As many of you know, this is December and Christmas is among us. Many, if not all churches, have begun the lighting of the advent candles. We lit the second advent candle this week preparing the way of the Lord and looking at the story of John the Baptist.

John 1:6-8 reads, "There was a man sent from God whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all might believe. He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light."

John's ministry was preparing the way for the Lord, Jesus Christ to come.

There's a lot to John's story and Pastor Rick will be going into detail here in a second.

Right now, just open your heart and minds to the message. Begin preparing the way for the Lord in your own lifer.

I end with this scripture and in my opinion a prayer found in Hebrews chapter 10 verses 19, 22, and 23 "Since we have confidence to enter the Most High Place by the blood of Jesus…let us draw near to God with a sincere heart…let us hold unswervingly to the hope we confess, for He who promised is faithful."

If you believe that God wants to do something significant in this city, then you, too, have reached that point of a crisis of belief. Encounters with God require faith. Encounters with God are God-sized. True faith requires action. What you do in response to God's invitation reveals what you truly believe about God. What do you truly believe about God? And how will you put that into action?

This service and podcast are dedicated to the new Capital Stewardship Campaign going on at Christ Community Church. We believe ths church is growing and we've seen that through moving to this location on West Prien Lake Road three years ago. God is moving in this place and you have an opportunity to be a part of what God is doing here through this congregation. Our way has never been to motivate people through guilt, pressure, embarrassment, or promising special divine favors to those who give. We have always simply presented the need, and to point you to the Lord for His guidance and instructions. Listen to what God is calling you to do. 

This message is a message of vision casting. Where we were and where we are! We believe that God will bring to completion that which He has started. Wouldn't you like to be a part? We invite you to pray, and become a part of what God is doing here and through this place. 

This week we are going to be looking at the struggle we have in our lives. The struggle between living for ourselves, for "me", and living sent. Pastor Rick goes through 4 stories. Each of these stories has a similar issue, the point being made is missed.

The first story is of Cain who thought the offering that He and his brother Able were bringing before the Lord was a competition. He was going to win this competition in any way possible, even if it meant eliminating the competitor. You need to learnt o work with your brother in order to serve God.

Secondly, we have Israel's Refusal to Enter the Promise Land. God had performed numerous miracles in leading the Israelites to the Promise Land. What happened was they began thinking that God was meeting their needs to make them happy. As soon as the Lord "slacked off", they turned to idols to see if they could do better. They forgot who God was and how He had delivered them from Egypt. God continues to move and if you refuse to move with Him, you are not going to be with Him. God's blessings are conditional upon our obedience. Pastor Rick poses this statement and question, "If you are wondering where God is in your life, then the question is: At what point did you stop moving with God? Did you have a "Thanks, but no thanks" moment?"

The third story was Jesus Cleansing the Temple. Many people believe it was because only because people were selling stuff in the church and they were using the church building incorrectly. Which both of those are true, but these merchants filled up the "Court of the Gentiles". There was no room left for anyone to pray and if there was who would want to be in a crowded room with animals and people selling stuff. The Temple was for everyone to come and worship and pray. This was keeping the Gentiles from coming in and being able to pray. Jesus said, "My house shall be a house of prayer for all nations" and there is where the problem was.

Last we have the church in Acts. Jesus had died and rose again. Right before he ascended into Heaven he said, "You shall be my witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." From Acts chapter 1 through Acts chapter 7 they remained in Jerusalem. No movement. Acts 8:1 says, "A great wave of persecution began that day, sweeping over the church in Jerusalem, and all the believers except the apostles fled into Judea and Samaria." They loved receiving the Holy Spirit, but not obeying Christ and allowed persecution to come and then ran for their lives.

We are called to live sent, not live for ourselves, live for "me". We are called to be the people of God sent on mission to share His light and love until the whole world knows.

Pastor Rick will mention a 360 Prayer Card. Below will be the layout of the card so that you too can  join in the 360 Prayer.


3 - Choose three friends, family members, co-workers, etc…
6 - Pray for each person on your list 6 times a week
0 - You will miss 0 opportunities

Throughout history, we've been told to "love people." Whether it was that "all men are created equal" found in the Declaration of Independence,  the Gettysburg Address, and in Martin Luther King Jr's "I Have A Dream" speech. This is not a new concept. Going further beyond those historical moments we find in Luke 10:27 the two greatest commandments say, "‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’"

Scripture also bring to our attention the story of the Good Samaritan. A man was beaten and stripped and left to die on the side of the road. A priest and Levite came by, turned their noses, and walked by the man who was nearly dead. Then a Samaritan came by, a man despised by the Jews, and he bandaged his wounds, wrapped him in cloth, took him to an inn, had a doctor come and take care of him, and on top of that said to the innkeeper, "Look after him, and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have." He went the extra mile for a man he didn't know and a man who most likely wouldn't have done the same for him because of their beliefs.

Such an amazing story portraying the concept of "Loving People".

Stay tuned for this podcast and allow God to reveal to you the concept of "Loving People" and "Living Sent."

This week we are focusing on loving God and the invitation we've received to follow Jesus. Our main question that we are discussing is, "Where are you on that journey?" Can you answer that at this very moment? Are you having trouble deciding where you are on this journey? If you are uncertain about where you are on this journey…here are a few pointers that Pastor Rick discussed:

A. Having Daily Time With God
-Having a place and space to be with God
-Listen and Center in on God
-Pray
-Read Scripture
-Continue Praying

B. Listen for God's Whispers throughout the day.

C. Worship God
-Don't just worship on Sunday morning during worship, but throughout your week. Turn on Christian radio, pop in a CD, or reflect on hymns.

Lastly,

D. Have Community
-Surround yourself with "a cloud of witnesses" and be a part of the community formed within the church.

Don't allow God to be a routine, but a relationship in your life. Make this a choice you want to do, not one that you have to do. Also, don't assume that since you're doing something God has commanded you to do that you deserve something in return. These two things will harm this love. God deserves a real relationship with you, not a relationship that exists only in this special time you set aside for God. Remember, our time is not our own. We are taking away from God by putting in time for work, fun, and any other activity we plan throughout our day.

Continue praying that God will love you more. Don't be afraid to step across the line and say, "Yes! Jesus, I will come follow you!" It will be the best decision you will ever make!

"What do you think God thinks about you?"
Text to: 22333
Message: 14910 (I Think God…"your response")

IMPORTANT: 22333 is a phone number. It doesn't have 7 digits, but the number does work. Also, 14910 must come before your message as well. To complete the texting both numbers must be correct.

Beginning this series, we need to understand what is means to "Live Sent". God designed us to be a part of His plan. He breathed life into us and we are called to be "sent". Our problem today is that we all decided to live for me and have yourself as #1 priority in our lives. However, what we don't realize is with this mentality we are doing everything backwards. Pastor Rick explains to us that God comes first, others come second and then ourselves. When we have this "all about me" attitude, we area really playing tug-of-war with ourselves and going no where. We are stuck in a place where we can't move.

Pastor Rick gives us a diagram that has 3 intertwined circles. The first circle says "Love God". The greatest commandment, according to Jesus, is "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind." This is where God comes first in your life. Jesus told us that God should be our number one priority. Then he goes on to say, "Love your neighbor as yourself." As we've grown up through this education system we've always been taught to "Treat each other as you'd like to be treated." They got that from the Bible, straight from the mouth of Jesus Christ our Savior. So the second circle is "Love People". Thirdly, we have "Live Out". This is where we, as Christians, began serving. We begin to live out a life of service. Serving the church with our spiritual gifts and serving our community. We must live out the love of God to those around us.

Like I mentioned before, the three circles are intertwined and in the middle we find that we are created to "Live Sent". When we love God, love people and live out we can then realize that we've been created to live sent.

This book of the Bible has always brought so much confusion and controversy into the church and has divided God's church. There are those who want to understand what it meant to it's original readers. Those who want to connect Revelation and its symbols to each generation. We can see this through the Left-Behind series and other books and movies. Then there are those who view it as a road map for the future and want to unlock the symbols that are explained throughout the book of Revelation. Pastor Rick expresses that the big message of Revelation is that things are not what they seem. the main character that we see in each of these symbols is jesus.
1. Jesus is the source of this revelation.
2. Jesus is present throughout
3. Jesus knows and cares
4. Jesus is powerful and victorious
Things were not easy back then. Simply saying your a Christian meant persecution, trials and difficulties. Nowadays, people just turn their shoulder to you if they disagree. This meant so much to them because they knew what was waiting ahead of them. At the end of this message, Pastor Rick asks us a few questions. Write them down, reflect of them and determine whether you will be there amongst the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

We've been going through the life of Paul the last two weeks and diving into the miraculous change from a person who persecutes and kills Christ followers to a man of God who can't be stopped from spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ. We have heard about his journey's with Barnabas and Silas. We have heard about the times he spent in jail, got beaten and flogged, and numerous other ways of persecution. Paul's Final Days were no exception to the story of his journeys. Pastor Rick talks about how Paul's journey hasn't been a "walk-in-the-park." No, his journey has been just the opposite. Yet, through all that, Paul has been faithful and has continued spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ. We need to see this as a guide. Though we face trials and problems, we need to remember the life of Paul. We need to faithfully rely on God and trust in His power. We were not told things would be easy once we became Christians. We are promised that at the end of our life we will receive the greatest gift ever to receive and so remaining faithful, like Paul, we can receive that free gift given to us. Will you choose to have faith like Paul? Find strength through the life of Paul and continue to serve faithfully.

Pastor Rocky East looked at Paul's Mission and compares that mission to the mission of the church. He challenges each of us to step out, listen to God and follow that which God has called us to do. Now we begin by seeing Paul and Barnabas called out by the Holy Spirit and they began praying and fasting making sure they were refreshed and filled with the Holy Spirit. We need to take this as an example, we need to be set a part when we go out and be doing this for God, not for selfish intentions. These men traveled for many miles and traveled to many different places. With new places comes new problems. Paul and Barnabas run into a sorcerer who is doing the works of the devil. Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, called out Bar-Jesus (the sorcerer) and called him "a child of the devil." Ironically, we read that a mist and darkness came over them and Bar-Jesus became blind, just as Saul had been blind. Paul and Barnabas' next journey had them in a place called Iconium. Here they were still being faced with tribulations and the gentiles and jewish of this area planned on having them stoned. Paul and Barnabas heard of the news and left the city and preached at another place. Afterwards they reached Lystra, where the met a crippled man. With the Holy Spirit, these men told him to stand up and he was healed. Miracles happen with the Holy Spirit. The last story Pastor Rocky gets into the story of Paul and Silas. Here they've met a fortune-teller who has been following them and telling everyone that they were messengers of the most high God. Paul casted the demon from the fortune-teller and her owner had them put into jail after being beaten and flogged. Though these men were beaten and put into the most inner jail cell, they were still worshiping the Lord. they sang and prayed while being captured. The Lord sent an earthquake, the doors flew open, and the chains were broken off. The jailor was going to kill himself because he thought the people had fled. However, Paul stopped him and the jailor, along with is family, asked to be taught how to be saved. Though they were imprisoned, Paul and Silas still presented the Lord to those who had them in captivity. The odds were against them, but they believed in God. Are the odds against you today? Continue listening to learn how God can help you when all odds are against you.

In this message, we learn of the time found between Jesus' ascension and the Festival of Pentecost. During this time, the disciples had been seeking and found a replacement for Judas Iscariot and were continually praying and waiting for the Holy Spirit to come as Jesus had promised. The day of Pentecost had arrived and, sure enough, the Holy Spirit came in an extraordinary way. We read that the Holy Spirit came like a  violent wind from heaven and filled the house where the disciples were. Then there seemed to be tongues of fire hovering over their heads and each of them began speaking in other tongues, enabled to them by the Holy Spirit. People from outside heard them speaking and were amazed because they were hearing others speaking in their native tongues. Pentecost brought in people from all over the world and to have someone speaking in their tongues were astounding. People began accusing them of being drunk. Peter stood up and began telling them about the gospel of Jesus Christ and thousands, after hearing the message, became followers of the gospel of Jesus Christ. This was a new beginning for the disciples and the church. This was the beginning of a world changing church. As a church, we must begin at the foundation: Prayer, worship and the empowerment of the Holy Spirit, Remain true to the focus: which is the gospel, and continue the fellowship of the church. Is today the day for your new beginning?

In this message, we looked into the 3 days of the Resurrection:

Friday was the day of Jesus' death. After he had been beaten, whipped, spat upon, crowned with a crown of thorns and then led to the top of Golgotha, he was placed on a cross where three nails were driven through his body to hold him on the wooden cross. Jesus had been going around saying in three days I will rise. Friday, the 1st day, was the day Christ died.

Saturday, day 2, people are realizing he is dead and there is this gloominess all around and Pastor Rick explains many of us get into this day of gloominess. We've gone through something and we can't find a way out of it or we don't know the answer and so we are left wondering. Saturday was a day where we don't know whether or not there is light coming. Pastor Rick makes the statement that, "if you don't have an answer for the grave you will be stuck on the Saturday state of mind. With the gospel of jesus christ we can look forward to sunday and face every other day with a glimmer of hope." We know what came after Saturday. We know that we have something to look forward to.

Sunday, the third day, there is hope in the name of Jesus because he defeated death through death itself. In the end, we can look forward to our upcoming Sunday in hope of everlasting life.

In this message, Pastor Rick digs into understanding the cross and how we must understand two characteristics of God's nature. The first characteristic is the Holy nature of God. This tells us that God is something completely different from us. He is above that which he created. There are many verses of Scripture that describe the holiness of God and God's power over us which I have posted below:

Isaiah 55:8
1 John 1:5
Habbakkuk 1:13
Psalm 95:10
Revelation 3:15-16

The second characteristic in the Loving nature of God. God's love for us, even though we are filled with wickedness, rebellion and sin (Exodus 34:6-7), God remains slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness. In the darkest hour, Jesus was burying our sins and God made Him who knew no sin to be sin for the sinners. The ultimate sacrifice has been paid for the sin of the world. This is the loving nature of God.

This week, Pastor Rick reaches outside of your walk, your friends and your church, but reaches out to your city. There were a few questions Pastor Rick discussed. First, Does God care about cities? We see the compassion and love God had for the city of Jerusalem. Scripture reads, "He will wipe every tear from their yes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain…" If He didn't care about the cities, why would this be written? Jerusalem is known as the City of God and he cared for that city. However, Babylon was known as the City of Satan. A few chapters back, Revelation 18, it reads, "Never again will the sound of music be heard there…there will be no industry of any kind…there will be no happy voices of brides and grooms…" We can see that God cares for His cities or else He wouldn't have said these things. Rick gives steps to becoming "fully engaged" in my city. The following is the sermon outline handed out in service:

1. Develop a heart for my city.
2. See the city as people.
3. Use the weapons of spiritual warfare.
    -The Ministry of the Word (Story of Ezra)
    -The Ministry of Deed (Story of Nehemiah)
    -The Ministry of Work (Story of Esther)
    -The Ministry of Community (Story of Jeremiah)

Pastor Rick dug into the question "What does it mean to be fully engaged in my church?" He began this week with the question, " What is the church?" There are so many different definitions to the church. He broke it down even further into, "What is the church according to the world/culture?" and "What is the church according to the Bible?" This week you'll hear a lot of mathematical equations and one of them defines the church. The church equals the Holy Spirit plus the believers of God. Pastor Rick doesn't define the church as the building where the congregation meets because it is just a building. The church is the body of believers filled with the Holy Spirit "whose hearts are fully committed to Him", according to 2 Chronicles 16:9. We dig into John 17 verse 6-8, 21 and 26; Romans 10:9-14 and 1 Corinthians 1:18 and find what the church's mission is according to Scripture. Pastor Rick ends with the Next Steps portion of the message:

How Do I become fully engaged in the church?

1. Become a part of the community

  -come early and/or stay late

  -be a part of a Growth Group

  -go out to lunch or have coffee with others

2. Commit to spiritual-growth in your own life.

  -a church is only as spiritually mature as the people that make it up.

  -become a "self-feeder"

3. Plug in a ministry

  -begin by thinking in terms of 1 hour per week

  -join a greeters team

  -look for your unique ministry shape based upon your gifting, life experiences, and concerns

4. Take up the challenge of tithing

5. Develop friendships with people who do not yet know Christ 

  -pray for 1-3 people who do not yet know Christ

  -intentionally develop friendships

  -invite to church and/or initiate spiritual conversations. If you need a goal to motivate you, think: 1 per month

This week's message, Pastor Rocky East dug into the question "What does it mean to be fully engaged with my friends?" Pastor Rocky talks about the positives and negatives of friendships. He began explaining the story of David and Jonathan and how they stood for each other and we willing to defend each other. Both of them respected and trusted each other.  they were able to express their feelings, emotions, and opinions with each other out of love. For the negative view of friendship, we looked at the story of Job and how his friends did nothing but bicker and tear Job down. These people claimed to be his friends, but didn't support him whatsoever. Lastly, Pastor Rocky brings to us "Friendship Evangelism." This is not like Job's friends where we constantly tear someone down, but rather we turn to God and say, "God, I am going to commit myself to this person and I'm going to bring them to this church and I'm going to make friends with them. I'm going to bring them in with me, sit with them, call them when they aren't at church. I'm going to be their mentor." God is asking the church to do this, "I am making my appeal to world through you." Are we going to ignore the words of God? Let us begin getting Fully Engaged With Our Friends!

Fully Engaged is a new series exploring a few different questions: What is the impact of a fully committed life? If we were fully committed in our walk with God, what could be the impact upon our friends, our church, and our city?

August 19th, 2012: Rocky East - Fully Engaged In My Walk With God

August 26th, 2012: Rocky East - Fully Engaged With My Friends

September 2nd, 2012 : Rick McClain - Full Engaged In My Church

September 9th, 2012: Rick McClain - Fully Engaged In My City

The title of this chapter leads directly into what this message is about. It leaves us with a question, "Who is this man?" Pastor Rick digs deeper into understand Jesus. Is Jesus a good man? Did His life reflect the characteristics of someone who has lived a good life. Is Jesus a crazy man? We have heard about Jesus being "crazy good," but does that qualify Him as a crazy man? We can see Him change water to wine, freeing people of demons, feeding thousands of people with a little bit of food, bringing a man back from the dead and didn't charge anyone a cent for doing this. Is Jesus the ultimate con man? Let's listen to the message, "Jesus, the Son of God" and find out exactly who He is.

In this message, we learn of how Jesus was "No Ordinary Man." We learn about Jesus' ministry through his miracles, such as, Him feeding the 5,000 people on five loaves of bread and two fish, calming the winds and the waves, and casting demons from a man. These miracles are the evidence to prove who Jesus truly is. Through his miracles and through his message we can see a glimpse of the Kingdom of God. All our storms will be silenced, the dead will rise, the demons will be banished and the diseases healed. He is worthy to be called our King. His ministry displayed to us his "royal authority." This unordinary man is Jesus the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Not only is this unordinary man our King, He is our Father. Who is your King?

Debbie Evans and Kathy Dixon discuss Chapter 23 of THE STORY. This chapter covers Jesus' early ministry, including his baptism, temptation, and his conversation with Nicodemus.

In this message, we learn of the life of Jesus. We learn about the impression of Christ's ministry on our lives and on our world. We begin understanding why Jesus was baptized. It was an announcement of Christ's ministry. This was the light bulb moment for the people because they heard the word of the Lord claiming Jesus as His Son. Not only that, it was a foreshadowing of His resurrection and our redemption. In baptism, we enter into the watery grave and we are raised into a new life. In this message, we also learn of how Jesus' ministry was "scary good." Pastor Rick mentions numerous verses that show how Christ's ministry was "scary good." Christ never fluctuated from God. When the devil tried to tempt Him, He focused on the Lord. Jesus has come to destroy the work of the devil and has come to reunite the people. Continue listening to learn about the "scary good" ministry of Jesus Christ.

Pastor Rick McClain and Lonnie Phelps discuss THE STORY chapter 22, "THe Birth of the King". The following are the questions they will be discussing:

1. Jesus is described in several ways in John 1:1-14. Which do you find to be the most meaningful and why? Examples: the Word, the Light, the one and only Son, the Creator, the Life, and the One who brings grace and truth.
2. Jesus was born of a virgin and conceived without sin. Why does this matter? 
3. In the Lower Story, Joseph and Mary had to go to Bethlehem to be counted in the census; it was a hard 3 day journey for someone 9 months pregnant. And the Upper Story, God was giving them to Bethlehem because that is where the Messiah was to be born. Do you recall an event in your life that seemed inconvenient and unnecessary, only to look back later and realize that God was doing something greater than you knew at the time.
4. Jesus is Immanuel, “God with us.” How does this name become central to the Christmas story? How does it help to know that he is with us all the time?

In this message, we read and hear about the entrance of Jesus Christ into the world and into our lives. We see the impact of Jesus Christ on the lives of others including Joseph and Mary. We begin understanding the familiarity of Jesus Christ in the entire Bible. Was it God there who fought against Jacob? Was God there with Joshua when they faced a warrior of the Lord? Who was with Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego when they were thrown in the fire? Jesus is our absolute certainty of eternal life. We do not face complications in our lives because of the presence of Christ, but rather it's the absence of Him in our life that cause these complications. We need to learn that He doesn't come with a long list of things for us to do to get our act together, but He comes because we cannot get our act together without Him.

In this podcast, Pastor Rick McClain interviews Rebekah Kelley all the way from South Korea. Find out more about her journey and also dig deeper into the transition from the Old Testament into the New Testament. The passage will come out of the "Rebuilding the Walls" chapter in The Story.

In this message, we read and hear about the Israelites return back to Jerusalem. Thousands among thousands make the journey back to worship in the newly built temple. Nehemiah, an Israelite living in Susa, heard from his brother that there were no walls protecting the temple and that made it susceptible to attack by surrounding nations. Nehemiah wept and prayed that the wall would be rebuilt because attack was not uncommon like we saw in the rebuilding of the temple. Nehemiah makes his way to Jerusalem where he told the officials and priests the plan to rebuild the wall. After fifty-two days the wall was rebuilt. The nation of Jerusalem came together to protect the temple and the people of Jerusalem. Nehemiah gathered all the Israelites and Ezra read to them the book of Moses. The people began weeping because they realized how far they had fallen from God's ways. Ezra stopped them and instructed them to return to God's ways. Malachi came and warned the people of what would happen if they turned from God's ways and reminded them of God's promise to bless Israel and use them to bless the world. Do you need to align your life with God's ways? Allow God to work through you and you too will bless the world.

In this message, we hear about the story of Esther. She was crowned queen by king Xerxes because she, out of the numerous other women brought before him, was the most beautiful. Esther, by her father Mordecai's command, kept the fact that she was an Israelite from the king because of the possible outcomes. So alongside Esther becoming queen, king Xerxes appointed Haman to the highest position possible in the region. He led the king to create a law to kill the Israelites in the region because they do not obey the king's laws. In hearing this, Esther went before the king and asked him to have a banquet and made it clear that Haman should be present. At this banquet, Esther revealed before the king and Haman that she was an Israelite and that the king should save her people. The king ordered for Haman to be arrested and killed. He wanted the Israelites to be safe and protected in his region. Esther was obedient to God and stood up for His people. We need that same obedience. We need the characteristics of Esther and we cannot accomplish anything unless we are right with God.

Pastor Rick McClain interviews Christ Community Church's nwe staff member Pastor Rocky East. Listen and find out more about Pastor Rocky East and both Rick and Rocky will discuss THE STORY chapter 19 "The Return Home".

In this message, we see the rebuilding of the temple. The Israelites are returning back to their home once again. The Israelites then begin the rebuilding process of the temple, laying the foundation and giving sacrifices to God. However, we learn of the trials they faced, the sabotage, of other countries that slow down and eventually halt the work on the temple. We learn, in this message, how the Israelites finally returned to rebuilding the temple and how we can return to the "Big Thing" God has for our lives. We learn how to make God's priorities our priorities.

In this message, we learn of the faithfulness, righteousness and devotion of four men: Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego and Daniel. We see how their faithfulness and righteousness in God changed and shaped a nation. The eyes of King Darius and King Nebuchadnezzer were awakened to the awesome power of God and in Him they praised. We learned the destiny of a nation was changed through the uncompromising faith of four men. Through the actions of these men we learn that righteousness is its own reward. Righteousness is where we are truly different.

Rick McClain and Cameron Kreager discuss "The Kingdoms' Fall" from 2 Kings 21-25 (THE STORY, Chapter 17).

In this message, we find ourselves reflecting over the leadership in Judah. We see one hundred and eleven years of leadership under seven different kings. Josiah, the first king during this time, reigned for thirty-one years following and obeying God. He allowed God to rule over him and in return over Judah. The kings after Josiah did not follow in his footsteps. These kings did evil in the eyes of the Lord for the next eighty years. This message will explain the characteristics of poor leadership, grasping the fact that "It is not about us, but about the Jesus in us."

In this message, we find Israel being captured by the Assyrians. They're carried into captivity and the 10 northern tribes cease to exist. In Judah, king Hezekiah comes to the throne. He is one of the few godly kings. In this message we see how his faithfulness saves Judah from captivity. We also see how the prophet Isaiah points to the Messiah 600 years before Jesus' birth.

This message was actually shared in three separate parts during the service.

Guests are Josh Harris and Elaine Van Dyke. We talk about their recent missions trip to Thailand and about Chapter 16 of THE STORY. Topics include the fall of Israel to the Assyrians; King Hezekiah of Judah who proved to be faithful to God during this period; and Isaiah, who prophecied about the Suffering Messiah some 600 years before Jesus' birth.

In this message, we will look at that timeline of the OT, role of the prophets, and we look specifically at one prophet, a prophet named Hosea.

We created a graphical timeline that might be helpful to see as you listen to this message. You can download it from our server below as an episode extra.

Jonathan Frantz uses our Story Podcast line (337.214.1234) to make a comment about a John Wesley quote from all the way back at Podcast #1, and Tracy LeBleu and Rick McClain discuss "A Kingdom Torn in Two" from 1 Kings 11-16 (THE STORY, Chapter 14). 

We think of Israel as a single nation, but for a few hundred years, it was not. Following the death of King Solomon, the nation divided into the Northern Kingdom of Israel and the Southern Kingdom of Judah. This story comes from chapter 14 of the Story or 1 Kings 11-16.

As we look at this story, we’ll ask the question: What really caused the kingdom to divide, and we’ll find that there are two answers. One involves the unwise decision of an inexperienced young king. The other involves an unwise decision from a man known as the wisest man who ever lived. And along the way, we learn some lessons that will help us to live more faithfully to God today.

Believing that God is all-powerful isn't difficult for those who believe in God. But believing that God will use his power in my life and in this situation — now that's quite another thing! In this message, we look at a biblical pattern of how God often unleashes his power, so that we can see how to better walk in faith in our own life jouneys.

In this message, shared on Mother's Day 2012, we look at God's omnipresence, his "Unlimited Presence."

God is truly unlimited. In this series, we look at some of the "omnis" — in this messge, God's omniscience, or his unlimited knowledge. He knows our past, our present, and even our future. At the end, Julie Van Dyke sings, "He Knows My Name."

It is said that if you put a frog in kettle of lukewarm water and then raise the temperature slowly, the frog will stay in the kettle until he boils to death. This is a good summary of the story of Solomon.

We look at Solomon’s story from chapter 13 of the Story or 1 Kings 1-11.

Josh Harris and Elaine Van Dyke will go on a mission trip to Thailand, leaving on May 15. In this short interview, they tell about their trip.

They will sell meals next Sunday, May 6, following worship, as a fundraise to defray the expenses of this trip. Total expenses are about $2,200 per person. They will sell the meals for $6 each. Meals include a hamburger, baked beans, chips, cookie, and a softdrink.

David Iverson is our guest, and we look at Chapter 12 of THE STORY, which covers David's sin and consequences.

Cameron Kreager will join the staff of Christ Community Church in early June. This interview will help us get to know Cameron and his finance, Jennifer Kirby, better. Cameron shares how he experienced a call to ministry, and both Cameron and Jennifer share how they came to be followers of Jesus Christ.

Everything was going "up and to the right" for David as king. Then, one day, he sees Bathsheba bathing. He soon begins an affair. Then, to cover up his sin, David compounds his sin by having Uriah, Bathsheba's husband killed. In this message, we trace the themes of temptation, sin, forgiveness, and consequences.

In this message we look at or 1 Samuel 16-18 or Chapter 11 from THE STORY. When the story opens, God is looking for a new king to replace Saul. As God looks at every possible person in Israel, God chooses a boy out on a hillside tending sheep.

As the story develops, God could see David’s possibilities, but others could not. So what did God see? 

Lynette Marcantel is this week's guest as we discuss Chapter 11, "From Shepherd to King." This is the story of David's journey from a boy on a hillside tending sheep to tending the people of God as their shepherd and king.

Josh McDowell once wrote that, as we look at Jesus, there are only 3 possibilities. Since he claimed to be the Son of God, he is either lying, out of touch with reality, or his claim is true. Liar, Lunatic, or Lord.

Surveys indicate that nearly 9 out of 10 people believe that Jesus is in fact who he said he was. It makes you wonder why we have any crime in our streets, doesn’t it?

This message looks at a 4th possibility. Many people have answered the Lord, Liar, Lunatic question by saying: Legend! They don’t question the truth of the story, only it’s relevance to their lives.

In this message, we look at why the story of Jesus, from 1,984 Easters ago matters to us today.

As we look at the events leading to the cross, sometimes the question isn't as much: Is it true? As it is: Does it matter? Does God really care? In this message, we look at how God has demonstrated his care for you and me.

Josh Quayhagen is this week's guest, and we discuss Chapter 10 of THE STORY or 1 Samuel 1-15.

In this message, we look at 1 Samuel 1-15. This part of the Story is about how different people were distorting the image of God. And in each case, God used Samuel to correct the distortion. 

Elizabeth Iverson is this week's guest, and we discuss THE STORY, Chapter 9, or the Old Testament Book of Ruth. Rick McClain is host.

Ruth is a small book in the OT. Yet, it contains a fascinating story. It illustrates the grace of God to Naomi, who provided for her, even through she had been less than faithful. Boaz welcomes Ruth, the outsider, personally, and on behalf of God. Ruth, the outsider, becomes an ancestor of Jesus Christ himself. And Boaz fulfilling the role of kins-redeemer Bethlehem foreshadows God’s plan for another Redeemer that will be born in the same small village 1,000 years later.

This message covers the book of Ruth or Chapter 9 in the Story. 

This podcast corresponds to Chapter 8 in THE STORY: "A Few Good Men... and Women," or in the Bible, to the book of Judges. Our guest is James Robertson, and the host is Rick McClain.

The Old Testament book of Judges contains a pattern that is repeated six times. Israel does evil in the eyes of the Lord. Then God removes his hand of blessing, and they are oppressed by another nation. The people then cry out to the Lord. God raises up a judge. Israel is delivered, and there is peace in the land as Israel serves the Lord -- until they do evil once again and fall into a pattern of sin. 

This message covers the book of Judges or Chapter 8 in the Story. And we look at this pattern, and what makes it so relevant to us is that all of us, like ancient Israel, are in one of these 4 places: Sin, Oppression, Repentance, or Restoration.

This podcast corresponds to Chapter 7 in THE STORY: "The Battle Begins," or in the Bible, to the book of Joshua. Guests are Kennith McClain and Joy McClain. The host is Rick McClain.

After 40 years of wandering in the wilderness, Israel is finally ready to enter the Promised Land. Yet, the challenges before them are no less than they were when their ancestors refused to go up against the Canaanites. In this message, we look at the three weapons of divine warfare that allow God’s people to be victorious, even when facing great challenges. 

This message covers the book of Joshua, or Chapter 7 of The Story. 

Dennis Tooke is this week's guest. This podcast corresponds to Chapter 6 in THE STORY, and it covers the story of Israel's disobedience and failure to enter into the Promised Land and their 40 years of wandering in the wilderness. Rick McClain is the host, and there are contributions from Christy McClain. To participate in the conversation, go to ChristCommunityChurch.info/the-story-discussion-pages or call our Story Voicemail Line @ 337.214.1234.

When we left Israel last week, they had just received the 10 Commandments on Mt. Sinai. The plan was for Israel to move directly from Mt. Sinai to the Promised Land. But instead of trusting God, they complain. And then, things get much worse when they take a wrong turn. Instead of trusting in their GPS, their God Positioning System, they trust in their own judgement. And God says, “Recalculating!” The result is that they will wander in the wilderness for 40 years. And we do the same today when we fail to trust our God Positioning System.

Pastor Rick McClain is the speaker.

Christy McClain is our guest, and in this episode, we discuss Chapter 5 - "Commandments and a New Covenant" from "THE STORY: The Bible as One Continuing Story of God and His People." The host is Rick McClain. 

This is week 5 in our journey through the Bible. This week, we find Israel at Mt. Sinai, and God is planning to come down and dwell with his people. But in order for that to happen, God says, we will need 3 things to happen. We look at all of this, and what happened while Moses was up on the mountain. Finally, we’ll see what it means to you and me today.

This podcast is a discussion of Chapter 4 - "Deliverance," from "THE STORY: The Bible as One Continuing Story of God and His People." This week covers Exodus 1-17. The host is Dr. Rick McClain, Pastor of Christ Community Church, and our guest is Julie Jinks.

In this message, we continue our journey through the Bible in 31 weeks using a resource called “The Story.” This message corresponds with Chapter 4 of THE STORY or Exodus 1-17. Last week, we saw how Israel ended up in Egypt. In this message, we see how Israel is delivered from Egypt. Our main character is Moses, but this story is less about Moses and more about what God reveals about himself for the first time. Here, we’ll see how God reveals his name, his power, and his plan.

This podcast is a discussion of Chapter 3 — "Joseph," from "THE STORY: The Bible as One Continuing Story of God and His People." This week covers Genesis 37-50. The host is Dr. Rick McClain, Pastor of Christ Community Church, and our guest is Mariece Harris. Contributions to our discussion are made by Rebekah Bowers Kelley, Christy McClain, and the Tooke family.

In this message, we are continuing our journey through the Bible in 31 weeks using a resource called “THE STORY.” This message corresponds with Chapter 3 of THE STORY — Genesis 37-50 in your Bibles — and our main character is Joseph. Joseph went through a lot of difficult times. Yet, better than perhaps anyone else in all of the Old Testament, he understood how the story of his own life, even the bad parts, fit into God’s plan.

This podcast is a discussion of Chapter 2 — "God Builds a Nation," from "THE STORY: The Bible as One Continuing Story of God and His People." This week covers Genesis 12-36. This is the time of "The Patriarchs": Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. But here, we will focus on God's call of Abram and the Sacrifice of Isaac. The host is Dr. Rick McClain, Pastor of Christ Community Church, and our guest is Rebekah Bowers Kelley. Contributions to our discussion are made by Elizabeth Iverson, the Tooke family, and Wava and Christy McClain.

God begins to create for himself a new people, and this story begins with Abram and Sarai. Their chief qualifications? They were old and childless! And in this, we see for the first time how God often chooses to work — through people and in ways where no one can deny that it is God at work.

This message looks at the struggle of faith for Abraham and Sarah as they trust God, even when it seemed that it would be impossible for God to follow through on his promises. And at the end, we look at the "clue" that God had our redemption through Christ in mind all along — from the time he first called Abram. 

This podcast is a discussion of Chapter 1 — "God's Big Idea," from "THE STORY: The Bible as One Continuing Story of God and His People." This week covers Genesis 1-11, including stories of The Creation, The Fall, Cain Kills Abel, and Noah and The Flood. The host is Dr. Rick McClain, Pastor of Christ Community Church, and guests are Daniel Edwards and Steve Hardesty.

Some movies begin with a "big bang," and if you miss the opening scene, it's hard to catch up on what's going on. The Bible is similar. If you miss the foundational themes in Genesis 1-11, it's hard to understand what follows.

This message covers the opening chapters of the book of Genesis (THE STORY, chapter 1): the stories of the creation, Adam and Eve's sin, the murder of Abel by his brother Cain, and the story of Noah and the flood. After looking at the stories, we look at the major themes that they contain that will lay the foundation for what is to come in the remainder of the Bible.

Over the next 31 weeks, our church community is going to read through the Bible together, using a resource called, "THE STORY." "THE STORY" is comprised of selections from the New International Version of the Bible. It is edited by Max Lucado and Randy Frazee so as to help us to read the Bible as one continuing story of God and his people.

Over these next 31 weeks, we are going to look at individual Bible stories, and we are going to see how they relate to the big story of what God is doing in our world. And finally, we are going to see how God's Big Story relates to our lives. This message helps us to understand how that process works.

I'll talk about how that process works, and then we will study "The Lord's Prayer" using this process.

This message describes THE STORY, a series that will take our church through the entire Bible in 31 weeks. We are challenged — DEAL OR NO DEAL? — to plug in in 4 different ways:

• Worship Services  
• Personal Reading  
• Family Time  
• Growth Groups  

And in a 5th "deal," we are challenged to align our lives to God's Story.