June 25, 2013

“Those who believed what Peter said were baptized and added to the church that day—about 3,000 in all.” Acts 2:41

This last Sunday we spoke about a time in the early church when there were only 120 disciples of Jesus to begin with.  Then Peter preached a sermon in Acts Chapter 2 and 3,000 people decided to become followers of Jesus that day.  Here was the problem though—when the 120 met the 3,000, everything changed for the 120.  Nothing about their life would ever be the same again because when you add 3,000 people to any mix it all changes.   

Can you imagine the glorious mess they had to deal with?  How do you organize 3,000 disconnected people in a day, a week, a month, or even three months?  How do you determine which leaders from the 120 will step up and lead?  How do you determine who goes to which house for teaching and training in the ways of Jesus?  How about the people who have needs like food or a place to stay?  How about marriages that are in real trouble?  How do you encourage the parents who are discouraged about their children?  These are only a few questions . . . there were many, many more.  The point is that it was a glorious mess that we call the church.  That same glorious mess is with us today.  We call it Bayside Church of Citrus Heights!  We are a community of 1,800 people calling this their home.  We are a glorious mess!  This is not an excuse for anything, but rather an encouragement.  It’s an encouragement to see that we are in good company.   The book of Acts is full of that glorious mess, and these figures are far from perfect.  They make mistakes and are actually quite human, and it’s refreshing.  BUT, even though they were working through bad attitudes, good ideas and criticism well placed and not so well placed, they never took their eyes off of the mission of sharing the good news of Jesus Christ.  They chased that mission with everything they had!  I am proud of our church—a church whose eyes have not left the mission.  Thank you for not getting distracted from the mission over the last four years.  We continue to organize, promote, equip and resolve real issues and we thank you for patience.  If the book of Acts is a guide, and we know it is . . . we are all going to need it until Jesus comes! 

This coming week we are continuing our talk about “Living Past Extraordinary” from Acts 2:42-47.  Read ahead and enjoy the mess it must have been. 

This coming Sunday we will also have a farewell for Carrie and Norm Powers, our outgoing Children's Director and Men’s Ministry Lead.  We will have a presentation in our services and a cake reception in the Lobby following the second service.  We have a lot to celebrate from their last four years.  We will also give an update on our Children’s Director search.  One announcement that I can make right now is that Michael Miranda has accepted the position of Men’s Ministry team leader.  This is not a paid position, but important none the less.  I know many have been waiting to hear, so we wanted to let you know as soon as we were able.  Thanks Michael!  

We can hardly wait to see you this coming weekend!

 

Pastor Craig, Becky, Seth, Hannah and Riley the dog

June 21, 2013

Rest . . . peace . . . relaxation.  This is what we often think about with the coming of summer, but it is far from the reality for many.  We fill our days and nights with so much stuff meant to bring rest, peace and relaxation, only to find that we are exhausted from all the supposed fun.  Don't get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with these things other than the fact they don't give us ultimately what we seek from them—rest and peace from the chaos of our scheduled lives.  The kicker is the one thing that does bring us rest and peace is the one thing we tend to neglect—experiencing God.  Experiencing God in times of quiet meditation, reading His words to us (Bible), crying out to Him for help, bringing our disappointments to Him, acknowledging and thanking Him for meeting us right where we are.  For me personally, experiencing God is THE ONLY thing that keeps my heart clean, in order and at peace as I and the team manage the needs of 1,800 people calling our church home.  Believe me, it can get a little crazy at times.

There are few things easy about this life, but please know this is.  The answer to your need for peace and rest and relaxation is not another movie . . . it’s in experiencing God.  Learn to set that time with Him daily and you will not regret it.  In fact, you will be at peace.

Thanks to Pastor Gary Bell for a meaningful Father's Day message and we look forward to this week as we unwrap Acts Chapter 2.  Take an early look and let God speak to you about it.

We look forward to experiencing God with you this weekend.  We love you and pray for you.

Pastor Craig, Becky, Seth, Hannah and Riley the dog        

 

Rest . . . peace . . . relaxation. This is what we often think about with the coming of summer, but it is far from the reality for many. We fill our days and nights with so much stuff meant to bring rest, peace and relaxation, only to find that we are exhausted from all the supposed fun. Don't get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with these things other than the fact they don't give us ultimately what we seek from them-rest and peace from the chaos of our scheduled lives. The kicker is the one thing that does bring us rest and peace is the one thing we tend to neglect . . . experiencing God. Experiencing God in times of quiet meditation, reading His words to us (Bible), crying out to Him for help, bringing our disappointments to Him, acknowledging and thanking Him for meeting us right where we are. For me personally, experiencing God is THE ONLY thing that keeps my heart clean, in order and at peace as I and the team manage the needs of 1,800 people calling our church home. Believe me, it can get a little crazy at times.

There are few things easy about this life, but please know this is. The answer to your need for peace and rest and relaxation is not another movie . . . it's in experiencing God. Learn to set that time with Him daily and you will not regret it. In fact, you will be at peace.

Thanks to Pastor Gary Bell for a meaningful Father's Day message and we look forward to this week as we unwrap Acts Chapter 2. Take an early look and let God speak to you about it.

We look forward to experiencing God with you this weekend. We love you and pray for you.

Pastor Craig, Becky, Seth, Hannah and Riley the dog

June 12, 2013

“Do not leave Jerusalem until the Father sends you the gift he promised, as I told you before. ⁵ John baptized with water, but in just a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.” ⁸...But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth...
Acts 1:4-5 and 1:8

When my confidence in God is shaken, I am vulnerable.  I do not need to lack confidence today or any other day of my life because Jesus points me to the source of confidence—it is found in His presence. The Father has provided us with His Spirit so that we are never without His presence. You and I need His presence because we will be called today as a witness to the life and teachings of Jesus. You and I are called in our homes, workplaces, community and our church.  Do you lack confidence?  As Jesus says in the verse above, “do not leave” until you experience the Holy Spirit of God. You will know when you do.  It may be an incredible flood of tears or it may be with a quiet confidence that arises in you. Decide today to put yourself in His path by reading the Bible. Begin by reading Acts 1 and keep going.

This coming weekend is, of course, Father’s Day!  We are going to celebrate our dads!  Make it part of your Father’s Day to be with us.  You will be glad you did.

We love you and look forward to seeing you this weekend!

Pastor Craig, Becky, Seth, Hannah and Riley the dog

June 6, 2013

Acts 4:13 "The members of the council were amazed when they saw the boldness (CONFIDENCE) of Peter and John, for they could see that they were ordinary men with no special training in the Scriptures.  They also recognized them as men who had been with Jesus."

Feeling ordinary these days? Peter and John had the distinction of not just feeling ordinary but of being called ordinary. I don't know if ordinary was the best label for these guys, but I do know that there are two distinctions in this verse that stand out even more to me. The first is that they had a bold confidence as they spoke and the second is that they had been with Jesus.

This last Sunday we spoke to this issue of confidence. We recognized that when we lack confidence in God, we are vulnerable. Lacking confidence in God is not a statement against God . . . it's a statement about us. We don't need to be vulnerable-we can be strong and confident. We can have a bold confidence because we have been with Jesus.

I want you to remember that we are all in a process of gaining confidence in God, and He does prove Himself to us. We would do well to admit our lack of confidence to God and others as we seek their help and prayer. Denying it will not be a help to us. God can handle our doubts. "He has His big boy pants on."

And then, gather with the strong every chance you get. Make the small effort to be in church each week you are town because frankly, we need to gather with the strong often. When we gather with the strong we get stronger! This coming Sunday we will finish talking about how to restore confidence in God. It will be a meaningful talk for us all. Take a look at Acts 1:1-8.

Also, I want to invite you to share in a two-day discussion being held this Sunday and Monday nights, June 9 (4:30-8:00 pm) and June 10 (5:30-8:00 pm). These will be talks for advanced planning for the church. We have limited seats left. It is mandatory you attend both nights to be a participant. If you are interested, please email jen@baysidech.com to reserve a seat.

Don't forget, Summer Splash is coming and there will be a couple of hundred kids-we would love to have your help in hosting them at our church the last week of June. Please contact our Children's Ministry Team for details at carriep@baysidech.com

We look forward to seeing you this coming Sunday . . . bring a friend!

 Pastor Craig, Becky, Seth, Hannah and Riley the dog

May 31, 2013

Last Sunday we wrapped up our BLUEPRINTS series. This has been a challenging series for our homes. When I say challenging I don't mean bad or negative, I mean a challenge to take the next steps as we claim strength for our homes. We all need to claim strength for our homes and we all have next steps. Please don't let go of the challenge. The people you are closest to are counting on it. Have you taken your next steps? Stop right now, ask God for the grace to be honest with yourself and take the steps that will move you out of weakness and into a place of strength. We are praying for you.

This coming Sunday is the beginning of a brand new series called "The Church Rises - ACTS." This study is, you guessed it, from the book of Acts. At the same time it will inform us about our young church. Their story is our story too. We are in year four of our church and throughout the summer we will be weaving into our series important information about our present situation and our future. We have much to talk about this summer and we are encouraging you to stay connected. I understand why we would take off from work, chores and other hard stuff, but God is what gives us rest from these things-don't take a break from Him. Make a commitment to be with us this summer when you are in town. The rewards will be great for those of us who press in. Here is a video introduction to the new series if you would like to take a look.

The Church Rises

We love you and look forward to seeing you this weekend and remember . . . friends are always welcome!

Pastor Craig, Becky, Seth, Hannah and Riley the dog