Tuesday, September 4, 2012

the other side

-by Christy Fitzwater 

Sometimes I invest so much time imaging what horrible things would happen if I were to share my faith with someone that I forget what good outcome may come about.   

I only see my side –the side where there’s fear of speaking about Christ. 

The poem below was written by a teenage girl at my church who chose to follow Christ this year.  Just a reminder of how the other side is feeling. 

Saved!

A new found joy
A shining new peace
A new found comfort
A shining new love 

I asked.

I prayed.

I found.

I relaxed.

A joy never experienced
A peace never accepted
A comfort never existed
A love never known

I was honest.

I was changed.

I was relieved.

I was saved.

Tuesday, August 7, 2012

Getting started.

-by Dale Brandeberry

For many years, I waited for the perfect time to tell others about Jesus.   

I had friends who knew I was a Christian, but sadly many did not.  I always hoped there would be a perfect opportunity to tell them about Jesus.  Sometimes an opportunity would arise and I would share the Gospel with them, but many of my friends never heard about Jesus from me.   

The longer I knew my friends, the harder it became to bring up the subject of Jesus.  I secretly feared they would reject me if I started talking about the Lord, and this kept me silent.  Once in a while I would share Jesus with a person in need and he would accept the Lord, but those moments were very rare.    

I was in a rut and I didn’t know how to get out. 

Finally, a few years ago I took it to the Lord, because I knew God did not want me to be a closet Christian. 

The message to me from God was very strong.  You are not involved in the lives of others because you don’t love me enough.  If you loved me, you would love them and care enough about their salvation to tell them what Jesus did for them, and you would not wait to tell them the truth.    

I was crushed and confessed my sin to the Lord.  I asked him to give me the love that I didn’t have.  He was faithful and started shaping my heart day by day.    

One day shortly after my confession, the Pastor called.  He was out of town and wanted me to go to the jail to visit a church member’s son.   I didn’t want to go and said I was busy.  After getting off of the phone, I sat down with the intention of an evening with Monday Night Football.   

I heard my Lord say, What are you doing tonight that is so important that you can’t take time to share Jesus with someone at the jail?   

I called the Pastor back and told him I would go.   

When I obeyed, the Lord caused me to love someone I had considered unlovable. He showed me if I really cared about others, I would make sharing Jesus with them my Number One Priority.   I started looking for opportunities to share Jesus and studying ways to share about Him more effectively.   

The more I shared Jesus with others the more my love for Him grew, and that caused me to love others more and want to share Jesus even more.    

I am reminded as I write this that I have not yet finished the race, but I am no longer standing on the starting line wondering where everyone went.

What do you need to do to at least get started telling others about Jesus?

Monday, June 18, 2012

confessions of a bad neighbor

-by Christy Fitzwater 

I smile at my neighbors every time I drive by them –but I’ve made little effort to get to know them.  That’s the ugly truth.  I drive by them on my way to church, but I don’t know their names. 

I took a daring action a few days ago.  I was driving down my street when I saw my neighbor from two doors down pulling weeds by her driveway.  

So I stopped the car and rolled down the window.  (Are missionaries in Africa as brave as this?) 

I said, Hi, I’m a pathetic neighbor and always drive by without even talking to you.  I don’t even know you’re name! 

Stacie, she replied. 

I’m Christy. 

Christine? 

No, Christy. 

I proceeded to ask about her kids.  Her oldest will be a senior next year.  I told her, My daughter just graduated last weekend.  If you need sympathy next year, you can talk to me! 

We chatted for a few more minutes, and I drove away.  I wonder if Stacie knows Jesus. 

I’d like to find out. 

Do you know your neighbors?

Monday, June 11, 2012

I want a story


-by Rebekah McPeak

Do you ever hear the voice of that snotty girl from Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory in your own?

I do.

I'm lucky. My boss is a Christian -and not just the type of Christian who goes to church and "respects my beliefs." The other day he called me into his office, and he was acting like a giddy school boy. His excitement was contagious. He couldn't wait to tell me his story. He proceeded to share about how he had just walked with someone from DEATH to LIFE, and it was the very first time he was part of the moment...the decision. We were all smiles as he relayed the story.


He told me of his intentionality in looking for a bridge to talk about Christ in the natural context of his life. His willingness to follow the Holy Spirit instead of his own self-conscience nature. His boldness to ask the question, Do you want to commit your life to Christ...right now? His total joy in someone's salvation. I couldn't believe it. I could totally believe it. It was a great day.

Now here comes the part about Willie Wonka.

It was the voice inside me as I walked down the hall. Away from that life-giving conversation with my friend.

I want a story.

What about me, God? I want a golden ticket, too!

Seriously. Angels were jumping up and down, blowing party horns. There was a crazy celebration going on in heaven, and I tried to interrupt. Um, excuse me God, but where's my story?

In that moment I didn't hear God's booming voice to silence me, but I should have. God WANTS me to make my story happen. He's handing me opportunities. What am I going to do about it?

Do you want a story, too?

Wednesday, May 30, 2012

kids count

-by Christy Fitzwater

For a long time I taught kids at church because I had kids and felt obligated to get involved.  I enjoyed it and felt it was valuable, but in the back of my mind I always thought someday I would “graduate” and move on to work with adults, where teaching about God was really important. 

Then I watched the Jesus video for children, which depicted the story of Jesus’ life from the kids’ point of view.  I saw them wrestle with who Jesus was, as they listened to Jesus and then also listened to what their parents were saying about Jesus.  I realized kids have to go through the same thought processes as adults, to decide whether they will follow Jesus or not.  God said to me, The souls of children matter. 

Then I went on a two-week trip to Africa where I was going to do something really important and teach adults the Bible.  But I stood up one night to tell my story of knowing Jesus, and I looked down into a sea of children.  The adult Bible study went horrible during the week, but I really felt like I connected with the kids.  The souls of children matter, God said to me. 



I came home, feeling like a failure when it comes to talking to people about God.  Then I walked into a room full of children where I teach at church every Wednesday, and God said, The souls of children matter. 



Jesus said, “Unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.”  (Matthew 18:3)  A child’s humble, open heart puts him at the perfect place to receive Christ.   



What children are in your circle of influence?  Your own kids?  Grandkids?  A neighbor kid?  Nieces and nephews?  The souls of children matter.  Look for every opportunity to talk to kids about God. 

Monday, May 21, 2012

Now that wasn't so hard.

-by Christy Fitzwater

I was checking out at the grocery store, and the cashier said, “I saw that movie.”  At first I didn’t know what she meant, but then I followed her eyes and realized I was wearing my October Baby t-shirt, a movie about a young woman who looks for answers in her past and hope for her future. 

I gave the cashier the money for my groceries, and we chatted superficially about the movie for a second.   

As she handed me my receipt, I realized my t-shirt had given me a perfect opportunity bring God into the conversation, so I quickly tried to think of something to draw God and the movie together. 

It’s really good to see that God can take something hard and turn it into something good.  That’s all I said.  Her eyes held mine for just a second, and I tried to speak the truth of those words to her with that one look. 

Maybe telling people about God isn’t nearly, nearly as hard as I imagine it to be.  Maybe it only requires being always attentive for opportunities to speak.


Wednesday, May 16, 2012

for those who agonize over a soul far from God

-by Christy Fitzwater

In high school study hall Robert declared he didn’t believe there was a God.  And my grew-up-in-Sunday-School jaw dropped open.  I had never met anyone who didn’t believe in God before, and it pained me deeply.


So I started praying for him.  The condition of his soul weighed heavily on my own, and I could not stop thinking about him.  He made his declaration the spring of our senior year, and after that we went our separate ways.  But I never stopped praying for him –almost every day for four years.  His atheism was a sliver in my mind, the pain and anxiety for him always rising up inside me. 


I prayed and prayed and prayed.


Four years later I was working a summer job at a grocery store in my home town, and one day I was introduced to a new employee.  Robert.  My heart stopped when I saw his face, and the agony for his soul filled mine.


We were both getting off work at the same time, so I determined to have a talk with him.  Working up all my courage, I started to tell him I had been praying for him.  Started to tell him about God and hoped his heart was in a different place this time.


But before I could get it out he said, “Hey, I have to tell you something that just happened to me.”  He pulled a cross necklace out from under his shirt and told me how he had just chosen to follow Christ.


I just talked to a friend yesterday who was in agony for the soul of her family members who are far from God.  Tears filled her eyes as she talked about them.


Is that you?  Don’t give up.  NEVER give up praying.  Live in agony for that person, and continue to approach the throne of heaven with your request for the salvation of a precious soul.  Be miserably desperate in your soul on that person’s behalf. 

Never give up.  Dig in.  Get your feet planted, and be willing to spend years praying –if that’s what it takes.   

Monday, April 30, 2012

negative buoyancy

-by Christy Fitzwater

In Hawaii I floated on the surface with my little snorkel and watched divers swim deeper than I could see. 

According to Wikepedia, “Divers wear weighting systems…generally made of lead, to counteract the buoyancy of other diving equipment, such as diving suits and aluminum diving cylinders.”  Without lead weights a diver never gets below the surface. 

I watched Jesus put on a conversational weight belt. 

“When a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her, ‘Will you give me a drink?’ 

“The Samaritan woman asked him, ‘You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman.  How can you ask me for a drink?’  (For Jews do not associate with Samaritans.) 

“Jesus answered her, ‘If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.’”  (John 4:7-10) 

From a request for a drink to talking about God.  Surface talk to deep waters in 60 seconds.  Wow. 

What if…. 

What if I could do that in every conversation with someone new?  Snorkel talk and then with one weighty sentence going spiritually deep. 

How do you dive a conversation from banter to talking about God with one sentence?

Monday, April 23, 2012

stone cold

-by Christy Fitzwater
I came home after the Easter morning brunch and drove past four homes on my street before I got to mine.   

All of a sudden it struck me that most of my neighbors were outside.  One mowing.  A few kids playing basketball.  Did they go to an Easter service somewhere?  I doubted it.  But I didn’t know. 

For 10 years I’ve driven by my neighbor’s homes, and I don’t even know all of their names, let alone their spiritual condition.  How could I live by them for so long and not care?  What is wrong with my heart?

Peter says the Lord “is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentence.”  (2 Peter 3:9  NIV)
 

Everyone.   

God cares about the spiritual condition of every single neighbor I drive past, every Town Pump cashier, every Little Caesar’s cook, every hairdresser, every bank teller. 

Can I be really, really honest?  My heart feels indifferent toward these people most of the time.  I go right by them without giving them a thought.   

I’m on a personal mission to change that by doing two things.  First, I’m learning names.  Diane and Jackie work at the bank.  Kristi and Vickie work at Town Pump.  Christina sells me pizza.  Butch is the elderly man who lives two doors down.  I’ve purposefully learned all of these names in the last few weeks. 

Second, I’m praying.  Praying God will put the same feeling in my heart that he has for these peoples.   

Will you do those two things this week?  Learn some names and pray for a heart change? 

Monday, April 16, 2012

Get me outta here.

-by Christy Fitzwater

Everyone I know is a disciple of Jesus.

Which could explain why I’ve been struggling with sharing my faith.  I work from home, and my husband is a pastor.  My life is home-church-home-church.  All my friends have a relationship with Jesus already.

The church is such a noble place to invest one’s time, but I need to get out more.  I was trying to think of who I could tell about Jesus, and the only two names I could come up with were of the lady I buy milk from at the gas station in the early morning hours and of the girl I buy Little Caesar’s pizza from every Thursday night.  (Perhaps a sad commentary on my homemaking skills.) 

This morning I’m asking God, where can I go to get my life involved with people who need to know you? 

In T4T:  A discipleship ReRevolution, Steve Smith says, “Before, when I pastored the church, we said to people, ‘Welcome, our door is open.’  We prayed for people to come.  But Jesus said, ‘Go!’  It is very difficult to invite people to come.  People don’t know what your church is; they don’t know you.  They don’t know anything.  It’s very difficult to get people to come.  But Jesus said, ‘Go!’  I was wrong.  Instead of inviting people to come, I needed to go out and find them, to touch them, to talk to them.”  (Pg. 48) 

Our church has commissioning services for groups who go out to share the good news.  I regularly walk up to pray for these groups as they sit on the stairs at the front of the sanctuary.  I pray God will use them to share the good news of the Kingdom of God.  Groups going to Czech Republic, Haiti, Heart Butte, China, Mexico, Brazil, Washington… 

I think it’s time for me to sit on the stairs.  It’s time for me to say I’m going somewhere to tell people about Jesus.  Time for someone to pray that God will use me to spread his Kingdom news.  Except I don’t want to go far.  Just next door maybe.  Or to my hairdresser.  I need to find me a bunch of people here in my own town who desperately need Jesus.

Can you list 10 people you have a relationship with who need to know Jesus?  If not, where will you go to find some?

Monday, April 9, 2012

are we good hosts?

-by Kayla Nostrum 

Recently I had the opportunity to take a short road trip to Missoula with a few friends. While there we decided we would like to visit a church, so I jumped on my laptop to find just the right one. The first one to pop up caught my attention -River City Church. We decided to try it out.   

I have to admit, as Sunday morning approached I was excited but a little nervous. I don’t care how seasoned of a churchgoer you are, stepping into an unfamiliar environment can be very intimidating. As we entered the building, thoughts flooded my mind.  What did we get ourselves into?! 

I was pleasantly surprised as we were greeted by a very friendly gentleman who pointed us in the right direction. As we crossed the threshold to their meeting place, we were greeted immediately by another man and were directed to a table of cookies and coffee. When we finally took our seats we were greeted by at least two more people who were quick to tell us what they believed and how excited they were that we were joining them for worship.  

Let me tell you…being greeted like that made me feel 100 times more comfortable to express myself in worship. I felt comfortable and wanted. If that weren’t enough, as we were leaving we were chased down by a lady who said, “Wait, I didn’t get to meet you guys yet!” I came home wanting to tell everyone and their brother about that church!   

In my own church, I often have caught myself making sure someone new is at least welcomed by someone, and then I mark that person off my list as taken care of, making no effort to meet the person myself.   

We all want people who are far from God to come to our church, but do we take good care of them when they do take a risk and walk through the door?

Monday, April 2, 2012

we're not working on commission

-by Christy Fitzwater

My daughter and I sat on an airplane a while ago, and I worked up the courage to start a conversation with the woman next to me.  It went poorly because, well, I had an agenda.  I was determined to tell her about Jesus.  The conversation practically ended in an argument with her about some of the things she believed. 

Later I admitted to my daughter that I knew my conversation with the woman went horribly.  I asked her what she thought I could have said differently. 

“You could have asked her name” she said. 

This observation forced all the air out of my lungs. 

Her name. 

I had been acting the salesman trying to earn commission for convincing this lady to follow Jesus, which put me in the position of trying to gain something for myself instead of caring only about the welfare of the woman. 

I’m ashamed that I have to call her “the woman” because I never learned her name. 

Do you approach a person with an agenda or because you really care about him or her?

Monday, March 26, 2012

how lostness feels

-by Rebekah McPeak

How do you respond when you find yourself lost? 

·         Panic! Sweaty palms. I hate not knowing the way! 
·         I just pick up my phone and call someone who knows the way. 
·         Lost?  I've never been lost. 
·         I know I'm lost, but I'm sure I'll find my way.  I don't need to stop for directions. 
·         I enjoy the adventure! 
·         Unsettled discontent. 
·         I know I am lost, but I just keep driving in the wrong direction, hoping something will soon look familiar.

 
We often use this term lost when referring to our friends who are far from God.  We hear it in church and read it in books and use it to inspire Christians to act on behalf of the lost...but have you ever thought about how lostness feels?


In their book, I Once Was Lost, Don Everts and Doug Schaupp challenge evangelicals to think about the PERSPECTIVE of the lost.  To imagine life BEFORE Christ's rescue.  To ask, "What does it feel like to them to be lost.” 

 
Maybe your friend despises the feeling of not knowing and feels her life is one constant state of panic.  Perhaps your coworker is enjoying the adventure and feels satisfied being lost.  Your uncle is certain that he will find his way on his own...without the help of others.  Or maybe your child has an unsettled feeling, but just keeps wandering in the wrong direction.


Think of one person you know who is far from God.  What do you think is his or her perspective on being lost? 

Sunday, March 18, 2012

workers needed

a note from Pastor Matt Fitzwater and Pastor Andy McPeak

We know our city is filled with people who are far from God.  We run into them every day –at the gas station, at work, at school. 

Jesus said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful…”     

We ask this question:  Why are so many chairs in our church empty when there are so many people in our city who need to know God? 

“…but the workers are few.”  (Matthew 9:37)   

The kingdom of God needs workers. 

You. 

Someone willing to look around and see someone far from God, get to know that person, pray diligently for that person’s soul, and invite that person to visit our church family. 

Every Monday we will blog a little reminder, some encouragement, to challenge you to be that worker.