Archive for the 'money' Category

Making the Impossible Reality

This Sunday begins a whole new level for C3 Church.  This morning as I was at our storage units helping to load two trucks with food and supplies, I was deeply moved with gratitude for the people of C3.  It takes a true passion for Christ to put others first, to sacrifice time and to give beyond logic.

Years ago God put a deep vision in my heart to be a part of a movement that truly makes a difference - to lead a church that actually impacts the community and brings hope to the hurting.  People are suffering all around us and the vast majority have decided that church is not the answer to their pain.  In fact, research shows that while many are searching for God, the majority have decided that church is not where you find him.  How could we look so different than the one we claim to love and follow?  It will be through following the words of Christ - “loving God and loving others” that we will capture their attention and then their hearts.

The people of C3 are doing the unthinkable.  In a struggling economy when we have less, they are giving more.  We (Christ-followers) have an unprecedented opportunity to show what we care about.  It all comes down to us or others, what’s comfortable and sensible or what pushes us to the edge of our faith - a place of hope without all the answers.  C3 has chosen.  We are not about building an institution, we are all about advancing a movement.

As we’ve been reminded this week to be thankful, and we move into the celebration of the birth of Christ, this year can be more than the past.  For C3, 100 families who have real needs are going to be helped.  We are going to help feed and provide basic necessities for 100 families for an entire month.  Then, on December 21 these 100 families will come to C3 as we celebrate the birth of Christ, and each of their kids will get a Christmas present, and many of them will receive the greatest gift in all of life.

It just makes me wonder… if 11 men changed the world, what could a few hundred do?  Or… what could hundreds of thousands do if we truly loved God and loved others.

C3, we’re about to change the world!  I’ve never been more grateful for a group of people - you’re awesome!

Published
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Byron Bledsoe
on November 29, 2008
in C3 Church, Church, Faith, Friends, Future, Life, Past, Random, Sunday, Thankful, Thoughts, Vision, feed the children, finances, love, money, timeless and transitioning church
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You Asked…

In our “Google” series @ C3, people have been writing in questions about the topics we’re covering.  I’ll try to address a few each week that I didn’t have time to deal with in the messages.  You asked… so here we go:

  1. I tithe 20% but don’t save.  What should I do, reduce and save, or continue the same?  First you need to follow what you feel God is leading you to do.  Having said that, the Biblical standard for the faith gift is 10% - anything over that is a generous gift or sacrificial gift.  Also, the principle of bringing (what’s God’s) and giving (what he allows us to manage) is consistency.  So, if you’re not saving, then if you hit a tough spot financially it will be difficult to be consistent.  I would say to consider a 10% faith gift and putting 10% in savings.  Again, you have to pray through this… these are just my thoughts.
  2. What do you do when your spouse doesn’t “trust” God in the financial department but you do? That’s an incredibly difficult question without knowing more details.  The issue may be a struggle to trust God, or it may be a struggle to trust you or themselves, or the church.  I would suggest a discussion with your spouse to get to the heart of the issue.  It would also be important to know are you earning this income or is your spouse, or both of you.  Also, whether your spouse is a Christ-follower or not is a factor.  The bottom line is I would try to come to some harmony on the issue.  Begin with a give/take solution - something like, “I understand this is a struggle, could we just begin with this percentage and see what happens?”.

The financial climate right now is incredibly challenging.  Just today we’ve read that Circuit City is filing bankruptcy and DHL is laying off 9,500 employees, while the government is now buying into AIG at a price of 40 billion dollars.

In these challenging times and markets, if stability is our desire, our foundation must be stable.  God has never lied and lays out a clear plan.  If we all followed the simple wisdom of bringing 10% to the local church, saving 10% and living on 80% we wouldn’t be here.  While we can’t go back in time, we can begin today to understand that everything I have is God’s and I’m just a manager of his stuff.  While I enjoy it, I need to be wise with it and he will bless me so I can bless others.

Published
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Byron Bledsoe
on November 10, 2008
in C3 Church, Church, Faith, Family, Future, Life, Past, Random, Thoughts, fear, finances, money, questions and timeless
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Today We Died

This morning at C3 we stepped out of the “Google” series.  We talked about a huge opportunity we have to “Connect the Community with Christ.”

A glance at the history of the church will quickly reveal something staggering.  Eleven men (the disciples) changed the world, yet 1,000’s of churches today can’t even change our cities.  What is the difference?  I think it’s simple - true greatness is only achieved through sacrifice.  To be successful you must sacrifice.  There must be a day when you die.  You die to everything except the one thing God has for your life.  Eleven men changed the world because of their passion and love for Christ and for others, and everything else died.  In Luke 14, three times Jesus says if you don’t meet certain conditions you can’t be his disciple.  He was speaking to large crowds, but he understood some were in the crowd, but not a part of the movement.  To be a disciple requires sacrifice.  So, where are we sacrificing for Christ and for others?

C3 is partnering with Feed the Children again.  This time we’re adopting 100 families in one of our primary zip codes.  These are families that the public schools and the Department of Children and Family services have helped us to identify.  Families who are hurting, struggling financially, and in need.  As we enter the seasons of Thanksgiving and Christmas, no family should go without.  So, for an entire month we are going to help feed and meet some of the basic necessities for these 100 families.  Then, each of their children are also going to get a Christmas present.

I can’t tell you what it means to lead a movement of people truly desiring to be disciples - and love God and others.  We, like the eleven disciples, don’t have unlimited resources… many of our own are struggling, but we do have the greatest resource in history - a people passionate about loving Christ and others experiencing him as well.

Think about it, eleven men changed the world - living under oppressive governments, having very little financial resources and no real influence in society.  But, we’re here today because of them.  During this special season, may we die to ourselves and begin a pursuit of choosing to be like the eleven.  True greatness only comes through real sacrifice… so, today we died.

At a time when there’s less and many are holding back and hording and living in fear, we’re going to do the unthinkable.  We’re going to give more than we ever have, step up and go out by faith to change lives.

All this, and we’ve only just begun!

Published
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Byron Bledsoe
on November 9, 2008
in C3 Church, Church, Faith, Future, Life, Past, Random, Sunday, Thoughts, Vision, finances, money, questions and timeless
. 3 Comments

Tomorrow…

Tomorrow:

  • I have more to communicate than I can possibly cover.  God help me communicate what you desire.
  • I’ll be pumped to be with the people of C3 and their guests.
  • We’ll look at a question that is being asked from every corner of our society, “Is this another great depression?“
  • I will trust God, the one who is stable and able in any season of life.
  • God will change lives and bring hope.
  • Is one of the greatest opportunities you and I have to get people to C3.
  • I will have rested an extra hour (don’t forget the time change!).
  • God will do for people what government cannot…
Published
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Byron Bledsoe
on November 1, 2008
in C3 Church, Church, Faith, Future, Life, Past, Random, Sunday, Thoughts, Vision, fear, finances, money and questions
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Google C3 Style

This week we continue “I Wish Jesus Hadn’t Said…”  We’re going to focus on a difficult saying of Jesus that really applies to everyone of us.  Don’t miss it and be sure to invite someone to come with you.  We have an opportunity to see God change lives and we get to be a part of that by bringing people.

Our next series starts soon:

You think about it.  Even when you don’t want to.  Those things that consume your thoughts.  Things your concerned about, wondering about, and trying to figure out.  You’re thinking… you’re searching.  In this new series we’ll dive into some of the things people are searching for - things we really want answers to.  We’re going Google C3 style!  Here’s the flow:

Oct. 26 - Who do I vote for

Nov. 2 - Is this another Great Depression

Nov. 9 - Great Sex

Nov. 16 - How to lose 20 pounds in a week

Get ready to google it!

Published
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Byron Bledsoe
on October 8, 2008
in C3 Church, Church, Faith, Future, Life, Random, Sunday, Thoughts, general, money, questions and timeless
. 2 Comments