FreeChurch News

Whimsical Wisdom

Sun, 7 Aug 2011 20:26:19 -0400

- Hello, my good friends—hope you’re all doing well.
- Hope you’re happy and healthy and feeling quiet swell.
- In this series we’ll gain a few nuggets of truth, through the whimsical wisdom from the late Dr. Seuss.
- I’ve been reading these Seuss books for over a week, and it’s starting to affect the way that I speak.
- You’ll have to admit—Seuss knows how to write, with the wackiest words you ever did sight.
- But I’ll try to be clear as I speak here today, that God’s message comes through in a remarkable way.
God speaks to people in all kinds of ways. In the Bible he once used a burning bush and another time he spoke through a donkey! I’ve often heard God’s speak through very ordinary ways—like books.
I love Dr. Seuss’ ingeniously creative story-telling. As a child, his wacky writing style and whimsical illustrations captured my imagination. As a dad I love reading Seuss stories to my own children—and I love the fact that along the way we have learned tidbits of wisdom through such a fun medium.
This month we’re using stories from the late Dr. himself to glean God’s wisdom in the mist of this whimsy—and you’re invited to join in the fun!
Sundays at 10am at FreeChurch.net.

Lessons from Obscurity

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 13:53:52 -0400

Life sometimes throws obstacles into our path that can seem impossible to overcome. The odds are against us, we let our fears paralyze us, and we somehow forget that our God is big enough to take on any difficulty that comes our way.
Buried in the Old Testament is a virtually unknown warrior that did some incredible exploits—one of which was killing a lion in a pit on a snowy day. His name is Benaiah, and we’ll be learning lessons from his bravery over the next several weeks: Defying Odds, Facing Fears, Taking Risks, and looking at life from a new perspective.
The series is based on a book by Mark Batterson called “In a Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day.” Yes, that’s the title and we will have some copies on hand to purchase if you’re interested.
Come check out this new series as we turn the tables on the lions in life that want to make us run away, and instead give chase to overcome adversity.
Chase the Lion.
(2 Samuel 23:20–23)

Jesus Raises the Bar

Mon, 14 Feb 2011 14:17:12 -0500

In his famous Sermon on the Mount, Jesus takes the 10 commandments to a whole new level. Christ equates murder to anger and adultery to lust. Most people refrain from murder, yet Jesus says that anger will bring about the same judgement. When’s the last time you became angry?
Faithful husbands and wives may avoid physical adultery, but Christ says that looking at someone with lust is committing adultery with that person in your heart. When’s the last time you had lust in your heart?
Anger & lust = murder & adultery?! Christ’s standard seems virtually unattainable! Hey, don’t give up - there’s more to the story. Check out this series to find out how living this way is possible.
You can listen to the series via the Podcast link at the top of the page, or you can show up at FreeChurch, Sundays at 10:30am, and hear the series live!
At the very least, read through Matthew chapter 5 when you get a chance and absorb the words of Christ firsthand.

Take Up and Read

Tue, 11 Jan 2011 10:09:10 -0500

There’s a quirky story about how St. Augustine came to know Christ by reading just one verse. As he was walking through a garden he became overwhelmed with guilt over his life of sin. All of a sudden he hears the voices of children chanting, “take up and read, take up and read.” He looks around and finds there are no children nearby. He concludes that it must be a sign from God to read the Scriptures. So he opens up a Bible and reads the first verse he comes across, Romans 13:13. Upon finishing the verse, he writes, “a light...of security infused into my heart and all the gloom of doubt vanished away.”
The Bible says that “the word of God is living and active” (Hebrews 4:12). Reading scripture is one of the primary ways God speaks to us and it has the power to transform our lives! The challenge is that we have to actually read the Bible regularly for that to happen. So, we’d like to try and help make it so convenient that it becomes an easy habit to get into. It’s a new year and a great time readjust our routines.
One thing we’re suggesting is to try out is YouVersion.com.
YouVersion — It’s FREE
YouVersion is an electronic Bible available online at www.YouVersion.com. It’s also available as a mobile app for the iPad, iPhone, Blackbery, Android, Palm WebOS, Java, Symbian, and any device that can access mobile web.
Small App, Powerful Features
Here are a few things YouVersion offers:
• Many Bible Translations (41 online, many available offline)
• Search words or references
• Add you own notes (make them public and/or private)
• Reading Plans: dozens to choose from to help keep you on track
• Syncs from your mobile device to YouVersion.com
• Integrates with Twitter & Facebook
• Interact with other YouVersion users
Give It a Try!
I hope you can make some positive changes in your life this year as you plant yourself in God’s word. It truly can transform your life if you let it. Let’s make 2011 a watermark year in our lives as we let God speak to us through his Word.

Christmas Break

Mon, 20 Dec 2010 15:07:36 -0500

One of the unique aspects of being a portable church is that to make church happen each Sunday, it takes an exceptional number of committed volunteers - and we have a fantastic team! However, there are sometimes circumstances that cause us to re-evaluate the plan. With many volunteers going out of town and/or being unavailable over the Christmas weekend, what to do on December 26th has been a question. This is why we've made the decision to have a Christmas Break on Sunday, December 26th - we are taking the week off.
What to do on December 26th?
   • Take the opportunity to visit another church
   • Worship at home by preparing a family devotion:
   (Matthew chapters 1&2 and Luke chapters 1&2)
   • Worship online
Church Online
Many churches offer online worship experiences. For some, church online may seem a little unusual and maybe even a little weird. Our family has participated in online worship enjoyed the experience. If you decide to try online worship, here are a few possibilities:
   • www.LifeChurch.tv
   • www.NorthPoint.tv
   • www.NewLifeChurch.tv
We love all of you and hope you get some quality family time, some alone time with God, and of course, some peace during Christmas holiday. We'll see you in the new year on January 2nd!
Merry Christmas!