We're back.

Thanks to everyone for all the prayers and support our Honduran mission team received over the past week.  We all arrived arrived home safely last night.  It's good to be home to be with all our family.  It will be great for all our church family to be together this coming Sunday.  We'll be starting our new series on growing with Christ:  RAISE Redux.  We hope you can be with us. 

As for Honduras, we are simply catching our break.  It was an amazing time.  I'm only fully realizing how powerful everything was now after returning.  You'll probably be hearing stories from individuals for months (if not years) and we'll be putting together a video of the many great photos we have.  For now, here's a few things you can know about the trip: 

God spoke to everyone in unique and different ways.

People from our church family were healed from personal and emotional burdens.  

We built 3 houses for families who have nothing.  Literally, the walls of their present homes were sheets & tin.  Their floors were dirt.  

Over 700 patients received medical treatment.  

We worshipped together with our Honduras brothers and sisters.  

We led a Vacation Bible School where hundreds of children received blessings. 

We saw 4 personally invite Jesus Christ into their hearts.

We were honored to be part of two baptisms on the spot of our construction site.

Those are the few of the things we witnessed God do.  I believe there are countless other ways the Holy Spirit worked:  on us at Bellwether, and to the people of Honduras.  

I'm so thankful, blessed, and amazed at our Lord and Savior.  He heals.  He forgives.  He transforms.  He literally saves lives.  

And this is only the beginning.  Hope to see you Sunday.  God bless you.   

Alternative Community

What do you comes to mind when you think of Church?

It could be many different things:  music, worship, dressing in Sunday best, something you have to do, an hour to snooze, rigid, fake, peaceful, family, hypocrisy, money, prayer, Christ, celebration, inspiring, growing, fulfilling, buildings, and we could go on and on.  You may have positive or negative thoughts about the Church.

Do you ever think of it as an alternative community?  

When we say alternative community, we mean a place that is different from the rest of the world.  A group of people who are very much in this world, yet very much not of it.  Many groups have tried to form alternative communities throughout history, the majority of them not as Christians.  These would be what we'd call communes or the hippie movement.  You get the picture.  

However, the Church was always designed to be an alternative community.  When it is being true to Jesus's Call for it on earth, it is living as an alternative community by the power of the Holy Spirit.  A place that is different from this world, that functions as the family of Christ, leads people to Christ, and goes out into all the world for Christ.  Now, the question is:  is the Church living out this mission?  Are we as the people of Bellwether?  

Sunday, we'll conclude the series:  Alternate Reality, life by the Spirit.  Last week we talked about how that reality affected relationships.  This Sunday we'll talk about how it affects the Church.  The message will be:  Church as an "alternative community":  what this looks like and how to be one.  We hope you'll be with us to see what Jesus is calling us to as His people.  We hope you'll be part of His alternative community on earth - one that can change your life, the lives of people you know, and the world for Him.  

Destiny or Chance?

Have you ever wondered whether your life was influenced more by destiny and fate or by random chance? 

In our culture and world today, many people believe their lives are orchestrated by destiny and a higher power.  You see this with idealists who think fate has a hand in who they meet, form relationships with, marry, and even where they are born, live, and what they do with their lives.  We also see this in many films, books, and TV shows.

Others in our world believe there is no such thing as destiny or fate.  Everything more or less happens by chance.  There is no "luck."  People make their own luck.  Where you're born is simply random.  Who you meet and marry is totally by chance.  It could be someone else - you were simply there at the right time and place.  

To which of these do you lean more to:  destiny or chance?  Fate or randomness?  

What if there is a third way?  That our lives are neither orchestrated by chance or by destiny through some type of higher power.  What if a real, living, God is directing each and every step of our lives?  What if there are "no chance encounters."  That there is a reason for each and every person in our lives - good and bad.  Do you believe that?  

This summer, we're doing a series on "Alternate Reality - life by the Spirit."  It is looking at living in and through the Holy Spirit.  Tomorrow at church the message will be called "No Chance Encounters."  Why?  Because in this alternate reality, in a life led by the Holy Spirit, there really are no chance encounters.  

We hope you can be with us Sunday morning to see how God leaves nothing to chance.  Perhaps you'll see your life and relationships in a whole new life.  We hope so. 

Have a great weekend and God bless you!   

Scripture for Sunday

We'll begin sending Scripture used for Sunday's message before so you have an opportunity to be reading them before our worship.

For this Sunday, July 3rd, we'll be preaching out of:

Matthew 22: 15-22

Matthew 4: 8-10

Genesis 1: 26-27

Isaiah 55: 8-9

Ephesians 2: 18-22

1 Peter 2: 11-14

Hope you can read before and see you Sunday!