(a 3-step instruction manual)

There’s something fairly significant about someone’s last words.
“Trust me.”
“I never get lost.”
“Let him hit me for how much money??”
“Wonder what this button does?”
“Can I eat this green slime?”
“We are in luck…the dragon is sleeping…”

Yeah, last words have a unique way of carrying a lot of weight.
Have you ever taken a serious look at the last words of Jesus? I think these words are worth a little extra examination…

Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."(Matthew 28:18-20 NIV)

So, what was the very last thing that Jesus thought deserved his very last words spoken on earth???
Make disciples.
Jesus bravely leaves the message of everything He accomplished and gave to us on earth …to us, with clear instructions about what to do with it.
This, in my opinion, is probably the BIGGEST deal in the whole Bible.
This is the point in the story where we as Christians get a giant job description.

Whenever I read this passage, I’m challenged to go further with the Gospel than I have ever gone. And I’m not really talking about signing up with a missionary organization, buying a plane ticket, and heading to a foreign mission field. I’m talking about seeing the very street that I live on as my primary and greatest mission field.

I’m all about “taking the Gospel to the streets”…but I gotta be taking the Gospel to my street. I have to be shining Jesus in my small corner of the world.

We’re blessed to be a part of a church community that takes sharing the Gospel seriously. There is absolutely no limit to how God will use an army of believers who are ready and bold to share His love.

But…when I read my Bible, I see that God doesn’t even need “an army of believers” to affect change. When God radically moves on the earth, He’s looking for one person! One! Abraham. Moses. Joshua. David. Daniel. Paul. Esther. Paul. The list goes on and on… and revolutions begin by affecting one person at a time…A revolution can begin with you!!!

(Did you know that since 1991, the adult population in the North America has grown by 15%. During that same period the number of adults who do not attend church has nearly doubled, rising from 39 million to 75 million - a 92% increase!)

So now…the obvious question is…how can we make a disciple??? What’s our role?
In our responsibly to carry out Jesus’ instruction and command to “make disciples of all nations”, Jesus needs our voice…that’s how He talks…Jesus needs our feet…that’s how He walks…Jesus needs our heart…that’s how He loves…
And how we’ve reached the point in the blog where we give 3 simple steps to making a disciple. It’s pretty much fail proof. Drum roll, pleazzze……..

1. Nominate yourself!
Human nature has us wired to “pass the buck” and nominate other people to do the jobs that we are suppose to do. This point could also be called REACH. Reach out…out of yourself.
Everything starts with you & me!!! I am the initiator.

2. Think about it!
Making a disciple isn’t something that happens by trial and error, or by mere chance. We have to invest every part of ourselves into this process. Making a disciple draws a lot out of us (spiritually, mentally and emotionally) because it often requires our complete attention and creativity. This point could also be called RELATE. Essentially, you need to find a way to build a bridge to others…because they probably aren’t going to build a bridge over to you.
Get into somebody’s world!

3. Get your hands dirty!
Real work is usually messy. And I’m talking about blue-collar type work, not sissy, office type job work (yep, I can say that cuz I have an office job!). Making disciples is a pretty dirty job. It’s hands on…it’s time intensive…but it’s also your clearest God-given job!!! When you’re making disciples, your hands end up smelling like disciples. This point could also be called RENEW. So we have REACH, RELATE, and RENEW!!!!
Count the cost…time is the most valuable thing you have…and time is what discipleship costs.
Only a true disciple can make a disciple. But the cool news is that according to the Bible, God thinks that as a believer, you’re already cut out for this line of work!
So, dive into it. You can’t make what you aren’t, so be the disciple you’re suppose to be…and start making the disciples that you’re suppose to make.

The Maoz newsletter for May has a feature article about an ex-Muslim, Ugandan pastor who was nearly killed by the Muslims in his community. The article describes the attack on him, the efforts of many people to save his life and how he finally reached Israel where he has been able to get the treatment he so desperately needed. He recently visited Tiferet Yeshua, the Sorko Ram’s congregation and spoke there of his experiences. The story of his experience contains a number of notable themes related to: Christians living in Muslim dominated regions; Israel’s approach to Muslims and Christians living in the land of Israel; and and exemplary response from Israel to a Christian pastor in need. But most significantly, it also reveals how God feels about the nation of Israel.

First of all, it is truly inspiring and humbling to see the courage of Pastor Mulinde. As a former Muslim, his open confession of Jesus Christ as Lord, in spite of the threats on his life and the ostracism he faced from family and community is remarkable. In addition to becoming a Christian believer, he is now a pastor in his local area with a thriving congregation of 1000 people, a third of whom are also former Muslims. To top that off and to add yet another reason for Muslims to hate him, he has also been an outspoken supporter of Israel in his nation. He has stopped at nothing to respond to what he believes God has directed him to. As western Christians, we have little experience with many of the costs of discipleship that believers in other parts of the world are paying. We are fat with opportunities in North America to grow and mature as believers, yet I wonder what we would be willing to endure under the kind of pressure and opposition some Christians face. This pastor put his life on the line. What an example!

Another aspect of this Maoz story is the stark contrast between radical Islam and the Judeo Christian world view with their very different outcomes. Islam seems obsessed with death and is bent on destroying life. In contrast, following the God of the Bible promotes the value of life and seeks to support and save lives! In this Ugandan pastor’s experience, the Muslims and Muslim countries were a threat, not a refuge. Israel on the other hand has been more than accommodating towards him and has been a safe, healing refuge for him. People flee Muslim dominated countries. Israel grants asylum to refugees and not only Jewish ones. Citizens of Muslim countries such as Syria are currently dying on their own streets fighting for freedom. In Israel on the other hand, Jews, Christians and Muslims work peaceably side by side and already enjoy these freedoms. A simple example of Israel’s efforts to respect and accommodate their multiple ethnic and religious peoples is seen in their tri-lingual public signage which comes in Hebrew, Arabic and English. Furthermore, even Old Jerusalem has an Arab Quarter, A Jewish Quarter, an Armenian Quarter and a Christian Quarter. And where else do you see a nation’s most holy site dominated by a temple to another group’s god? Though Israel recaptured this area of Jerusalem in 1967 and govern it, they live with the Muslim’s “Dome of the Rock” mosque on top of the Jewish temple mount. So, contrary to much of the world’s press and opinion, that Israel is an “occupier” and “oppressor”, they in fact are an oasis and a great example to the oppressive, Muslim dominated regimes in the region.

What caught my attention in this story most however, was this Ugandan pastor’s attitude towards Israel. As a Muslim he described having been “taught to hate the Jews” and “never make a Jew your friend”. However, after he became a born again believer and in coming to know the God of the Bible, he discovered that “God highly regards Israel” and that “He calls Himself the God of Israel”. Pastor Mulinde from his study of scripture, concluded that “true believers who love the Bible must love Israel”. This had to have been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit – the Spirit of Father God, because he had been raised to believe the opposite. Since that time he has become an outspoken supporter of Israel and has taught his congregation to see that Israel has a unique place in God’s plan.

This story highlights how much God wants Christian believers to have a right heart attitude towards Israel. All born again believers have an assignment regarding Israel. In the book, “Appointment in Jerusalem”, renowned Christian author Derek Prince wrote of his wife Lydia’s call to and experience living in Jerusalem between 1927 and until just after the second world war. She put it this way, “God’s plan of restoration for the whole earth included the restoration of Israel and could not be accomplished apart from it”. She went on to comment, ”what a strangely warped view we Christians have had all these years …. we have acted as though we were sufficient in ourselves, owing nothing to Israel or Jerusalem, and needing nothing from them. And yet the truth is that God’s plan of peace and blessing for all nations can never come to completion until both Israel and Jerusalem are restored – and He expects us to be His co-workers in bringing this to pass.”

As born again believers we have been commissioned to go into all the world to preach the Gospel and make disciples of all nations. And yes, Israel is one of those nations we are assigned to share the Gospel with. But there is something beyond that, something which sets them apart from other nations and connects them with us. As Christians we have a unique relationship with them. Most believers do not know this. Israel is the natural branch removed from the same olive tree into which we, Gentile believers, a branch from a wild olive, have been grafted in. We now have been given the Spirit of adoption, the same Holy Spirit who once delivered and led the nation of Israel. We now can cry out, ‘Abba Father’ and have become adopted sons and daughters of our Father God, a relationship which only Israel had with Him at one time. This being the case, we must never become so self centered and preoccupied as Christians, enjoying this life with The Father, that we come to think it’s all about us and forget that the Father also has His chosen, the Jewish people, heavy on His heart. They are the very people whom He raised up to be His people and through whom He would send the Redeemer to reconcile all of us together, to Himself. We must remember that our Father God has this prodigal whose return He still awaits. His heart is for all Israel to be saved! He has made promises which He intends to keep. Just like He was once counting on Israel to be a light to all nations, He’s now counting on us to help bring His people back to Him. It would be such a shame if we Christians just took our relationship with the Father for granted and forgot the natural branch, the Jewish people and their lost condition. It is God’s plan that we Christians be one Holy Nation with Israel. Let’s not be like the elder brother in the prodigal story who did not have the heart of his father. This is about our Father, not about us. That is what pastor Mulinde got when he became a believer. He got the heart of The Father, for His people Israel! We have that same heart beating inside us.

Dennis Bueckert

In our quickly changing, fast paced, post-modern world…there is still one major cultural value that has transcended ages and era’s…and that is “relationship”.
Everybody you have ever met and will ever meet highly value and desire to possess deep and meaningful relationships. It’s just the way God wired us. No getting around it. Relationships are “trending” right now, and it’s not about to stop any time soon.

As our church is an ever-growing community full of rich relationships, there is commonly a buzz lingering around our foyers and lobbies before and after our regular services. And I must admit that I love that sound. The hum of voices. The ring of laughter. The warmth of friendship.

SCC is a vibrant community...and those 30 minutes before and after scheduled services are often electric…you can just sense something special in the air.

And that is why I wanted to drop by today…to give us a challenge related to how we interact with people in and around our church events.

It’s called t e n 10 o n e. Or, ummm, 10-10-1. But that first way I wrote it looks so much better, don’t ya think?

Here’s the deal…before our services, let’s see if we can greet 10 people. After our services, let’s see if we can greet 10 more people. Yeah, that’s totally crazy. I know.

So that’s the t e n 10 right there. If you were to get crazy with me and try it, you would interact with a grand total of 20 human beings in one church service!

But where does the o n e come in? Glad you asked. The o n e is about you getting into conversation with 1 person about the Lord…talking about the message you just heard in a practical way, what that feeling was when we were all worshipping together, what cool thing God is currently doing in your life…you get the idea. It’s an UP kind of conversation! But the most important part about it is that it’s got to be real. You be genuinely you! No preaching…no teaching…just sharing God’s love straight from the heart…and letting people know that you really (like, really) care.

Oh, and as often as you can, try to make that o n e a newcomer, a freshman believer, a seeker that just strolled thru the doors, a spiritually young disciple of Christ.

So, that’s it…t e n 10 o n e.

I dare you to try it with me…and something’s telling me that our church events might just be going to a whole ‘nother level!

Cheers,
- garrett

Wouldn't it be cool to get a gig as the local weather man? You'd be able to sit around in an air conditioned TV studio all day, load up on snacks from the vending machine, and flip a coin to determine if you're gonna tell people that it's gonna rain or not!! Plus, you'd be, like, regionally famous! Everybody in the city and in the surrounding towns would recognize your face in the Dairy Queen line. Does it really get any better than that???
Yesterday we had a high of +24 with the faint risk of showers. And to the weather man's credit, it was forecasted, and it actually happened. Sometimes it seems like they never get it right, but maybe that's just when I stop to notice.
So as we head full blast into almost-summer, let me ask you a simple question (simple is good...real good...in the summer). What's your forecast??? Yeah, you read the question right. What's your forecast? Is it blazing sunny? Is it mainly sunny with occasional clouds? Is it sun mixed with rain? Is it windy with risk of thundershowers? Is it hot? Is it chilly? Is it....(you fill in the description)...?

Now, I'm not talking about the actual, physical forecast. I'm talking about your very own, personal forecast. I'm talking about your spiritual forecast. How are things going to be like for you as we start to approach summer? Take a minute or two and be the weather man. What's your forecast?
If sun is in the forecast, it's because you've planted those "sunny" seeds already and they are awaiting you in your future for harvest. If it's rain in your forecast, it's because you are reaping from bad seeds that you've sown. The world you find yourself in today is the product of decisions/choices (both good and bad) that you made yesterday, last week, last month, etc...

My hope is that everyone @ SCC has the brightest almost-summer (and full-on-summer) of their lives in 2012. But this means that in all the relaxation, vacation and fun, you always find the time to have your own personal devotions and prayer with the one who matters most - GOD. I dare all of you to make JESUS the centre of your almost-summer. And I promise that if you are bold enough to do it, it will be your sunniest almost-summer ever! So do it. Have daily devotions. Have a prayer time. It doesn't need to be 8 hours...but it needs to be something that's important enough to you that you fight to make it happen. Spending time to grow in God over the summer will ensure the greatest forecast for your future. The weather in your life isn't left up to chance or lazy guessing. What seeds are you sowing today???

Break this heart
As cold as stone
You got to, got to now
Then hello sunny weather
Hello sunny weather
And breathe so deep
The love of Christ
I got to, got to now
Then hello sunny weather
Hello, hello
(Poor Old Lu, A Picture Of The Eighth Wonder, "Hello Sunny Weather")

MuchAlmostSummerLove,
- garrett

Scripture focus... Psalm 23:5b Amplified Bible "You anoint my head with oil; my [brimming] cup runs over."

Growing up in Texas, where the temperatures can be very hot in the summer, all we ever drank was iced tea. You just needed something cold to drink to cool you down in that hot dry climate. Moving to Canada was a huge change for me climate wise and I discovered fairly quickly something hot to drink was the best way to warm this transplanted Texas gal up.

  After getting acquainted with the lovely hospitable Canadian ladies they introduced me to the fine art of drinking hot tea. At first the concept of drinking my tea hot was not something I thought could possibly be as enjoyable as good ole iced tea, but I was so cold I was willing to give it a try, so try it I did! I was surprised at how comforting a steaming cup of hot tea could be on a cold winter day!

These lovely ladies taught me as well that tea tastes best when served in beautiful china thus began my love for china teapots and cups. I was amazed to discover all the different beautiful and elegant patterns, sizes and shapes. There is chintz, bold floral patterns, holiday patterns, and whimsical ones that seem to call, "look at me!" Though round teapots are common, I've discovered unusual shaped ones too - a square teapot, a mini teapot or an unusually large eight cup one. My youngest son gave me a beautiful oversized china cup and saucer for Mother's Day which to this day, is my favorite cup to drink from. It's fascinating to discover teapots with their distinct personalities, shapes, sizes and unique purposes for special occasions or holidays and all filled with delicious different fragrant teas.

Like the unique teapots, each of us is a unique person. You may have the personality of bold colors while others are quiet and reserved. One wears humor as a name-tag with a whimsical outlook on life and another is more introspective and has a gentle spirit. Unique gifts and talents set us apart from one another like each of the flowers in the delicate chintz pattern. We may be used for a particular purpose or for a season, like a sterling silver anniversary or Christmas teapot. Sometimes like the solid colored teapot, we are the one who is steady, stable and faithful in a crisis. But regardless of the size, shape, or pattern, each teapot stands out and enhances a table setting. Our uniqueness enhances our settings too! Each one of us is distinct and perfect for whatever setting the Lord has placed us. Comparing ourselves to others is a futile exercise, because each of us has been uniquely and personally designed. There is something we can contribute to our sphere of influence that no one else can.

Beautiful china teapots and cups can teach us a lot. We can recognize their uniqueness and beauty and appreciate them - just like people. China was created and designed to be used for a special occasion and so has God created and designed us for a special service. Instead of being filled with hot steamy tea, we were created to be FILLED with God himself, so He can pour out His life through us and bring comfort, hope, love, joy, and healing to others. Celebrate and enjoy who God has created you to be and make sure you celebrate others too!

Father, thank you that you have made each one of us a unique person and that there are no duplicates. Help us not to compare ourselves with others and to appreciate our own unique design. Show each of us how You want to use our uniqueness. Thank You that we are FILLED to SPILL and to bring glory to You and influence others! In Jesus name, Amen.

So until next time, know you are unique and you are loved!

Tracey Johnson

So that morning we're going to mix things up a little. The day will start at 11:00am in the SCC Auditorium where we'll enjoy a brief service, after that we'll head outdoors for BBQ burgers with all the fixings. We'll have tons of activities set up for the kids. We'll have things like a dunk tank, sports activities, NEW inflatable games, and lots more. In addition to kids stuff we'll have sports activities for teens and adults planned too. Baseball, Soccer, Volleyball, Bocce are all in the plans for this fun afternoon. We'll let you know soon about food tickets prices and when they'll go on sale, so stay tuned. 

It all started when he was 11 years old. Leeland Mooring wrote his first song called “Shine”. And after a successful performance of the song, the Mooring family began to tour the United States. Fast forward a few years and Leeland is 14. He decided to enter a music talent contest in Nashville, and he became a finalist in the song-writing and artist divisions. Although he didn’t win the competition, one of the contest’s judges, Kent Coley, now the band’s manager, took interest in the young teen.

A year later, Eddie DeGarmo (yes, that Eddie DeGarmo of DeGarmo & Key…for all the Christian rock old-timers out there!), president of EMI CMG Publishing, was also interested in Mooring, and the two signed a song-writing contract. And less than a year later, Leeland, along with his older brother Jack, and their cousin and 2 long-time friends, officially signed as a band on the Essential record label. The five members began practicing at night in their church’s building after youth group, which doubled as a funeral home. Leeland Mooring’s first name was used as the band’s name because the members said that “it sounded cool.” This is rocknroll, remember?

2005 saw the release of the band’s debut, Sound of Melodies, which was a high-water mark for the Christian music industry at the time. Unique in that the album was decidedly a worshipful statement, but with artistic roots planted firmly in British alt-pop, taking cues from chart-topping bands like Coldplay and Keane. Recognition of the band’s talent came quickly, with Sound of Melodies garnering a Grammy Nomination. In 2007, the band also received 5 Dove Award Nominations related to their debut album. In this time, the band also began to work closely with legendary recording artist Michael W. Smith, and Leeland ended up co-writing 6 songs on Smith’s album Stand, and another one by himself. Smith has said that “Leeland is the best thing I have heard in a long, long time.” Jack Mooring has gone on to marry Whitney Smith, making the famous ‘Michael W.’ his father-in-law!

2008 saw the release of the band’s sophomore effort, Opposite Way, with Leeland saying that “it’s a call to our generation to passionately walk the ‘opposite way’ from the world; that it’s okay to live the Christian life and be on fire for God, even if it makes us look different.” Again, the band was nominated for Grammy and Dove Awards, and began to see their songs get placement on TV shows. Opposite Way sounded very much like a natural sequel to the band’s debut, but with a more anthemic and power-pop quality to it. The monumental “Count Me In” and “Tears Of The Saints” became instant classics of their genre.

Love Is On The Move, the band’s third release, came out in the fall of 2009, and it once again drew comparisons to the Brit-rock scene, feeling slightly more laid back than its predecessor. Where Leeland separates themselves from mainstream suitors is with bold proclamations of their faith and the elements of worship they weave into their music. Pianos, strings, and guitars blend skilfully into crafted tunes that showcase Leeland Mooring’s song-writing skills. Definite progression from early recordings can be heard as the band has developed and matured. And the overarching theme of all the records has been a call to put faith into action. Love Is On The Move provided essential tracks like “Via Dolorosa”, “Follow You” (with Brandon Heath), and “Carry Me On Your Back”. The band hit their stride writing songs that melancholy with joy, making a very atmospheric album.

In September of 2011, Leeland released The Great Awakening, recapturing the essence of their debut album while delving deeper into their spiritual roots. Drawing from the wisdom of theologians including Salvation Army founder William Booth, the band members describe the album as a “worship revival experience”. This time around, Leeland and Jack’s sister, Shelly, joins the band as bass player. Having a change in the line-up doesn’t mean that they have to rebuild artistic chemistry. “When we were kids, our parents were traveling pastors,” Jack shares. “The three of us would jump in the car with them and lead worship services and revivals.”

Along with the natural rhythms and harmonies that were molded when they traveled the country as a family, recording for The Great Awakening brought a deep sense of musical resurgence and together, the band felt a fresh stirring of both personal and global revival. Leeland feels it captured the passion of the “revival experience” that often occurs during its compelling live set. “We’ve all been going through a personal revival in this band,” says Leeland. “We’ve felt God taking us out of a plateau, shaking us up and saying, ‘Don’t cruise anymore.’ That’s where we are; feeling like God wants to bring a great awakening to this generation.”

And what of Michael W. Smith? Is he still a fan? “This band has an ability – and it’s demonstrated keenly on The Great Awakening – to make you stop and listen,” Smith continues. “This is the rare type of album that will make you take a long pause in the middle of your busy day and instantly you’ll feel God’s presence.”

Over the course of time, Leeland has become one of the most respected and influential voices in worship music.

We are so excited that Leeland will be with us to launch The Awakening on Friday, August 24th @ SCC. And it also seems pretty ironic that Leeland are Brett Harris (The Awakening’s key-note speaker and author of best-selling book Do Hard Things) are great friends. Brett even references Leeland in his book, which is a must read…just like Leeland’s 4 recordings, all of which are must-hears!

So don’t miss an evening with Leeland. Tickets are only $15.00 each. That’s a crazy price. Or get into the show and hang out with the band in our afterparty for only $40.00. You do not want to miss out this event, so buy tickets now (@ SCC, on-line @ www.christiancentre.ca, and @ Scott’s Parable in Saskatoon) because space is limited!

Dear Self-Discipline,

Where has all the time gone? It’s been a long time since we’ve hooked up. I hope you didn’t take it personal or anything. I know that my parents always wanted us to spend time together…but I felt like we never clicked that great, ya know?

But it’s hard to believe that I haven’t seen you for sooo long. And it’s not like I’m a hermit living in a cave either. I’ve been all over town, hanging out with my friends…and well, lurking at the mall. So it’s kinda strange that I haven’t bumped into you, because it seems like I bump into almost everybody else. Weird.

Come to think of it, I guess you didn’t usually stay out too late. And I think you probably prefer just hanging out at home more than I do. And, oh yeah, I remember that you were always into reading. Guess we just don’t have that many common interests, because I’d rather play videogames at a friend’s house. In fact, one of the last times we were together I was showing you a newer XBOX game of mine, remember? To be honest, you really got on my nerves that night. You totally tried to crash our little party by wanting us to turn the game off at 1:30am. You kept on making a big deal out of how there was church the next day. Gimme a break.

To me, it just seemed like you kept on making big deals out of stuff. Yeah, it irked me…and yeah, I let you know it. But honestly, I wasn’t meaning to hurt you… I just wanted you to lay off. I need my own space, ya know?

Man, that seems sooo long ago. I guess it was. Wow! Things haven’t been going too well for me lately. It’s kinda hard to explain, and I don’t want to turn this into a sob story either. I don’t mind school. I like the people there, and the work isn’t too hard…but I’d just rather roll over and hit the snooze button. Why get up early and study when my final exam isn’t until Friday? That’s two whole days away! And I can’t remember the last time I cracked open my Bible…but I’ve wrapped the last 4 videogames that I rented.

I dunno…I’ve been talking to my parents about this stuff and they keep telling me that they haven’t seen you around in a while. And they keep reminding me that they think I acted better when you and I were hanging out. Looking back, I really can’t deny it…even though we didn’t always get along. I guess you were trying to help me. And I did treat you pretty bad. Sorry about that.

So I decided to write you to let you know that I hope we can still be friends….if it’s not too late. Well, I should wrap this letter up. It’s supper time. I was gonna make a chipotle chicken salad…but I think that might be too much work. Maybe a sprinkle donut from Tim Horton’s instead.

Yours Truly, ______________

Dear Humility,

I’m very aware of the fact that I have a deeply profound grasp of the English language, and that I exhibit masterful skill when it comes to writing letters such as this.

Please except my sincerest apologies for not corresponding with you sooner, but it seems that everyone always wants to hang out with me. I guess that’s the price that comes with being considered a border-line genius. Yeah, I know that it might seem a little bit weird that I’m saying that. I prefer to throw in the word “border-line”, because being humble is how I roll. And I guess that nobody has actually used the word “genius” either. But I can read people pretty well if I do say so myself…but whatever…that’s all beside the point.

The real reason I’m writing is that I’m wondering if you could become my “fan” on Facebook. I say some crazy-witty things on there, and it just kills me to think that you might actually be missing out. While you’re at it, you should go ahead and put me in your Top 8 Myspace friends too…because you can’t deny that I am the pinnacle of perfect friendship. Oh, and I’m sure you’re following me on Twitter. My daily musings are as rich as Solomon…or Donald Gates…or Bill Trump…or…

I’ve always prided myself on just being there for people, and that’s why I want to be there for you. I want to just be there, and ask you, “So, what do you think about me?” Then we could get into fantastic conversations that I always lead…because I’m a real good “convo-leader”, if you don’t mind me taking the small liberty of coining my own phrase.

Well, I’d love to keep writing, and I’m sure you’d love to keep reading. I know that even one of my common letters puts Shakespeare to shame. But the mirror is calling…and who can blame it really? It’s not like every mirror on the planet gets the chance to reflect a face as handsomely deadly as mine.

Hope you can talk about…umm…to…me soon.

Sincerely,

_________________

We're offering 5 classes this time around and here is a list of them and a short description. You can sign up of any of these online by clicking here.

Kevin MacMillan will be teaching "Walk This Way" a class about the importance of following. 

Brien and Garrett Johnson will be tag teaming for this class specifically designed for the young adults of SCC. They want to start out by asking some questions and getting feedback. Then they'll take some time to communicate the role that young adults do play and can play in the SCC Community. They'll also share some new things coming up that will impact the young adults.

Ken Schultz will be leading this class called "Restoring Biblical Thinking." He'll be addressing some important areas of our life and culture that we all need to make sure we're seeing the way God sees.

If you've been taking our church membership classes then you'll want to sign up for this final round. Foundations For Church Life 3 will kick off on the 9th of May.

If you're new to Christianity, have question about the Christian faith, or know someone like that, then you might want to check out Live Link. This interactive DVD class is a great way to meet new people and get some big questions answered.

To sign up for these classes online click here

Welcome to HEART TO HEART the newest blog for Christian women and men if you’re brave enough enter into a woman’s world!

I will be sharing with you monthly from my personal devotions and insights and wisdom that others have gleaned as we have faced all the different seasons that life has brought our way! My prayer is that this blog will be a great source of encouragement as we laugh, cry, pray and rejoice together in God’s unfailing love and faithfulness!

FACE TIME

Scripture focus: Luke 10:38-42 Amplified Bible

V.38 Now while they were on their way, it occurred that Jesus entered a certain village, and a woman named Martha received and welcomed Him into her house.
V.39 And she had a sister named Mary, who seated herself at the Lord’s feet and was listening to His teaching.
V. 40 But Martha [overly occupied and too busy] was distracted with much serving; and she came up to Him and said, Lord, is it nothing to You that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me [to lend a hand and do her part along with me!]
V.41 But the Lord replied to her by saying, Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things;
V.42 There is need of only one or but a few things. Mary has chosen the good portion [that which is to her advantage], which shall not be take away from her.

If we are honest, we can all relate to the anxiousness and business of Martha and the frustrations from time to time that we can feel as we are ‘busy serving’ our families, church and jobs. If we aren’t careful we can become ‘overly occupied and too busy’ with ‘life’ in general and forget we have a special Person in our lives (Jesus) and He is requesting our presence for an intimate time of fellowship with Him. We all desire intimacy and closeness in our lives from those we love. There is no one that I desire intimacy with more than Jesus and I believe you feel the same way.

How close to God are you? How close do you want to be? It’s obvious that some people are closer to God than others. Some people have a reverent familiarity with God that seems foreign to other Christians. These ‘close friends’ of God share stories of talking to Him as if they know Him personally while skeptical onlookers wonder why they don’t feel that kind of intimacy.

Why is that? Does God have favorites? The answer is no, although I must admit that I have teased my sister, Brooks, in times past that I was truly God’s favorite child. The truth of the matter is we, not God, determine our own level of intimacy with Him. All of us have been invited to come and sit at His feet and partake “of that which is to our advantage”.

There are various levels of intimacy with God, and each one coincides with the corresponding level of commitment that we have in pursuing a relationship with Him. Not everyone is willing to take time to develop that type of closeness with the Lord. It’s important for you to note that GOD DOESN’T ASK FOR ALL OF OUR TIME, but He does ask to have ALL OF ME when I am with Him and not be preoccupied with ‘much serving’.
As busy women, our goal should be to have proper balance and priorities. Taking care of our body requires eating properly and exercising. Taking care of our soul includes seeing that our emotional needs are met. Women need to enjoy fun times and fellowship with other people. Likewise, we have a spiritual nature that needs attention, and our spiritual needs are met through a personal, intimate relationship with God. Caring for all these areas requires a commitment of our time.

The Word says, “Mary has chosen the good portion [that which is to her advantage], which shall not be take away from her.” The whole issue of intimacy with God is a matter of how we choose to spend our time. We say we don’t have time to spend with God, yet we take time to do ‘other things’ that are important to us. “I’m busy” can be an excuse that sometimes indicates that our lives are out of balance. Distractions are something we all have to guard against in order to protect our time with God. He is the most important NEED in our lives!

A commitment to spend time with God is as serious as any commitment that we could ever make.
God says in Psalm 27:8 “...SEEK MY FACE [inquire for and require My presence as your vital need].”
This indicates that God is a VITAL NECESSITY in our lives!

The quality of our lives as women is greatly affected by the time we give of ourselves to God and His Word and it should have a place of priority in our schedule.
So, if you’re not as close to God as you’d like to be, THE NEXT MOVE IS YOURS!

Till next month, remember you are loved!
Tracey Johnson

Beatings are impossibly tough to watch, and normal people don’t soon forget the gruesome sights and evil sounds that accompany them. This is exactly the type of stomach- churning event that Moses is exposed to in Exodus 2 as he watches an Egyptian guy beat up a fellow Hebrew. He just can’t bear the terrible sights, the heart-wrenching sounds, the splattering blood. The injustice of the situation is far too much for Moses to take, and suddenly, something in- side him snaps.  The text says that upon “glancing this way and that”4 and seeing no one around, Moses raced to the defense of his countryman. He grabbed the Egyptian and pulled him off his fellow Hebrew, which incited a fight of its own . . . to the death.

No doubt horrified by his capacity for violence, Moses buried the Egyptian in the sand and ran away.
The very next day, Moses went out to observe the plight of his people once again. What he saw must have shaken him to the core: now two Hebrews were fighting each other! Fists were flying, teeth were shattering, noses were breaking—these were the same sights and sounds as be- fore! I bet Moses screamed at the top of his lungs, “Why are you beating up a fellow Hebrew? Did it ever occur to you that he’s one of us? What are you thinking? Our people are in forced labor and are getting beaten up regularly by the Egyptians, and now, you’re fighting with each other?!”

It was obvious to Moses that his people were imploding. They’d been exposed to such hatred and violence for so long that they’d probably just wipe each other out if left to their own devices. The appalling abuse and oppression and exploitation they had suffered under Egyptian rule had escalated to the level of total insanity, and Moses found him- self on the extreme edge of his emotional limits. “That’s it!” he must have cried. “I’ve absolutely had it! I just can’t stand this anymore!”

Just like Moses, God has placed passions on the inside of us that when messed with, touch the core of who we are. We cannot be content to stand around and watch it happen, we cannot simply ignore it. We must do something about what we are seeing. That discontent is healthy, it's God-given, or as Pastor Hybels would say, "it's a Holy Discontent." 

What injustice or wrong disturbs you deeply when you witness it? What do you see in the world around you that makes you scream inside "Somebody has to do something about this." Whatever that is, it's probably connected to what God has called you to do. While this earth is not our home and we're just passing through, we are all called to be the hands and feet of Christ to those that need Him the Most. We were all saved to make a difference. We were all rescued to serve a greater purpose. We all have God-given passions on the inside of us that shouldn't be ignored. The next step is ours to take. God is waiting for somebody has to do something, because He has already done the greatest thing He could ever do. He gave us Jesus. 

If you are interested in reading about this topic further, Holy Discontent is available in our resource centre.

Maoz Israel Ministries is a Messianic Jewish ministry in Israel, which serves as a catalyst & vehicle for outreach, training, translating, publishing, music recording, video production as well as providing economic and disaster relief. It has also established and underwrites a Hebrew indigenous congregation in Tel Aviv.

A number of years ago, through Carl-Gustav Severign, a friend of our congregation, God divinely connected Pastor Johnson with Ari and Shira Sorko-Ram who are the founders of Maoz Israel. God spoke to Pastor Johnson that we were to get behind the work Maoz Israel is doing to develop an Internet TV outreach geared especially to the younger generation of Israelis. Having given in the past to help Russian Jews return to the land of Israel, our congregation rallied again to the leading of the Holy Spirit, this time giving to see the Israeli people receive their Messiah! Israel as a nation is the “Apple of God’s eye”. He planned and orchestrated their restoration first as a nation, but He has promised a national revival (Romans 11:12) when “all Israel will be saved” (Romans 11:26). That is to follow after the “fullness of the Gentiles has come in”, the time for which is upon us! How exciting it is to think we as a congregation get to play a part in God’s agenda, preparing the way for this revival by giving to help Maoz Israel bring the light of Messiah to the Jewish people!

During our presentation we brought greetings from Saskatoon Christian Centre and shared the desire to have an on-going, face to face connection with them and expressed our commitment to continue to pray for and support them. There were many smiles and much clapping during the presentation and during the fellowship time after the meeting we had numbers of people from the congregation come by to thank us.

Additionally we had several guests from other countries that had attended the service, come to us expressing that they were tremendously blessed to see a congregation give so generously to the work that Messianic Jewish believers are doing in Israel. One visiting lady from Norway came to Verona several times, expressing how much our presentation and offering had blessed her. She was especially thankful that we had done a presentation face to face, underscoring how it inspired other churches to give as well. Later on, in the restaurant of our hotel, two other European couples who recognized us from the service, told us how it had moved them. So your offering touched and encouraged the Messianic believers in Tel Aviv, but also inspired Christian believers from three different countries to do likewise!

With this article we are launching what will be a bi-weekly report highlighting news items from the Maoz Israel Report and discussing our role as a church in partnering with them. In connection with this we will share more about the work of Maoz and the Tiferet Yeshua congregation, as well as some of what we learned about the lives of messianic believers in Israel.

An example of the challenges making it more difficult for Messianic believers to convince fellow Jews that Yeshua is the Messiah they have been awaiting, is seen in an extensive article which Shira Sorko-Ram wrote in this month’s Maoz Newsletter on the recent “Christ at the Checkpoint” conference hosted by West Bank Arab “Christians” held in Bethlehem. One of the greatest hindrances to Jewish people receiving Yeshua as their Messiah is their indoctrination which associates Jesus solely with Christianity. They see no connection with Jesus as the fulfillment of the hundreds of Messianic prophesies in their own scriptures. To top that off, Jews have been horribly persecuted by so-called Christians like the Crusaders, the Spanish Inquisition and most notoriously by the German people led by the Nazis in the 2nd World War. So why would they embrace a Christian Messiah? Of course we know that they were not experiencing true, New Testament, early church Christianity, because that first church in Jerusalem was in fact a Jewish Messianic congregation. Followers of Jesus today, who read their Bibles, have got to recognize that Israel has had and still holds a very unique and special place in the heart of God. Sadly, there are still those who hold to an errant teaching called “Replacement Theology” which teaches that the Church has replaced Israel as God’s Chosen people. Gentile and Jewish believers are “one new man” in Christ, but God still has unique promises He is fulfilling with regard to the nation of Israel. “Replacement Theology” has been used over the years to try to nullify Israel’s place in the plan of God and worse, to in fact vilify Jewish people. Though labeled “Christian”, this was once again the thrust of the Bethlehem conference. Yet again, Israel and the Jewish people were painted as the problem. Yet again, Jewish people see “Christians” trying to deny them the right to exist as a nation. Instead of recognizing their strategic significance, most importantly in God’s plan, they dismiss even their strategic significance, as the only viable, “free”, democratic country in the Middle East, which honors the rights of Jews, Christians, Muslims and Arabs to coexist peaceably.

Shira Sorko-Ram described it as follows:
“But what is the big deal with a conference in Bethlehem attended by 600 people? The danger is that strident anti-Israel, anti-Semitism, cloaked in the “love of God for our enemies (i.e. Jews)” is so beautifully wrapped in churchy language that many Evangelicals in the West could be (and sadly probably will be) deceived and hoodwinked into believing that the Church has replaced Israel and that the state of Israel has caused the Palestinians incalculable injury and injustice. By putting on sheep’s clothing, the Palestinian Christians can do far more damage to the people of Israel than even Muslims can. The Christian terminology sounds familiar, the jargon is spiritual, but the end goal is the destruction of Israel. That’s what Replacement Theology allows….

… Sadly, when liberal leftist professors and intellectuals from the US and Europe claiming to be Christians and spewing hatred of Israel combine their poison with the Arab Christians in the West Bank and Gaza, whose life narrative is to tell how the Jews are causing them to suffer great injustices, the combination is lethal. It makes for nothing less than another arm of Satan to attempt to destroy the nation of Israel that God has brought back to His Land in these last days.”

We could also add that it will make it that much more of a challenge to have Jews receive “the Christian Messiah”. This is another attack of Satan, not only against the nation of Israel and their place in the plan of God but it is another move by the enemy to make Jesus look like an enemy to the Jewish people rather than the Messiah He is. It is critical that we as believers be informed so as not to be misled ourselves by this kind of deception. Additionally we must pray for other believers world wide, not to be taken in by such teaching and propaganda and instead to make a stand against this kind of sentiment and to stand with Israel. Finally, we need to pray for safety, courage and wisdom for our Messianic Jewish brothers and sisters on the front lines, who are often associated with having “converted to the Christian religion” and sometimes bear the brunt of a lot of fanatical anger for it.

- Dennis Bueckert

We are so excited about the changing and rearranging that's happening on the SCC web-site.

Our goal is to make it easier for you to find your way around www.christiancentre.ca, and to provide you with A LOT MORE info!!! We want the SCC Blog to become one of your most visited church resources, so we plan to keep the blog entries rolling at a steady and consistent rate. There will be everything from sermon notes to mini-devotionals...from book reviews to updates on the missionaries we support...from what's happening in the Messianic church in Israel to a spotlight on one of our numerous church volunteers. Maybe even the occasional rant or ramble!

You get the idea.

The SCC Blog will cover a wide range of subject matter. So stay in the loop and up to speed...and the best way to do that is by stopping by right HERE!!!

Blessings,

- garrett johnson