Sunday Recap (3/18/2007)

What an awesome day we had today!!
--Over 1380 people in worship: record crowd!!
--Several salvation, rededication, & baptism decisions!!

THANK YOU FOR INVITING PEOPLE TO COME & SEE WHAT CHRIST & HIS CHURCH ARE ALL ABOUT!

Here's the service in review:

--The band opened up with "Free Ride" ... it was cool!
--Great 'country' version of "Victory in Jesus" ... got to love that twang!

Message:
--The church has a historical tendency to complicate what God has made simple and erect barriers to God instead of being a bridge to connect with God
--Visual illustration: a ladder with rungs missing is useless. The church is supposed to help people step closer to God but has removed rungs.

Acts 15:1-5
1) We will be the church God wants us to be.
--Rock Bridge was God's idea from the very beginning.
--We can be a church made by man, ruled by traditions, and goverened by personal preferences OR we can seek to be the church God wants us to be.

Acts 15:6-9
2) We will love and accept people like Jesus did.
--no dress codes; no judgemental looks;
--simple, accessible, understandable, excellent
--We can tell people to 'come as you are' or to "Go to hell!"
--Jesus accepted people as they were and offered them grace

Acts 15:10-11
3) We will break some 'rules'
--man made rules need to broken if they keep people from connecting to Christ
--Some rules we have broken:
a) We meet in a theatre
b) I have never been to seminary.
c) New churches don't work and don't grow
d) There are hypocrites in our church.
e) We don't have dress codes.

--Less is more philosophy. Rock Bridge will do less for more:
a) Weekend worship
b) Discipleship & Care: groups; Bible studies
c) Generational Ministry: Children & Youth
--need specialized environments; if people don't make a decision for Christ by the time they turn 18, 80-90% chance they never will!
d) Multiple Sites

{Awesome testimony from Steve Edgeman of the difference Christ & Rock Bridge made in his life.}

Acts 15:12-14; 19
4) We will believe God for 'more'
--more people need to connect
--more people need Jesus
--more life change

BIG ANNOUNCEMENT:
Rock Bridge will launch a new site in Calhoun this fall!
We will be one church in two locations.
Why? Because communities all around us need a church that is simple, accessible, and understandable so that people can CONNECT to God!