April 23, 2006 marks a new beginning for Crane Community Chapel. We broke more than just ground. We shoveled dirt, but we also welcomed the hard work that is to come – in both the physical and spiritual realm. We believe that God has great things in story for this church body as we continue to move forward under His guidance and His direction. Come and see what God is doing.
As we begin our own physical building project, it seems appropriate that we begin a study on God’s building program: The Church – the people and the disciples that make up the spiritual body. God’s building project is covered in the Book of Acts which records the birth of the Church in the First Century and it gives us a healthy blueprint for the building of our own church body.
The Book of Acts is a story of origins, told in retrospect, that shows how the earliest followers of Jesus came to understand who could belong to God’s Church and how they could belong to God’s Church. We will see how - despite tremendous obstacles - the Church moved forward. And we will see that these same principles can be part of our church today – they are timeless truths. The Book of Acts also shows us that nothing could keep the Good News about Jesus from spreading everywhere. That’s interesting. Isn’t that the mission of Crane Chapel?
Working together is a very important part of Christianity and it’s a very important piece of Crane Chapel’s history. Crane is a body of believers that has learned to work together. God has so many different jobs for us to do over the next months. We need to be open and willing to serve one another and with one another.
One of the most important things you can do as a person and as a church body is to make disciples. Discipleship is a biblical command that is not practiced in today’s world as much as it should be. Wouldn’t it be great if Crane Chapel started a new trend? See, when disciples are made, unbelievers are displaced and things in a community begin to change. Dramatically! People cannot serve two masters at the same time. You either serve Christ or something else. To be a disciple of Christ means that you study His words, see what He did, and then do what He said and did. This is the work of the Church: To expand His Church by being both an example and a disciple-maker in the community.
Back to that groundbreaking in April: Each person present that day felt the joy and the anticipation and the thrill of it. The beginning of construction is now reality and it’s a visible sign that Crane Chapel is moving ahead. It really does stir the emotion. Let’s channel that emotion now into the area of discipleship and the growth of God’s Church. We really did break more than just ground. We reaffirmed the mission of Crane Chapel.
Each of you has a gift or two or more. Each of you has a place not only in church, but also in history, an appointment by God. You are a piece of the Divine puzzle. You are part of God's plan and method. He wants you to be used, to be a part of His ministry to this community and the world. I am looking forward to sharing the timeless truths from the Book of Acts. Join me. And bring a friend!
As we begin our own physical building project, it seems appropriate that we begin a study on God’s building program: The Church – the people and the disciples that make up the spiritual body. God’s building project is covered in the Book of Acts which records the birth of the Church in the First Century and it gives us a healthy blueprint for the building of our own church body.
The Book of Acts is a story of origins, told in retrospect, that shows how the earliest followers of Jesus came to understand who could belong to God’s Church and how they could belong to God’s Church. We will see how - despite tremendous obstacles - the Church moved forward. And we will see that these same principles can be part of our church today – they are timeless truths. The Book of Acts also shows us that nothing could keep the Good News about Jesus from spreading everywhere. That’s interesting. Isn’t that the mission of Crane Chapel?
Working together is a very important part of Christianity and it’s a very important piece of Crane Chapel’s history. Crane is a body of believers that has learned to work together. God has so many different jobs for us to do over the next months. We need to be open and willing to serve one another and with one another.
One of the most important things you can do as a person and as a church body is to make disciples. Discipleship is a biblical command that is not practiced in today’s world as much as it should be. Wouldn’t it be great if Crane Chapel started a new trend? See, when disciples are made, unbelievers are displaced and things in a community begin to change. Dramatically! People cannot serve two masters at the same time. You either serve Christ or something else. To be a disciple of Christ means that you study His words, see what He did, and then do what He said and did. This is the work of the Church: To expand His Church by being both an example and a disciple-maker in the community.
Back to that groundbreaking in April: Each person present that day felt the joy and the anticipation and the thrill of it. The beginning of construction is now reality and it’s a visible sign that Crane Chapel is moving ahead. It really does stir the emotion. Let’s channel that emotion now into the area of discipleship and the growth of God’s Church. We really did break more than just ground. We reaffirmed the mission of Crane Chapel.
Each of you has a gift or two or more. Each of you has a place not only in church, but also in history, an appointment by God. You are a piece of the Divine puzzle. You are part of God's plan and method. He wants you to be used, to be a part of His ministry to this community and the world. I am looking forward to sharing the timeless truths from the Book of Acts. Join me. And bring a friend!
-Pastor Mark Goossen
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