Connexus Community Church

What Are You Doing With Jesus This Week?

I'm so grateful for the dialogue Jesus the Guru, is generating.  But I want it to go way beyond talk about Jesus and focus on talking with Jesus. 

How's that going for you?

In week one of the series, I encouraged people to read their Bibles and interact with God in prayer as though God was alive (because He is).  After all, Christianity claims a personal God whom we can actually know. I suggested reading something like the Gospel of John to get started - a chronicle about the significance of who Jesus was.  Did you try that?  If so, how has trying to begin or kindle a personal dialogue with God through the Bible gone?  Blog back.  Leave a comment!

In week two, I'm encouraging each of us to change the way we pray.  Instead of asking God to do everything we want, I encouraged us to try to do the things He wants by actually submitting ourselves to Jesus' incredible teaching.  The rest of the world values Jesus' teachings immensely.  Many Christians don't - we pay lip service but not life-service to Jesus' teachings.  We read his words don't implement them, and then complain when our life doesn't work out well.

So I encouraged us to change our devotional habits.  Instead of

• Praying in the shower, car or drive-thru line, start each day (or evening) with 10-15 minutes of focused prayer and scripture reading.
• Telling God stuff you want changed when you pray...start by asking God to open you to His Word.

Try spending a week in three chapters of Matthew (Matthew 5-7).  Some suggestion as you read:

• Ask God to change you (too many Christians ask God to change).
• Ask God to show you how to apply these teachings directly to your life
• Shape your prayer around how God might want to shape and change you.

The bottom line:  Jesus is personal and real, and in other religions, you change when you convert. Christians need to change too.

This week, let us know how the journey is going.  What are you reading?  How is it shaping you?  How are you actually discovering/experiencing Jesus today? This week?  Let us know!

- Carey

Sunday Brain Dump

Hey friends . . .

It's another "stream of thought" from Rich!  It was great to be at our Orillia Campus this morning again after having been in Barrie for the last month or so.  Here's some stuff that I saw . . .

• Fastest Set up by Eteam - Jeff and his ETeam rock.  They continue to set land speed records for setting up in Orillia.  In fact they are moving their "doors open" time back 15 minutes because of that!  Another 15 minutes of sleep for this team counts for something!  (I think that's something like another 13 hours a year of sleep . . . but I digress.)  Good job team!
• Kids Environments - It was great to see our children's environments packing out today.  We are in the great spot of having to work on "expansion" plans to accommodate the numbers of kids coming to UpStreet and Waumba.  Great job folks!  (plug ... plug ... wanna help serve?)
• Clean front end - Our welcome teams continue to do a great job to present a nice "face with the place" at Orillia.  They do a solid job of being friendly and available without being "too available" (ala Walmart Greeters.)
• Band - Another solid experience by Turn of the Stars again today.  Love those guys . . . hearts of gold.
• Orillia Invited Friends - Typically the Sunday after Easter is a down attendance Sunday in church-world.  Not at Orillia this weekend - thanks for inviting your friends and family!  We hope they had a great time!
• Challenging Message from Carey - Personally I find the passage Carey used this week in the message from Acts 17 very inspiring and challenging.  It's one of those places that self validates the new testament for me ... if someone was making up a series of stories to attempt to "win over" the Jewish believers of the day they simply wouldn't have written that in.  Paul goes to the people at Athens and starts by comparing God ("big G" God) to an idol (think "little g" god) in order to ultimately tell people about Jesus.  Do you see how crazy that would be to the religious folks of the day?  The old testament is full of God talking about how band idol worship is and here Paul uses an idol as a starting point for a conversation.  Brilliant ... the Jewish believers of the time simply wouldn't believe that it happened ... if it didn't.  Anyways . . . now I'm preaching a different message.
• Conversation - Great to see people sticking around and talking so much after the services.  It's a first step to community ... so glad people are expressing interest in GroupLink already even though we've just started talking about it. 

Those are the top of mind things . . . what about you?  Any reflections on your time at Connexus today?

Rich Birch
rich.birch@connexuscommunity.com
Executive Director of Operations
Connexus Community Church

Jesus the Guru...This Weekend

Well, this is it...Jesus the Guru is in full swing.  We launch the series this weekend in Orillia and move to week two in Barrie. 

Before we get to the details, remember that if you have a friend along with you, you can pick up at $35 gift card that you can use toward lunch at some cool area restaurants.  The purpose?  To help you process what you've heard and build a deeper relationship as you pursue Christ together.  Rather than buying billboards or sending flyers to "advertise", we thought we'd simply facilitate the best kind of influence we can think of with our friends who are still investigating the faith: personal influence. Just drop be the welcome desk and as at each campus Sunday and we'll give you the card.

So what's up?

Orillia Campus | Jesus the Guru - Part One - We All Start Here | 8:30 a.m. and 10:00 a.m. 
I begin the series with this premise: all of us have some level of curiosity about God.  In every culture, race, language and background, people reach beyond themselves for something – someone – greater.  So much of that curiosity these days is heading toward eastern spirituality. Can that yearning be resolved?  Who set it there?  Why won’t it go away?  What does Jesus have to do with any of this? Bring your friends as we launch a surprising and fascinating five week journey.

Barrie Campus | Jesus the Guru | Part Two - What Can Christians Learn from the East? | 8:30 and 10:00 a.m.
With the appeal of Eastern religions, there must be something Christians can learn from the East.  Are there some aspects of genuine spiritual engagement that the East does better than the West?  How can we in the West learn from the East, and where does Jesus fit into all that?  Join the dialogue this Sunday at Connexus, and bring your friends.

Let's pack the house out!  Bring you hearts ready to sing.  We've got some great music, some intriguing things planned, and of course, the best kids' ministry we can imagine. See you then!

Team Member of the Week: The Walkers

This week we want to highlight two families that have meant so much to the launch of Connexus.  It's because of people like the Walker's that we are able to be the kind of church that we invite our friends to.  Thanks so much to all of our volunteers for working so hard to build a fantastic church for so many people.   Although they have the same last name . . . they don't think they are related!

Barrie: Tim & Stephanie Walker (& Dax!)
The first set of Walker's today serve at our Barrie Campus.  Tim serves as our team leader for our video team and provides excellent leadership to the team of people that generate excellent images every week for use at our Orillia campus and online.  Stephanie serves as the team leader for our Security / Check-Team within our Family Ministry environments.  Every week she ensures that parents feel great dropping of their kids within our environments and that all of the kids are safe and sound during our services.  They also serve "above and beyond" by helping with lots of other stuff around Connexus during the week - like just yesterday they were helping us paint our new office!  Don't be fooled though . . . the real heroes of the Walker's family is their dog Dax!

So today we name Tim and Stephanie "Wonderful and Willing Walkers!" for all their help in so many areas!

Orillia: Dave & Amanda Walker
This post could be so much longer than we have space here for.  Dave & Amanda Walker serve Connexus in so many different ways.  Dave serves as a part of our senior volunteer leadership team called the elders, he drives trucks for us Sunday morning, and provides so much support to us with help during the middle of the week.  Amanda serves in leadership with our welcome team in Orillia, a small group leader with our student ministry and is always ready to help out with what ever needs assistance at Connexus.  They also have provided us great office space within their home for the last 5 months!  Their girls even let us set up our photocopier in their playroom!  WOW!  To put it simply . . . Connexus wouldn't be what it is today without these Walkers!

To honour Dave & Amanda Walker we crown them "Prince and Princess Walker" for their royal treatment of everyone they interact with at Connexus!

Remember if you have nominations for team member of the week - email them to me!

Rich Birch
rich.birch@connexuscommunity.com
Executive Director of Operations
Connexus Community Church

Jesus the Guru: Hinduism (plus inviting ideas)

Hinduism is the world's oldest major religion that is still practiced. Its earliest origins can be traced to the ancient Vedic civilization. A conglomerate of diverse beliefs and traditions, Hinduism has no single founder. It is the world's third largest religion following Christianity and Islam, with approximately a billion adherents, of whom about 905 million live in India and Nepal.

Hinduism contains a vast body of scriptures. Divided as Śruti (revealed) and Smriti (remembered) and developed over millennia, these scriptures expound on theology, philosophy and mythology, and provide spiritual insights and guidance on the practice of dharma (religious living). In the orthodox view, among such texts, the Vedas and the Upanishads are the foremost in authority, importance and antiquity. Other major scriptures include the Tantras, the sectarian Agamas, the Purāṇas and the epics Mahābhārata and Rāmāyaṇa. The Bhagavad Gītā, a treatise excerpted from the Mahābhārata, is sometimes called a summary of the spiritual teachings of the Vedas.  #

Hinduism can be spotted all around us in culture:
Yoga - 31% of North American's have participated in Yoga.
In 2006 Britney Spears got her 4-month old blessed in a Hindu temple.
376,000 Canadians consider themselves Hindu.
A gang of Hare Krishna are found in the immensely popular video game Grand Theft Auto 2.
The character Apu from the Simpsons is Hindu.
The TV Show "My Name is Earl" shows a popular version of the Hindu idea of karma.

Here are some links if you are looking for more information on Hinduism:
Dharma Central
Heart of Hinduism: An overview of Hindu traditions

Rich Birch
rich.birch@connexuscommunity.com
Executive Director of Operations
Connexus Community Church

BONUS POST:  Some ideas for inviting friends . . .
Connexus is built through a network of relationships.  If you attend Connexus it is probably because someone invited you.  Our current series "Jesus the Guru" is a perfect one to invite some friends and family to. Here are some ideas for inviting your friends to this series:

• Drop by our website and send an "evite".  They are located on the bottom right hand corner of every page.  You can even customize the evite with a greeting from you. 
• Email them a copy of this PDF invite. 
• Give them a call and invite them out . . . offer to take them out for lunch after the service.
• Let them know about the great stuff going on in our Family Ministry department.  Tell them about how your kids love it!
• Tell them about your experiences at Connexus and then ask them to attend with you.

In a recent survey it was discovered that 82% of people didn't come to a church because no one ever asked them.  I think your friends will thank you for just asking.  We start the series this weekend in Orillia with something that you probably have never seen in church before.  We continue the series in Barrie with another fantastic message from Carey.

Just ask . . . you'll be amazed what will happen.

Some Great Stories...What's Yours?

Over the Easter Weekend, we had a chance to share Good Friday and Easter with almost 1300 people between our campuses. 

What's exciting us is not just that people are coming, but who is coming. I had numerous conversations over the weekend and early part of this week with people who brought friends with them.  I talked to one guy in his thirties who hadn't been to church seriously in years and who had pretty much given up on it.  But he was invited to our Barrie campus and the tattoo artist, the music and the message apparently made a deep impact.  He simply said for the first time, he wants to come back to church.  I'm so grateful.

Heard another story about a twenty something who was invited to come along and who had become pretty jaded about church. He not only came, he said he'd be back.  We had incredible feedback about Good Friday in Orillia and in Barrie.  I honestly believe that God is moving.

People aren't actually done with Jesus - they just concluded the church couldn't help them.  I love that at Connexus we have hundred and hundreds of people who want to change that.

I'm hoping as Jesus the Guru launches this weekend in Orillia and moves to part two in Barrie that we'll hear these stories repeated over and over again.  Please, invite your friends (if you want a sneak peak, you can catch part one of the series here or download the videocast or audio podcast off iTunes).

There are literally thousands of people at our doorstep who would change their minds about God and step into a relationship with Jesus if someone invited them into a relevant environment.  There are thousands of more stories waiting to be written.

Thanks.  I can't wait to see what happens this weekend.  We're praying!  In the meantime, if you've got stories to share, we're all ears.

- Carey

Great Easter Weekend

What a great weekend!  How did you celebrate it?  How did the story of Easter effect you?  What are you reflections on this important time of year?

As a bonus here is the video that we showed during our Good Friday service.  Another great job by Jon Wagner - thanks for using your gifts to serve our community!

Rich Birch
rich.birch@connexuscommunity.com
Executive Director of Operations
Connexus Community Church

Easter Weekend @ Connexus

So tomorrow is Good Friday, and Sunday is Easter.  More and more over the years, I'm meeting people who are experiencing these events for the first time (hey - this is my first Easter in the church.  Never been to a Good Friday service before...)  Awesome!

So what's the deal with each and how can these services make a difference in our lives?

Good Friday | Single Service: 10:00 a.m. | Barrie and Orillia Campuses
I had a sneak peak at the Good Friday service earlier this week and I can only say I can hardly wait.  Something happens when people gather to remember Jesus' death and try to grasp what it means.  The music will be phenomenal, and for the first time since we launched, we'll celebrate communion together, remembering Jesus' death and resurrection.  I will give the message simultaneously at each campus and Rich Birch and I will be leading communion at the campuses.

I'm really hoping no one from our Connexus family misses out on the Good Friday services tomorrow. Waumba Land and UpStreet are open at each campus during the Good Friday service.  xTreme kids will join the adults for the service.

Easter Sunday | 8:30 and 10:00 a.m. | Barrie and Orillia Campuses
We've got two services running at each campus Sunday as we celebrate Jesus' resurrection from the dead and I'm thinking they are going to be amazing. We've even lined up some surprises for Jesus the Guru.   This is a "throw-the-doors-wide-open-and-invite-everyone" kind of weekend.  We've got powerful music and what we pray will be fantastic messages lined up at each campus.

So do make some calls and just ask people to come with you.  If you regularly attend the 10 a.m. services at either campus, please consider attending the 8:30 service so we have adequate room for the community at both services.  Thanks!

Here's what's up:

• In Orillia, Andy Stanley wraps up his powerful series Playing God with a special Easter message we're running only at our Orillia campus.  You really don't want to miss it.

• In Barrie, I launch the new series Jesus the Guru (which starts in Orillia on March 30th).  We'll look at why it is that people all over the world have a natural curiosity and desire to know God, and what makes Christianity unique among different religions. We'll look at how you can trace out the unique imprint God may be fashioning in your heart and what to do with it in light of what happened at Easter. 

• Remember, the first 50 families who bring their friends to Jesus the Guru will be able to pick up a $35 gift card toward lunch at some popular area restaurants - all part of helping you open a dialogue with your friends who don't go to church.
  

Really praying for you and trusting this to be a spectacular spilling over of God's love and grace this weekend.  Come ready to drink big from God's goodness, with you and your friends. 

Lunch on Us During Jesus the Guru

So if you had $3,500 to spend to help draw people into a relationship with Jesus, how would you spend it?

We were faced with that question a few months ago, and decided we'd use it to provide an incentive for you to have lunch and meaningful dialogue with a friend you invited to Connexus.   

The Opportunity
Starting Easter Sunday in Barrie and Sunday March 30th in Orillia, we launch Jesus the Guru, a series aimed at creating a dialogue about the popularity of Eastern spirituality and Jesus' role in relationship to it. (If you haven't seen the trailer yet, you've got to check it out!)

There's no better way to facilitate dialogue than to get those of us who follow Jesus into a room with our friends that's safe and relaxed enough to enjoy each other's company.  Like going for lunch after church.

So we'll help buy lunch for the first 50 families at each campus who bring a friend to Jesus the Guru.  The first 50 families who come with a friend can stop by the Host Team front desk and pick up a $35 gift card toward lunch that's good at numerous restaurants (like Montanna's, Kelsey's etc).  Because eating out is expensive and not "easy" for a lot of families, we just thought we'd help facilitate a great experience. You don't need to talk deep theology -- just being there with your friends even to talk about what they thought about church can be a step in the right direction.

A Different Strategy
In the past, we would have been more likely to buy billboards, send out flyers or buy radio ads.  Here's why we decided not to do that with the money we are allocating toward gift cards:

• Our primary way of introducing people to Christ at Connexus is through personal relationship.  We all have friends who aren't in a relationship with Jesus yet, and if we could get them to engage, growth of the Kingdom would become 'viral', with friends inviting friends. 
• Flyers and billboards create awareness, but at best have a 1% or less response rate. If 100 families invited a 100 families, imagine what could happen in the Kingdom.  Plus that's over three times the return over traditional investments.
• An invitation is personal.  A flyer or billboard reaches someone who knows no one at Connexus.  An invitation means you walk with someone through their Sunday experience and can process it together.  The likelihood of someone returning goes way up because of that.  The likelihood of someone entering a growing relationship with Jesus goes way up.
• It's a lot closer to how the early church grew -- relationally.
• It's an easier access point into community groups and the heart of ministry at Connexus, because the friend already has a person to dialogue with and friends you can introduce them to.

So, there it is.  A $35 gift card available to the first 50 families at each campus who bring a friend to Jesus the Guru.  We're praying for you, and anxious to see what God does in terms of sharing His forgiveness, grace and love with our community through you.

What do you think?

- Carey

Jesus the Guru: Oprah Web Events

So Christine and the kids are away today . . . they're down in the city visiting friends and going to show for Haley's birthday.  I've been working around the house today - kinda nice doing stuff around here with just me and dogs.  We have some friends coming over tomorrow so I was given instructions to clean the house from top to bottom so I've been vacuuming, and moping around our place. 

I decided to download the Oprah Web Event podcast that she has been doing for the last couple weeks. I thought it would be good preparation for the upcoming series we're doing at Connexus called Jesus the Guru. Always "fun" to hear what Oprah is up to when it comes to spiritual matters!  Have you heard about these classes that Oprah is doing online everyweek?  Oprah and author Eckhart Tolle are hosting a 10 week virtual "class" using Tolle's book "A New Earth" as the foundation.  As a tech geek I find it somewhat fascinating.  The pure web content is streamed out of Harpo Studios in Chicago to people all over the globe.  It's available the following day for free in a series of formats.  Users can connect directly with Oprah and Eckhart via Skype to ask questions.  The response to the "class" has been overwhelming . . . two million people logged on to participate in last week's class.  Many cultural commentators are drawing the conclusion what we we are seeing born is some new form of "church" with Oprah as the pastor.  The normal "dooms day" voices of Christian-blog-world are calling this latest development with Oprah the sign of the end.  So what were Oprah and Tolle talking about on the episode I listened to today?  . . . .

Jesus.  That's right.  In the midst of the spiritual self help talk was a pile of talk about Jesus.  It was again a vivid example from our culture of people being incredibly curious with Jesus.  They discussed what Jesus meant by "poor in spirit".  A caller wanted to discuss what was meant by the illustration used by Jesus that if someone steals your shirt you should give them your coat too.  Near the end of the event they talked about the "peace that passes all understanding" and how people might be able to attain that.  I had to smile at these multiple references to the teaching of Jesus on this hugely popular web event.  There is no doubt a bunch of other stuff mixed in with the approach to life presented in "A New Earth" but why is it that people like Eckhart Tolle are still so fascinated with Jesus?   Why are people who are interested in eastern spirituality but are unable to shake the appeal Jesus has for understanding life?  I look forward when we're going to tackle these issues head on in just a few short days when we launch "Jesus the Guru".  Who can you invite to this series? 

Rich Birch
rich.birch@connexuscommunity.com
Executive Director of Operations
Connexus Community Church