God is Great, God is Good!! Access Church has played a significant role in the life of four individuals. It was an incredible 18 month journey filled with emotion, (positive and negative) spiritual stretching and it made our knees a little calloused. We are thrilled to announce that Access Church as we know it will cease to exist. (Stay with me) It was announced today that Newspring Church (http://www.newspring.cc/) will start a church in Florence, SC.
This is what we have prayed for. We have begged God to begin a new work in Florence with the same convictions and strategy to reach the unchurched that Newpring has. That is exactly what has happened. Thank you God for giving Newspring the vision to reach not only the upstate for You, but other areas of South Carolina.
Thank you Perry Noble for your desire to see Jesus' name made famous. We are going to work our tails off to see Newspring Florence come to life as soon as possible.
Michael Brown will be the campus pastor for Florence. He is married to Vanessa and they have one son.
Michael, you and your family have been prayed for for over a year now. We are ready to serve under your leadership and see Florence transformed for Christ! Thank you for surrendering to this calling and thank you for allowing us to begin this journey with you.
So it goes without saying that this is the last post for Access Church. If you want to check out what we are doing please log onto http://www.newspring.cc/ .
Saturday, March 22, 2008
Saturday, March 8, 2008
Road trip!
We are stoked! Six of us leave Wednesday night to go to the Unleash conference at Newspring Church in Anderson,SC. We will spend all day Thursday being motivated, challenged and meeting all kinds of interesting people. I love a good conference. I don't know if I am more excited about the breakout sessions, the worship time or the chance I might meet some of the celebrity bloggers we follow.
The Newspring website (www.newspring.cc)says this about Unleash:
Unleash is designed to challenge, encourage, and motivate church leaders to take action to reach their communities for Christ. During this year’s conference, NewSpring’s senior pastor, Perry Noble along with the NewSpring Band will lead the two main sessions. There will also be numerous breakout topics that participants will be able to choose from during the two breakout sessions.
So pray that our hearts are open to what the Lord has to teach us at Unleash. And that we bring it back to glorify His name in Florence.
The Newspring website (www.newspring.cc)says this about Unleash:
Unleash is designed to challenge, encourage, and motivate church leaders to take action to reach their communities for Christ. During this year’s conference, NewSpring’s senior pastor, Perry Noble along with the NewSpring Band will lead the two main sessions. There will also be numerous breakout topics that participants will be able to choose from during the two breakout sessions.
So pray that our hearts are open to what the Lord has to teach us at Unleash. And that we bring it back to glorify His name in Florence.
Monday, February 25, 2008
Peace
Someone once pointed out to me the seeming paradox of Isaiah 48:18 – “If only you had paid attention to my commands, your peace would have been like a river, …” Peace like a river, huh? Like a roaring, rushing, rapid river? Peace? Seems like a strange choice to me until I consider that a river is steady, is moving, and flows one way. When on a river, you can be assured that you are traveling downstream. If you are not traveling downstream, you are fighting like the dickens to go the wrong way, and you know it.
A beautiful, divine description of God’s peace. His peace is steady and steadying. Yet it allows us to move (progress, grow) through different circumstances that might be calm, exciting, or even treacherous while being assured that we are going in the direction He has chosen for us. Peace like a river – a ride? You bet. Life with Him always is. Boring? Never.
Peace out…
A beautiful, divine description of God’s peace. His peace is steady and steadying. Yet it allows us to move (progress, grow) through different circumstances that might be calm, exciting, or even treacherous while being assured that we are going in the direction He has chosen for us. Peace like a river – a ride? You bet. Life with Him always is. Boring? Never.
Peace out…
Sunday, February 3, 2008
Funk
Ever had one of those periods in life when you need to get out of a funk? I am not in one currently, but I feel for those that are. I have been there. The feeling of apathy and no matter hard you look you cannot see that everpresent "silver lining" that others around you tell you about. How do you get out of it? How does a baseball player get out of a slump, how does a writer get over the block and how is it I cannot think of another example. It is during these times prayer seems like a trite suggestion. It is hard to actually confess to our creator that his creation just feels like a lump and not a miracle. Prayer, it is not that hard. It is just talking to God, or is it. Prayer is actually hardest for me when I am in a funk. It takes an element of faith to pray. Faith to know that someone hears your words. Your words may be eloquent and succinct or a pot luck of verbs, nouns and a few adjectives just thrown in. (Kind of like my posts)
I've been in and out of funks. If you can muster up enough faith to know God wants to hear from you. You are his child, he loves you and desires to hear from you. If you know someone in a funk ask to pray with them. (Christian community does not get as much credit as it should) Prayer is an extremely powerful tool in our Christian lives and who knows the "silver lining" may reappear.
If there is anyone actually looking at this and you have suggestions on how to improve this sliver of cyberspace please let me know. (ie How can people sign up to receive a post when we update this site?)
I've been in and out of funks. If you can muster up enough faith to know God wants to hear from you. You are his child, he loves you and desires to hear from you. If you know someone in a funk ask to pray with them. (Christian community does not get as much credit as it should) Prayer is an extremely powerful tool in our Christian lives and who knows the "silver lining" may reappear.
If there is anyone actually looking at this and you have suggestions on how to improve this sliver of cyberspace please let me know. (ie How can people sign up to receive a post when we update this site?)
Sunday, January 6, 2008
Connection
Tomorrow I will go to work and ask myself if I am making a difference in the world. (I am asking this currently too.) Most days it is no. Some days I do feel like I connect with my customer and it keeps me going. That gets me going, connecting with people. I love people, I may not be an extrovert that reaches out and hugs the first person that walks by, but I love people.
I want to see people connect with Christ.I want to see people come to a knowledge of Christ that is life changing not just a head knowledge where they recite a Bible verse
in hopes that the words have the power to heal. I want to see people actually know the person of Christ, the Savior that empowers those words. I want them to know a relationship with Him, the one that heals the broken hearted and sets the captive free.
I am not exactly sure what role I (or you) will play in Access Church. Whatever the position, the objective is to connect people to Christ. If there is any obstacle that keeps someone from hearing the awesome message of Christ it must be removed.
What is Access Church? How can you find out more? Simple, just reach out by e-mailing us at accesschurchonline@gmail.com.
I want to see people connect with Christ.I want to see people come to a knowledge of Christ that is life changing not just a head knowledge where they recite a Bible verse
in hopes that the words have the power to heal. I want to see people actually know the person of Christ, the Savior that empowers those words. I want them to know a relationship with Him, the one that heals the broken hearted and sets the captive free.
I am not exactly sure what role I (or you) will play in Access Church. Whatever the position, the objective is to connect people to Christ. If there is any obstacle that keeps someone from hearing the awesome message of Christ it must be removed.
What is Access Church? How can you find out more? Simple, just reach out by e-mailing us at accesschurchonline@gmail.com.
Tuesday, January 1, 2008
Why Access
So I've already been asked "Why do you think we need another church in Florence?" Good question. Ask God. Apparently He has a special purpose for something new in this city because 4 people have separately been given a God-sized vision. Only He can make it happen.
Will it be different from churches we have seen in Florence? Yes, in many ways, but we don't want that to be our focus or point. Starting now, in the very beginning, our hope is that when people think of Access Church they see a body of believers intentionally creating the best chances for those who are far from the Lord to meet and grow in Christ. And people that love Christ and are committed to making Florence the best it can be.
There are currently 4 of us on the Access team: Mark and Erika Chapman, Cookie and Chris Cawthon. If you are just tuning in, we have been meeting, praying, studying Scripture together for a little over a year. We currently meet weekly to pray, plan and watch God move. Sometimes it is slow external movement but that often is when He is moving the most quickly and deliberately internally.
We don't always know what He is going to do next, but we believe His end goal is Access Church in Florence, SC.
We are going to take turns updating this site with music, quotes, Scripture and info that He is using in our lives. Should be interesting! Stay tuned and we would love to hear from you! We hope to put up new posts every other week.
Will it be different from churches we have seen in Florence? Yes, in many ways, but we don't want that to be our focus or point. Starting now, in the very beginning, our hope is that when people think of Access Church they see a body of believers intentionally creating the best chances for those who are far from the Lord to meet and grow in Christ. And people that love Christ and are committed to making Florence the best it can be.
There are currently 4 of us on the Access team: Mark and Erika Chapman, Cookie and Chris Cawthon. If you are just tuning in, we have been meeting, praying, studying Scripture together for a little over a year. We currently meet weekly to pray, plan and watch God move. Sometimes it is slow external movement but that often is when He is moving the most quickly and deliberately internally.
We don't always know what He is going to do next, but we believe His end goal is Access Church in Florence, SC.
We are going to take turns updating this site with music, quotes, Scripture and info that He is using in our lives. Should be interesting! Stay tuned and we would love to hear from you! We hope to put up new posts every other week.
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