Connexus Community Church

It's July - And We're...Growing?

So in ministry world in Canada, summer is often a deadzone.  Not much happens.  Now that's never really been our philosophy at Connexus (we have a line up this summer that we are so excited about for adults and kids), but sometimes in the summer in ministry it feels like you are fighting gravity to get traction at church.

But this morning I looked out over the crowd in Barrie and talked to our Orillia crew and we both shared the same observation.  You couldn't tell it was summer.  People are bringing their friends, filling seats and sharing the experience with each other.  It's amazing.  It's July, and we're growing.

2009 so far has been a strong year, but what we're encouraged about is who is coming out.  One of the trends we've seen is more and more teens and adults in their early 20s (who were previously unchurched or had dropped out of church) coming to Connexus. The teen thing is doubly surprising.  Not only are they coming on their own initiative, but some of them are now dragging their unchurched parents to church.  Some of us grew up in a world where parents dragged kids to church.  It's just awesome to see the opposite happening.  

We would never claim any credit for that kind of thing - all we can do is our best.  It's God who changes lives and gives people a desire to know him better.

But we are taking a few minutes to say thank you!  Thank you to God, but thank you also to you.

Thank you for serving, giving and working so hard to create the kind of environment our friends and family want to come out to - especially those who never thought they'd go to church.  

I'm so thankful that we get to be a part of watching a growing number of people enter into a growing relationship with Jesus Christ.  People you thought you'd never see in church.  Even in July.

Love doing this with you!

Carey

This Weekend @ Connexus | July 5th, 2009

Hey Friends!

Completely looking forward to Chicks and Dudes this weekend.  One of the things I love about the Bible is that it so describes the issues we experience in life.  It's not like we have to make the Bible relevant.  It just is relevant. 

Which is incredible, because when you bring someone with you who doesn't have much background in the Bible, the relevancy of what we are talking about is already there.  I love it when people say "I had no idea the Bible addressed the issues I'm dealing with."  Bingo.  That's pretty much all it does.  We just get the privilege of helping people see that.

So this weekend, the spotlight is on women and men, chicks and dudes.  Best of all - the application is practical.  When we see what God says, we can begin to do what He asked us to do and live in a much better way.  My hope is that our marriages, our friendships, our working relationships, all become stronger because of what we see together this weekend.

So, gearing up for Chicks and Dudes and excited for you to bring your friends and family to it. 

Barrie Campus
   
Week Three: The S Word
So if the power imbalance between men and women is off, how do you get it back? Is there some way to relate that actually smoothes the relationship between men and women? What is it? You might not want to hear the answer, but if you understand the answer, it could transform your relationship with the opposite sex.
       
Service Times: 8:30 & 10:00 am | Galaxy Theaters Barrie 72 Commerce Park Dr.

Orillia Campus

Week Two: Fatal Attraction
People fall in love. But over time, love wears thin. What used to turn you on is a turn off. You begin to look over your shoulder, wondering if things would be better if you were with someone else. Why is that? Why is nothing good enough? What can you do to reverse the trend and bring friendship and love back into your relationship?

All Family Ministry Environments from Birth - Gr. 8 will be running from June 28th - August 30th at 10:00am ONLY.
In Upstreet, our Grade 1-5 environment, we start a 10 week series from June 28th - August 30th that follows the adventures of Molly Pickens and the Rainy Day Castle.

Service Times: 8:30 & 10:00 am | Galaxy Theaters Orillia 865 West Ridge Blvd.

This Weekend @ Connexus | June 28th, 2009

Okay, this summer weather is contagious. Maybe that's not the right word, but I wish it was contagious so we could have more of it! But I know hundreds of us will take a break this weekend for a few hours to head into some air conditioned theaters Sunday with some friends to check out Chicks and Dudes, our June series about relationships and the tension that exists between women and men.

I've met with a lot of leaders over the last seven days at Connexus, and I'm so encouraged to hear story after story after story of people who had given up on church, never been to church or never felt included in church who are now coming to Connexus. Turns out even some people I thought were solid church attenders didn't have that in their background at all over the last decade. I love being able to be part of an awesome team that hosts environments unchurched people love to attend. 

This weekend, who might you bring with you to Connexus? A friend? Your spouse? Your son or daughter?  Your mom or dad? A neighbour? A friend from work? I hope you bring someone, because Chicks and Dudes deals with issues that are universal. The application is practical, relevant and biblical. And the music, by the way, is sensational for this series.

P.S.  If you are going to the Orillia campus where Chicks and Dudes launches this weekend, DON"T BE LATE. (If you are coming to Barrie, we don't want you to be late either...but in Orillia, for sure don't be late).

Here's what's up!

Barrie
   
Chicks & Dudes
Week Two: Fatal Attraction
People fall in love. But over time, love wears thin. What used to turn you on is a turn off. You begin to look over your shoulder, wondering if things would be better if you were with someone else. Why is that? Why is nothing good enough? What can you do to reverse the trend and bring friendship and love back into your relationship?
       
Service Times: 8:30 & 10:00 am | Galaxy Theaters Barrie 72 Commerce Park Dr.

Orillia
   
Chicks & Dudes
Week One: Power Failure
Power is such a source of tension in any relationship. Especially in marriage. Believe it or not, it wasn't always that way. This week we'll explore how power and desire create a tension between men and women, where that came from. We'll gain some insight from the Bible that help us understand the dynamic of what's going on with the opposite gender.
       
Service Times: 8:30 & 10:00 am | Galaxy Theaters Orillia 865 West Ridge Blvd.

See you Sunday!

This Weekend @ Connexus | June 21st, 2009

Going to be a great weekend to invite friends to at Connexus, and honestly one you don't want to miss yourself. 

In Barrie, we launch Chicks and Dudes. If you're one of those people who usually strolls in a few minutes after the service starts, change that this Sunday. You DO NOT want to miss the opening of this service. We're turning Connexus into a nightclub like atmosphere as we launch Chicks and Dudes. The worship is like - well, totally different than anything we've ever done and something you've likely never heard before in church. And in the message we're going to get right into the heart of why, in light of the fact that dudes are attracted to chicks and chicks are attracted to dudes, we just can't seem to understand each other. The Bible provides incredible insight into that tension.

In Orillia, we have an incredible weekend planned with a message from Andy Stanley that nails the essence of what it means to follow Jesus. I'm sure you'll leave Sunday saying "I wish so and so could have heard the message."  Plan ahead and bring them with you! It's going to be awesome.

Barrie
   
Week One: Power Failure
Power is such a source of tension in any relationship. Especially in marriage. Believe it or not, it wasn't always that way. This week we'll explore how power and desire create a tension between men and women, where that came from. We'll gain some insight from the Bible that help us understand the dynamic of what's going on with the opposite gender.
       
Service Times: 8:30 & 10:00 am | Galaxy Theaters Barrie 72 Commerce Park Dr.

Orillia
   
Opening Hands
This Andy Stanley message about what it means to follow Jesus. Andy's one of the very best communicators in North America.  He's the Lead Pastor at North Point Community Church in Alpharetta, GA. We are strategic partners of North Point and are a part of the growing movement of churches across North America that share the same mission, values, beliefs and strategy.
       
Service Times: 8:30 & 10:00 am | Galaxy Theaters Orillia 865 West Ridge Blvd.

See you Sunday.  It's going to be an incredible few weeks ahead of us!

Carey

Figuring Out God's Will (2)

Here are a few of the other questions that came in live via text over the last two weekends at Connexus. We'll take a crack at them, and I'd love to hear what you think....

Q. Pride prevents me from having a long term relationship with God.  Is an amount of pride a good thing?

A.  Wow.  That's a great question, and a tough issue.  Pride is a problem.  You could argue it was at the heart of how humanity fell.  In Genesis 3, Adam and Eve thought they knew better than God, and sin entered the world.  In a passage that many believe is about how Satan (who is first described as an angel of God) got cast out of heaven, the central issue is pride - he wanted to put himself in God's place. 

Jesus was so hard on pride - he said over and over again that God will humble the proud and lift up the humble.  One of the best known proverbs in the bible is that pride goes before a fall.

I can think of nothing good that Bible says about pride, largely I think, because pride seeks to put ourselves about others and resists the relationship others (including God) want us to have.  If you are proud, you can't submit to anyone.  So you can't submit to God.

Humility is attractive in other people - pride repels people. 

What to do?  Turn from your pride.  Submit to Christ, and ask Him to fill you with what is good.   Read Romans 12 again.  It's full of counsel on humility, Christ and how to view and see others.

Q.  What if we are already married and unequally yoked?

A.  "Unequally yoked" is a phrase people use to describe what happens when people are spiritually mismatched in a marriage (usually that one is a Christian and the other is not).  It comes from this passage, which is actually not about marriage, but about relationships in general.  

The good news is that I don't have to answer this question because the Bible answers it with incredible clarity in 1 Corinthians 7.  That chapter is a virtual text book on why to marry, how to marry, who you should marry, what happens if you are married to a non-Christian and more.  Enjoy!

Q.  Is it God's will for me to donate to Connexus?

A.  Well, let's take Connexus out of it and simply say this:  yes, it's God's will for you to give.  Check this text out, and consider Paul's advice to thieves to stop stealing and make enough money not just to provide for themselves, but to make enough to give to others. 

The tithe is an Old Testament concept that essentially says that God allows us to live off 90% of what he gives us and expects us to give 10% back to him.  It's quite explicit.  In the New Testament, generosity was a benchmark of faith.  The New Testament says we should use the money we have to do good, not to spend it all on ourselves.

In fact, there are so many references in the Bible to giving, sharing, investing in the Kingdom of God and providing for those in need, that it's impossible to ignore the fact that the money God gave us is not intended only for our use.  It's His, and He wants us to use it for his purpose.

Connexus is part of the Kingdom.  Personally, the vast majority of my giving goes to Connexus (about 99%) because I believe we are making a difference for the Kingdom in Central Ontario and beyond.  But even if Connexus didn't exist, I would still have a need to give and give generously to the local church.

Q  Is there a basic principle that can be applied to help us determine what is from God and what is not?

A.  Love that question!  Yes.  There are two. 

It is from God if it is consistent with scripture.  I know that means you have to read the Bible.  But 15 minutes of Bible reading a day can change your life.  And don't just read with a view to gathering information, read with a view toward application - how can I apply this to my life?  

When the Bible isn't clear, try this: everything that does not come from faith is sin. (Romans 14:23). The Bible doesn't speak with clarity on every subject.  There will be grey areas.  Consumption of alcohol is a great example. The Bible is against drunkenness in any form. But whether you can have an occasional drink is widely seen as a matter of conscience.  Some Christians say you should never drink, others see frequent references to the use of alcohol in the Bible. So, what do you do?  When it comes to matters of conscience like this, follow Romans 14:23 - if you cannot in good conscience drink alcohol before God, don't do it - it is sin.  If you can drink in moderation with a clean conscience before God, it is not sin for you.

A few notes about this principle:  first, in matters of alcohol, beware of family history, addictive personality tendencies and when in doubt, don't.  And second, this is NOT a test for situations where the Bible is clear.  If you are thinking of having an affair and it seems "right" to you - don't.  It isn't right to God.  If you are thinking of 'telling someone off', don't.  The Bible speaks against it.  Don't use it to justify sin when the Bible is clear what sin is, but when the scripture is not clear, the passage has helped me many times.

Great questions!  Thanks for the chance to respond....love to hear your thoughts!

- Carey

Figuring Out God's Will (1)

So, we had a great time wrapping up Signs from Beyond...our series on discovering God's will.

The final message was a live q and a I did at all campuses.  People texted their questions in, and we had an awesome response!  So good in fact, that we had way more questions than time to answer them.  So we'll tackle the questions we didn't get a chance to talk about here on the blog this week.  

Which makes it really interesting because now you get to chime in.  Ready?

Question:  How do I find my purpose and my career?

I'm increasingly convinced that God doesn't have different purposes for us, but the same purpose.  If all of history is moving toward Jesus, then our lives also need to be aimed in that direction. God's purpose is that all people would come to Him through Christ.  

That can be lived out when you are working in a factory, in an office, retired, in school, or raising kids.  Our career is actually less important than our character.  We bring who we are to everything we do.  I know many business people who have a greater passion for Christ and are a better witness for Him than some pastors. 

Does that mean you need to try to convert everyone you work with?  Nope.  It does mean that if Christ is at the center of who you are, and he has reformed your character, the truth of who he is to you will show in your life.

As to what you should do, I think that's a case for wisdom, assessing your gifts and getting input from others.  I'm not sure there is one 'right' answer for most of us.  The Bible indicates that we should find what we're good at and do it - offering it up to Christ.  Artists bring glory to God when they are the best artists they can be.  Leaders who lead with all diligence do the same.  When we let Christ reshape our character, we bring who He is to all we do.

As you pray through this, ask Christ to become more and more a part of your daily life, reshaping your character.  And talk to friends, other Christians and even do some career testing to find out what you are best at, and then do it and see it as a path where you can honour God through your work.

What do others think?  Other advice?  Agree or disagree?

This Weekend @ Connexus | June 14th, 2009

So this will be a great weekend! Make sure you're around. Here are four great reasons this weekend will be awesome!

1.We're doing an Andy Stanley message at our Barrie Campus. Andy's one of the very best communicators in North America. He's going to talk about what it means to follow Jesus. Awesome message!
  
2.In Orillia, we're saying farewell to the Birch family as Rich, Christine, Hailey and Hunter leave our church family and head to Liquid Church in New Jersey. God has done so much through this family, and this is our chance to say thanks and wish them well. Also, we get a chance to meet Sean Wood - our new interim campus pastor in Orillia. And I'll be preaching live in Orillia this weekend to wrap up Signs from Beyond.  Bring your cell phones. Here's the bottom line: you text me questions about God's will for your life during the message and I'll try to answer them. 

3. At our Barrie and Orillia campuses, join us after the 10am service for a short forum called Next - all about what's Next for you at Connexus. If you're new or been attending for a while and are wondering what's Next, join us!

4.It's a Muskoka weekend. Join us at 6pm at the Rene Caisse Theater  and bring your cell phones. The message is live as we wrap up Signs from Beyond. I'll answer your questions about God's will live during the message!

So...tell your friends, and don't miss what's happening at all of our campuses this weekend!

DETAILS:

Barrie
Opening Hands: This Andy Stanley message about what it means to follow Jesus. Andy's one of the very best communicators in North America.  He's the Lead Pastor at North Point Community Church in Alpharetta, GA. We are strategic partners of North Point and are a part of the growing movement of churches across North America that share the same mission, values, beliefs and strategy.

Service Times: 8:30 & 10:00 am | Galaxy Theaters Barrie 72 Commerce Park Dr.


Orillia
Signs From Beyond
Week Four - When the Picture is Fuzzy: So what happens when you have a situation in your life where you are seeking God's will but it seems like the Bible doesn't address it? This week, the message will be based on questions people submit live via text messages during the sermon. We'll open the bible and try to bring clarity to situations you are struggling with in real time. Plus, we'll introduce you to a principle that can guide you in finding God's will throughout your life.

Service Times: 8:30 & 10:00 am | Galaxy Theaters Orillia 865 West Ridge Blvd.

Muskoka
Signs from Beyond
Week Four - When the Picture is Fuzzy: So what happens when you have a situation in your life where you are seeking God's will but it seems like the Bible doesn't address it? This week, the message will be based on questions people submit live via text messages during the sermon. We'll open the bible and try to bring clarity to situations you are struggling with in real time. Plus, we'll introduce you to a principle that can guide you in finding God's will throughout your life.

Service Time: 6:00 pm | Rene Caisse Theater 100 Clearbrook Trail| Bracebridge


See you Sunday!

Carey

This Weekend @ Connexus | June 7th, 2009

You just never know what's around the corner at Connexus, and that's especially true during the next two weekends. This weekend in Barrie, and on June 14th in Orillia and Muskoka, the message will be completely interactive as we wrap up Signs from Beyond. So far in the series, we've taught you where to look to find God's will, how to find it in Biblical principles and how to find it in biblical stories. But inevitably, some of you are still thinking "Yeah, but how does that cover MY situation?"

So this weekend in Barrie and next weekend in Orillia and Muskoka, you can text me your questions live during the service and I'll answer them during the message. Simple as that. Think of it as Connexus unscripted.

Here's the bottom line. Bring your cell phones to church. Text your questions to a designated number (we'll provide it at the service) and we're rolling. There's no special fee for this. Just your usual carrier rates will apply.

If you don't like to text, email your questions in right now to admin@connexuscommunity.com. We'll collate them and bring them in for Sunday.

So, wherever you are, there's something awesome happening this weekend. Here are the details:

Barrie Campus
   
Signs From Beyond | Week Four: When the Picture is Fuzzy
So what happens when you have a situation in your life where you are seeking God's will but it seems like the Bible doesn't address it? This week, the message will be based on questions people submit live via text messages during the sermon. We'll open the bible and try to bring clarity to situations you are struggling with in real time. Plus, we'll introduce you to a principle that can guide you in finding God's will throughout your life.

Service Times: 8:30 & 10:00 am | Galaxy Theaters Barrie 72 Commerce Park Dr.


Orillia Campus
 
Signs From Beyond | Week Three: Your Story
Many of us end up thinking about the stories we read in the bible as interesting, but not really applicable to our lives. But what if you might actually be able to find clues to God's will for your life in the stories you read in the Bible? That's what we'll explore this week as we go one level deeper in how to hear God speak to you today.      

Service Times: 8:30 & 10:00 am | Galaxy Theaters Orillia 865 West Ridge Blvd.

Sunday - Text Us Your Questions Live During the Service

So to wrap up Signs from Beyond at our campuses, we're doing something we haven't done before.  I'm actually not going to prepare a full message.  Instead, we're going to let you fire your personal questions/scenarios at me live Sunday morning during the message via text messaging. In fact, your questions (and the answers to them) will form the message Sunday.  

This happens on June 7th in Barrie (8:30 and 10:00 a.m.) and June 14th in Orillia (8:30 and 10:00 a.m.) and Muskoka (6:00 p.m.). I am totally looking forward to taking your questions about finding God's will for a situation you're facing. There's nothing like a live dialogue!

Why are we doing this?  Well, all series long, we've been saying the same thing: the way to learn God's will for your life is to study and apply the Bible's teachings to your life circumstances.  But the problem is this:  even though I've taught on this for three solid weeks, I'm pretty sure there are hundreds of people who are still saying: Great, but you didn't deal with MY issue.  How can I find God's will for my life in this situation?  

That's why we're giving you a chance to interact for the final week of Signs from Beyond.  You text me the questions live during the message, and I'll search the Bible live and try to come up with an answer. That will be our message. Sounds fun, doesn't it? 

So here's how to get ready for Sunday:

• Show up Sunday with your cell phone. During the message, text in your questions to a designated number and your questions will show up live on the screen (don't worry - no names or phone numbers will show up, just the questions).  I'll pull from that screen and then we're off to races in search of answers.
• If for some reason you don't want to text live, you can email your questions in advance to admin@connexuscommunity.com.  I'll get a final list of those questions Saturday night and will sample a few of those questions live on Sunday too. 

So, stuck on what to do in a relationship?  Trying to figure work or career out?  Financial questions? Wondering what God would have you do with your future?  Wondering whether to order a medium or large fries?  Show up with your cell phone ON Sunday, or shoot us a quick email now at admin@connexuscommunity.com.   

Can't wait for Sunday. And with the unpredictability of a live message and lots of interaction, it should be engaging for all of us.  Either that, or I'll just ask the band to come back up and finish the service. :)

Fire away!

- Carey  

Fascinating Week, Fascinating Weekend - Don't Miss it!

We have heard from hundreds of people this week about Hip 2B Holy, the Global documentary that aired Monday night (and no, it's not available online from what we can tell). Really thankful for the dialogue it's generated, but even more excited at the possibility that it let people who don't go to church know that there are churches that might be right for them.

That's what its about this weekend at Connexus as Signs from Beyond is in high gear. If you've never been to Connexus before, here's the deal. We think many people are interested in God and want to know more about Jesus, they just don't think church can help. 

We'd like to change your mind. I love what Sam had to say on the blog:

 "I'm so glad Connexus came along. I was dying spiritually before. Thanks for introducing me to Christ."

Here's Jennifer's take on Connexus

 "Jesus could have come to us as a political leader or a military commander or a high profile media darling, but he didn't choose any of those roles. He chose instead to come in the unassuming role of a Carpenter’s son. He connected with people and loved them first and (guess what!) He gained ground. Connexus is following in his footprints."

At Connexus we strip away as many of the 'barriers' as we can. We play music most of us actually listen to (our band rocks out). We try to speak in language that people understand -stripping away a lot of the "church talk' so people can understand the Bible. The dress code is gone. Dress the way you want. We meet in theaters (who doesn't like to go to the movies)? We pour a lot of energy into making great experiences for your kids too. We also elevate community. So if and when you are ready, there are people like you (many of who don't have a deep church background either, and a few who do) who can help answer your questions and hear your story. That's Connexus. We'd love to host you and your friends this weekend. Join us in Barrie or Orillia or online - we have a big archive of past messages.

Here's what's happening at our campuses:

Barrie Campus
   
Signs from Beyond | Week Three: Your Story
Many of us end up thinking about the stories we read in the bible as interesting, but not really applicable to our lives. But what if you might actually be able to find clues to God's will for your life in the stories you read in the Bible? That's what we'll explore this week as we go one level deeper in how to hear God speak to you today.
       
Service Times: 8:30 & 10:00 am | Galaxy Theaters Barrie 72 Commerce Park Dr.

Orillia Campus

Signs from Beyond | Week Two: I Hear A Voice
What if you heard from God so clearly that you knew for sure it was his voice? What if the application was direct, practical and personal? Seriously? How would you respond? This week, we'll explore a proven method every person can use to get that kind of information and we'll examine exactly how to apply that to your life.
          
Service Times: 8:30 & 10:00 am | Galaxy Theaters Orillia 865 West Ridge Blvd.