems in our families and relationships did not happen overnight and they will not be solved overnight. we have to give God as much time to help us work out those issues as we took to get ourselves in those positions. Some things that will definitely help is to maintain a family commitment to worship and fellowship with God's family. This should not be an option in your home. You need God to be working in everyone's life and one of the best and most intentional places for that to happen is when the church body is gathered together. That's why the writer of Hebrews tells us not to neglect that gathering (Hebrews 10:19-25). Parents often say that they don't want to force their children to church because they will resent it. In part that is understandable but the facts don't support that assumption. We require our kids to be in a lot of places (school, dance class, piano lessons, baseball practice, etc.) and they grow up healthy and well adjusted in spite of that forced attendance. So worship and fellowship with God's family when they gather. That can be a big help to get you moving in the same direction as a family.

How can I love people who are sometimes unlovable? Its easier to drift away from people who hurt you because of their bad decisions.

Agreed, it is easier to live apart from some people. But the question is this: is easier better? Some of the greatest things in life are experienced with pain. Childbirth, athletics, gardening...just to name a few. We have to remember that on some level we all might be or have been "unlovable." Keep in mind that God loved us when we were at our worst, not our best. "But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans 5:8) Allow the love of Christ that has been poured into our hearts to overflow to the lives of others so that they can realize how good God is. (Romans 5:5) Its God's kindness that leads us to a change. "the kindness of God leads us to repentance" (Romans 2:4).

How do I keep my 20 year old from drifting away from church?

When we have adult children we have to treat them differently than we do when they are adolescents or younger. That fact relates to a lot of parenting matters and certainly attending church is one of those. I think in this case, I would center conversation around the concept of church as spiritual family. Talk to them about how much value you gain from being around the different family relationships. In a church family we should have fathers - a person or two that is a mentor that helps us, mothers - a person or two that nurtures us, brothers and sisters -- those that we walk through life with that share our story and make the journey of life better together. When they hear us talk about relationships instead of services, that maybe more attractive.