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Audible

It's only happened a few times that I can remember.  As you may know at CCC we plan our services well in advance.  Our Big Idea themes are selected 9-12 months in advance.  The music, videos, and teaching ideas are developed 3-4 months out.  However, on occasion we have felt God tugging on us for various reasons to call a different play -- go a different direction.  That happened several weeks ago, so this weekend we begin a two-part series called "Audible."  If you're in the area, join us to find out what it's all about.  If you're not, check out the message videos on line at our website.

Thanks from Crossings Knoxville

Mark Nelson at Crosssings Knoxville - a NewThing Church, posted a short video to say thanks to CCC and NewThing for helping them get started. They will celebrate their first anniversary in February.  We couldn't be more proud of Mark, Monica, and the great team at Crossings.  Thanks for letting us be part of the dream with you! Check out the video here.

Stop Ear Pollution

This weekend we concluded our two-part series Zip It and talked about the negative impact of complaining.  We referenced a story that might be worth a second look that has received national attention. 

Will Bowen is the pastor of a church in Kansas City, and he called on his church to take a pledge to swear off complaining, criticizing, gossiping or using sarcasm for 21 straight days. He gave everyone a purple bracelet, and any time they caught themselves complaining, they were supposed to take off the bracelet, switch it to the opposite wrist and start over counting the days. 

This "No Complaint" Campaign took off and the latest count I could find indicated that more than 126,000 bracelets have been ordered.  In an interview Bowen said it took him three-and-a-half months to put together 21 complaint-free days.  Those who get through 21 straight days can turn in their bracelets for "certificates of happiness." 

Bowen figures the average person complains at least 20 times a day, and if you multiply that times 126,000, they have stopped millions and millions of complaints.  He finished the article by saying, "That's a lot less ear pollution.!"

Community 4:12 Gift Mart

While Christmas is over one month away, it's never too early to start planning to be part of CCC's Annual Gift Mart.  This is one of the most exciting events for CCC every year.  Kirsten Strand and her Community 4:12 Team do a phenomenal job organizing and executing this effort.  This year the goal is to bring 6,000 gifts to be sold at pennies on the dollar to the parents of students at Brady and Bardwell Elementary in East Aurora.  What I love about this opportunity is that it preserves the parents' dignity by giving them a chance to pick out the toys themselves rather simply taking a hand-out.  Last year we sold over 5000 gifts and contributed close to $7,000.00 to the schools we served.  For more information, check out Kirsten's blog here.

Shrimp Tacos

Recommendation of the week:  Shrimp Tacos at El Famous Burrito in Naperville (Route 59, near Wal-Mart).  My good friend and fellow staff member Steve Brewer recommended these to me, and lately it's become my fall back response when somebody asks, "Where do you want to go for lunch?"  Great corn tortilla and good-sized grilled shrimp.

Reunion Boston

I arrived in Boston this morning just in time to be at the 10:30 AM celebration service for Reunion Church in Boston.  They meet at the Hilton Back Bay.  Today demanded an audible call as they were not able to meet in the room they typically meet in at the hotel.  They were moved to a smaller room so they had two services - one at 10:30 and another at 12 Noon.  They were in the first week of their Arrested Development series, and Hank Wilson gave a great talk from John 3 where Jesus converses with Nicodemus.  The music at Reunion was nothing short of outstanding.  It was a great worship experience.  Since they don't normally have two services, I was surprised to see the room over half full for the 12 Noon service.  I'm not certain what the total attendance was, but it had to be somewhere around 250.  Congratulations to Hank, Mike, Phil, Karen, Tim, and the rest of the team at Reunion.  They are definitely helping people find their way back to God in Boston.

150% Increase In Group Sign-Ups!

Carter Moss, who directs the production of adult small group curriculum and training resources for CCC and NewThing, forwarded to me a note he received from Mary Beth Stockdale.  Mary Beth is the Small Groups Director at Suncrest Christian Church, a NewThing Affiliate Church.

This fall at Suncrest we had groups participate in an all-church study.  We don’t do them often so they stay special.  This year we combined a 4-week teaching series with group curriculum.  We made a 4-part dvd in house correlating to our 4 Cs.  I know, I know, who do we think we are with 4 Cs…

It was a big push – huge banners, take-aways each week, next steps available as each C was unveiled, etc. 

We saw a 150% increase in group sign-ups this fall – from 300 to 450!  We asked for a 4-week commitment, with the hopes they’d enjoy and stay.  Still working thru the numbers on how many actually stuck.  Anyone else have trouble getting leaders to update their roster?

Keep in touch!

Mary Beth

Congratulations Mary Beth and Suncrest on a 150% increase in group sign-ups!  And nice work Carter and Eric Metcalf in encouraging the launching and reproducing of small groups at our NewThing Affiliates.

Zip It

This weekend we begin a new series at CCC titled "Zip It."  Not hard to guess what this is gonna be about -- All the ways the words we use have potential for tremendous good and tremendous pain. It's a two part series.  This weekend we will tackle "Gossip" and next weekend we'll wrestle with "Complaining."  You won't want to miss this series.  And if you're planning to join us be sure to bring a friend or co-worker!

NewThing's Lee Network

Yesterday was a typical day at CCC in many ways except for one huge difference.  In one of our conference rooms on the upper level was a revolutionary gathering.  In the room were the staffs from four of our NewThing Churches.  Here's who was in the room:

• Suncrest Christian Church from St. John, Indiana
• The Path Christian Community from Egan (Minneapolis), Minnesota
• The Ridge from New Berlin (Milwaukee), Wisconsin
• The Village Christian Church from Minooka (Chicago), Illinois

Together they form the Lee Network, which is one of NewThing's new reproducing church networks. Greg Lee is the Lead Pastor at Suncrest and he is the apostolic network leader for the Lee Network.  We couldn't come up with a better way to identify the networks, so we chose to use the network leader's last name.  Greg and his network gathered today at CCC to pray for each other, encourage one another, swap ideas, and strategize for how this network can continue to expand and reproduce by launching new congregations, campuses, and churches.

Greg asked me to join him and the other lead pastors for lunch: Mark Weigt, Nate Ferguson, and Matt Reese.  It was great connecting with guys who are on the front lines of church-planting.  This is an exceptional network of churches that is doing groundbreaking work in terms of what it means to be a reproducing network.

NewThing's vision is to catalyze a movement of reproducing networks like this all over the world with new churches who are relentless about helpfing people find their way back to God and believe in the power of launching biblical communities through reproducing leaders, artists, groups, teams, congregations, campuses, and churches.   

Kids City at Crossings

CCC's Kids City Champion, Tammy Melchien spent the weekend visiting Crossings, our NewThing Affiliate in Knoxville, TN.  For a take on how NewThing is impacting children's ministry, check out Tammy's blog here.