That Was Then, This Is Now
Posted on January 19th, 2009.Yesterday at C3 Church we launched a major piece of our strategy… Community Groups. As our team met this morning to evaluate yesterday, one of the things that came up was how this time everything is right and the correct processes are in place for Community Groups.
If you don’t know our history, C3 was born through an intentional transition from an established institutional church to the missional movement of today. Part of that transition was killing “Sunday School” (it was already dead and not fulfilling the purposes for which it was created, we were just in denial) and moving small groups to homes. That, combined with some other changes that some “club members” didn’t like created an avalanche of crapola from people who said they loved Jesus… but didn’t act much like him.
As we begin this next step in our journey as C3, I was reminded of what used to be and how things are today. I’ve never been a part of a church with more potential (not to protect the status quo, but to really reach people), unity (not to keep things the way they are, but unified in vision and purpose), and passion (not for all ages singing old songs about God, but for true intimate worship singing to Christ).
As a pastor, there are many things God uses to encourage you as you implement vision. I’m going to share something here I’ve never shared, something very personal. Here are a few things people have written to me in cards:
“Words can’t express what a difference you and your family have made in our family… You have helped me to grow in my faith so much that words can’t describe.”
“We have truly appreciated your leadership”
“Thanks for all you do, I thank the Lord for your wisdom”
“I just want to tell you that your messages touch my heart in so many ways. Thank you – I’m so grateful God led me to this church.”
“What a blessing you have been to my family! Thank you for loving the flock that God has entrusted to you. Your love shows in all you do!”
“Thank you for the difference you’ve made in our lives, ____’s baptism, _____’s wedding, and ___ and ___ returning to church and my grandchildren finally active in church.”
“Words cannot express what your family means to us. You have been an awesome minister during such hard times… Every step we knew you were there for us to comfort, encourage, and/or just listen. You have been such an encouragement and friend. We love the way you lead with such a personal touch.”
While these statements, I believe, were written with real sincerity… not one of these people are a part of our church today. Not one (and it’s not because they moved out of town… 
). I’ve purposely kept those cards (and many more) in a box. This is only the second time I’ve looked at them in years. Last time it hurt… this time I smiled.
I keep those cards so I’ll never forget this -
Pastor, if your vision is only sustained by the encouragement of those who’ll “always be with you no matter what” your vision will fade when they’re no longer with you. Your only one decision away from your biggest fan becoming your loudest critic. Remember, many who cheered for Christ as he rode into town found no problem just a few days later screaming “crucify him!”. Why? Ultimately, they didn’t like what was happening. When you pursue truly reaching people and creating a culture of applying Scripture to broken lives rather than just talking about what God said and pretending we’ve got it all together you’ll tick people off, and those same people will have at one time called you “friend.” Maintain your course and pursue your vision and you’ll lose “friends” but you’ll gain a movement that changes lives called a family with more members being added than you could have ever imagined.
So, we do what we do at C3 not for the temporary praise of fickle pharisees, but for the God who said, “love me and love others” (and we let him define “others”). We tried Home Teams, but most of them wanted to spend all their time in the huddle… and all you see when you look at a huddle is a bunch of butts. Now we’re launching Community Groups and they will truly continue the purpose of C3 – connecting the community with Christ. Realizing your dreams and living what you were born to do really is “life to the full.”
Tags: C3 Church, Friends, transitioning church, Vision
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On Sundays I get to sit with my adopted family. They have been coming ever since Dec 21. Mrs. sits with tears flowing every Sunday because she is so touched, the kids love Powerhouse and Mr is amazed he isn’t judged by how he looks. I am so glad to be a part of C3 and the outreach to the community.
I’m also humbled to think of all the children’s lives I’ve been a part of as I try to teach them about God’s love and they’re walk with Jesus. OK I was just grateful to get the 2 yr olds to sit for the blessing on the snack, but the 4th and 5th graders I have now face some pretty tough decisions and the Powerhouse format helps put things on a level they can understand.
Thank you for your vision and everything you and your family went through to get us where we are today.
Praying for the launch of your community groups. Very cool.
THANK YOU….this Mrs., still sits every Sunday with tears flowing down her face. It is an amazing and overwhelming spiritual experience from the moment I walk through those doors and the Mr., well let me tell you, he is proof to me and some of the people we have invited that this movement is for real and that God works all the time (EVEN WHEN HE IS SILENT) and no one really knows it….judgment was and had been the biggest concern and there is NONE, we feel comfortable, we feel love, we feel REAL….really real amongst real people who really love God and who are making a difference in the lives of those that are far away from God.
Lives like mine and my family. The kids adore PowerHouse and I love that they are loving God and they are excited to learn. I finally know what I was missing and what we were all missing as a family and that has now been found in C3 and so I thank you all for reaching out and finding us, every Sunday I got the most sincere big hug from you (you know who you are) when you would come without fail with your husband and daughter to bring us food. I cried every single time but I felt your heart and it was like God knocking on the door of my chest just begging me to let him come in to save me (us). I thank you everyday…I will never forget the day I was counting pennies out of my “children’s piggy bank to put enough money together to put gas in my car to take them to the doctor and crying uncontrollably while doing it….stopping and checking the mail unlike any other day because I was tired of the foreclosure letters and collectors (I had stopped checking the mail), to find ONE, one single envelope with a “GAS CARD”! I fell to my knees….at that very moment, it all came clear. I realized finally, GOD is talking to me and I can not deny it anymore and so I accepted that ONE invitation to go to a special service on December 21, we walked through the doors for the first time and I promise all of you, other than giving birth to my AMAZING and beautiful children, it was the best experience of my life, and Mr. was right there holding my hand as I experienced TRUE LOVE!!!!
Just writing it now, makes me cry tears of joy. I look forward to what is in store for me and my family and I will keep inviting friends and family, some have already been (my niece is 12 and she calls us first thing Sunday mornings when she doesn’t have a B-Ball game for us to pick her up to come to church-AMAZING!), some come every Sunday and the ones that don’t, have that “itch”, they ask me about it all the time and all I can say, is come and see for your self, I am not looking back! I had nothing to live for (at least in my mind) last year (not that long ago), I had given up and had reached what was the point of no return (to levels that shame me, I was ready to …..)but C3 has saved me and my family…..we are far from perfection, we are real with extremely real life struggles and difficult challenges and hurdles, but we have together taken the “LEAP of FAITH” and it feels great. THANK YOU…(you know who you are), through those hugs I received every single time you came to my door, God talked to me and I am so thankful. You were one of Gods tools to bring us to him………Eternally grateful.