Rock Bridge PM is Moving!!

Starting Thursday, January 5th our Rock Bridge PM service is relocating to Stage 123. We are very excited about this move and believe it will continue to make church on Thursday night an exciting option for people to attend church who could not or would not normally attend on a Sunday morning.

Please use this as an opportunity to tell people about church on Thursday nights! We've seen lots of people be able to attend church since we added Rock Bridge PM but we still hear lots of people who are "in the dark" about Rock Bridge PM's existence.

Here's some reasons why we are moving from the Wink to Stage 123 on January 5th:

1-More relational. Stage 123 features a large lobby that will make meeting and connecting relationally with people easier.
2-Easier to access. The long, sloped aisles of the Wink make it challenging for some people to navigate.  Stage 123 is flat with multiple entry points.
3-It Fits the "vibe". Rock Bridge PM is an energetic (people are more awake at 6:30 pm than Sunday am!), casual service created with the weekend worker/traveler in mind. Stage 123 is casual, comfortable, and (by design) very connected (cafe, lobby, worship space all flows & fits together). This venue lends itself to greater "intimacy" with the worship leader, teacher, and with other attenders, creating great potential for the maximum witness of Christ's presence to occur. {The Wink is better suited for larger crowds and the use of enhanced technology.}

Rock Bridge PM was also created for ...

• The person who partied too much on Saturday night and will never make Sunday AM church unless it is Easter or Mother's Day.


• The person who has an early morning tee time.


• The person whose scheduled is predetermined by the kids' extracurriculars and/or ESPN and the NFL.


• The person who has stereotyped church as boring, "same ole, same ole" and irrelevant.

We think Stage 123 gives us a better "shot" at helping them understand and experience the difference Jesus and His Church make ... and gives YOU a better chance at offering a more desirable and acceptable invitation for people to attend a church service.

"... I have become all things to all people, so that I may by every possible means save some."
--The Apostle Paul, I Corinthians 9:22b

Making the Ask

Over and over again we hear that the #1 reason people first attend Rock Bridge is that they were invited!! Additionally, national research shows that the overwhelming majority of Americans are open and receptive to hear information about a church from a family member, friend, or neighbor. Historically, the new year represents a great opportunity to invite new people to church -- new year, new resolutions, new habits, and a new openness.  (We are also starting a new series, "The Joy Switch" on January 5th & 8th.)

A big reason why people should be invited to church is because seeing Christians interact with one another and with God in worship is a key factor the Holy Spirit often uses in drawing them to salvation (John 17:21; I Cor. 14:24-25).  People are starving to see real love  in action and need to see it in a first hand experience. The reality of experiencing biblical community & authentic worship in a church blows away the false ideas of Christianity that the enemy has planted in the mind of society.

I am praying BIG for lots of invitations to be offered and to be accepted ...

“Then the master told the slave, ‘Go out into the highways and lanes and make them come in, so that my house may be filled." {Luke 14:23}

Here are some suggestions for inviting people to church with you:

1-Pray for specific people (neighbor, co-worker, your cousin) and for specific opportunities (at work, the store, the gym).
2-Eliminate specific fears they may have:
--Fear of being singled out; worry about dress codes; fear of speaking; concerns about child care; confusing or irrelevant services
3-Invite repeatedly.
--Research shows it may take 6 or more times for the invitation to even be seriously considered!
4-Invite relationally.
--Offer to meet them somewhere before church so they can sit with you; take them out to eat after church. Keep it personal.
5-Remember could be at stake ...
--Their salvation? Having a church home & family? Understanding the full love of God? God's amazing grace?
--More glory to God when more people praise His Name!

Dear God,
We pray in Jesus' Name for Your house to be full. Put people on our minds and in our paths that need to see Jesus in us and need to encounter Him through Your body, the Church.  Give us great favor as we invite people to church in 2012. Let people see the love, grace, and superiority in Jesus. We are Your ambassadors, use us for Your purposes. Amen.

Elder Recommendations

At First Wednesday this week (Dec. 7th), we will have a short business meeting. One item for action will be to approve a group of new elders to begin serving in January. The selection process includes nominations from church members; review of church involvement (membership; small group; volunteering; giving); review by church staff; written interview questions; in person interview; background check; and lots of prayer.

The Elder Selection team of Matt Evans, Steven Hare, Gus Waters, Joann Middleton, and Amy McIntosh recommends the following three individuals to the church for approval and affirmation:

TONY HELTON (Dalton Campus)
Tony became a Christian as a child but really began "owning" his relationship with Jesus in his early 20s.  He leads a small group and serves in Children's Ministry as a tech coordinator for large group environments.
Tony is committed to the vision of Rock Bridge, sees God moving here, and loves the focus that every Christian is "on the mission field".

MICHAEL OGLES (Calhoun Campus)
Michael became a Christian as a teenager and has been at Rock Bridge since 2008. He is a small group leader, serves on the Host Team, and works to disciple/mentor men.  Michael recently went to Honduras with our church to dig a clean water well.
He values the "come as you are" atmosphere of RBCC and the focus on simplicity and excellence.

VIC WEBB (Chatsworth Campus)
Vic became a Christian in high school.  He had been out of church until the death of his father which brought him to RBCC where he has passionately attended and served. He serves in the Tech/Production team and leads a small group. Vic sees the biblical and strategic importance of strong small groups and values the friendly and exciting atmosphere of the church.

A Must Read Letter

For the past 2 years we have been privileged to support Dr. Rhett Shirley as a medical missionary to Kenya. Rhett's service on the mission field has ended and he and his family have returned to the U.S.

Here is a letter from Rhett that summarizes his missionary service and reminds us that God's glory drives us to go to the ends of the earth no matter the cost and no matter the circumstances because people matter to God.

Missions Letter from Rhett Shirley

Weekly Rundown (11.27.2011)

Been awhile since I've done a true rundown so here goes:

• We sponsored even MORE Compassion kids this weekend!! 400+++ and counting.
  
  
  
  • By reflecting the generosity of God and letting God's love flow through us, God is giving hope, food, and medical care to children all over the world! One life at a time is how Jesus' changes the world!
  
  
  
  


• Our 2012 Budget recommendation is ready. We'll take a few minutes during December's 1st Wednesday for a brief business meeting to act on this recommendation.
  
  
  
  • This budget reflects several priorities:
    
    
    
    • Increasing our missions giving
    
    
    • Budgeting for local outreach and evangelism efforts
    
    
    • Adding "margin" to our budget
    
    
    • Appropriately funding our core ministries: worship, groups/discipleship, students, and children
    
    
    
    
  
  
  
  


• Here are the dates we know for 2012 Mission trips:
  
  
  
  • Honduras (digging a well): May 19-26 & October 6-13
  
  
  • Ukraine (evangelism; Bible study): July 13-21
  
  
  
  


• Main idea from today's sermon:
  
  
  
  • Point of Surrender: To give the Word of God more authority than my past experiences, present feelings, future expectations, and natural tendencies.
  
  
  
  


• Continue to pray for people who are out of church and/or missing life in Christ. Ask God for opportunities to invite and share God's love and for the boldness to seize them!!

2012 Budget Recommendation

At our next First Wednesday service (December 7th), we will have a brief business meeting as required by our Bylaws. At this meeting we will present the 2012 Budget recommendation for approval by the Church's membership.
Additionally, we hope to present Elder candidates for approval and affirmation. The Elder Selection Team is continuing to review and interview prospective elders.

Please click the link below to review the 2012 Budget recommendations. If you have any questions, please contact any of the following individuals or email - justask@rockbridge.cc.

Rock Bridge Stewardship Team:
*Frank Hogshead, Chair
*Pete Scarborough
*Chris Simuro
*Jason Hopkins
*Alfred Turley, Executive Pastor (alfred@rockbridge.cc)

Rock Bridge Church Administrator:
*Brenda McClure (brenda@rockbridge.cc)

2012 Budget Recommendation

400!!

This weekend was OF God!!

Rock Bridge,
The heart of God flowed through you as 400 children were sponsored during Compassion Weekend!! Only by responding to the Gospel and the radical generosity of God is this possible!! This means 400 children will have food, water, medical care, and exposure to the Gospel.  400 children will soon learn that someone from northwest Georgia is loving them and praying for them.
PRAISE GOD!

Let me share two other reasons why this weekend is OF God --
First, Compassion International used our average attendance and the historical response of other churches to determine the number of packets to give us so that  we would not run out of children to sponsor. Guess what?!?!?
We sponsored ALL of the children we were given!! The response exceeded expectations ... but that is what the Gospel creates: new hearts that overflow with the generous, sacrificial love of God (2 Corinthians 5:14-15)!!
Second, in the middle of a terrible recession Rock Bridgers will be giving over $182,000 per year to meet the needs of children all over the world!!

All I can say is "To God be the glory!!"

Extra Scenes

This weekend's message was a "vision" message and because I get so passionate about that subject I usually don't have time to cover everything.  I want to provide some of the "extra" scenes that did not make this weekend's message --

Gospel Partnerships
We not only want to faithful in Gospel proclamation but also forging Gospel partnerships.  The truth is that no person or church can be as effective in pursuing the mission of God without partnering strategically with other likeminded organizations, individuals, and churches.
*Next year we hope to partner and help plant churches in Statesboro, south Atlanta (Clayton County), and Chattanooga.
*This year we partnered with over ten agencies in our three county area (Gordon, Murray, & Whitfield) to meet needs in Jesus' Name.
*Globally, we are partnering with organizations to take care of orphans, plant churches, dig wells, and care for impoverished children.

Multiplication
God's Kingdom spreads through multiplication. This is how the church left Jerusalem and spread outward. God's love and the message of the Cross has that impact.  We called it "flow" in the message.  God's love and message of salvation flows from one person to another as a natural effect of the Holy Spirit's influence in a Christian. God's love cannot be contained or isolated but it longs to be multiplied.
This multiplication or "flow" happens among individuals, in groups, in communities, and ultimately all over the world. This explains our church's growth and our multi-site strategy to helping NW Georgia know the Jesus of the Bible.

Lifeboats
Lifeboat #14 off the Titanic chose to risk all to save some while the other half-empty life boats rowed away from the cries of the drowning. Churches, Christians, and small groups are to be life boats, not pleasure boats. As a lifeboat, we adopt the mentality that if we don't, no one else will. If we don't invite people to see Jesus in us and in our church, then who will? We don't even wait for the answer ... we stay on mission with God:  "For the Son of Man came to seek and to save those who are lost." {Luke 19:10}

Worship Evangelism
The example you set in worship matters!! When you worship in the freedom and passion of the Holy Spirit, you are adding to the Holy Spirit's "presence" in the service AND non-believers are watching your example.

Wrap-up
I am unbelievably excited about God's hand in our church. I heard a story this week of a person who invited FORTY people to church!! 40!! People are dealing with sin and fightings its effects. Lost and un-churched people ARE at our services EVERY week (praise God!).  Our small groups are being mission-minded, building relationships, and contemplating birthing new groups for new people in new areas. We are working to hire a Missions Pastor by the first part of 2012 to further advance our local and global efforts to meet needs and share Christ.  So let's keep praying, keep growing, and keep multiplying the Name of Jesus!








 

 

Open Letter #2: Beth is home and Romans 8:28

On November 30, 2010 I posted a blog detailing a major change in our life and ministry as my wife began to fight leukemia through a bone marrow transplant in New York City. With unbelievable joy and gratitude I can share that Beth is now officially and permanently back home with our family. Beth must remain fairly isolated as flu season approaches and her immune system continues to mature.  She will still need to be seen by the transplant team in NYC every two weeks. But her leukemia is in remission, the post-transplant complications (mainly the Epstein-Barr virus) is all but gone, blood counts are good, and her strength is returning.

First, we thank God for walking with us through this time, providing amazing doctors and their wisdom to battle a complicated and dangerous condition, and loving us through His Word, His Spirit, and His church.  When we first received the devastating diagnosis of leukemia, Beth said that "the greatest miracle is salvation" which is so true. To know that nothing can separate us from God's love is unbelievable and a source of constant joy; however, we are recipients of a "lesser" miracle that God did not owe us. So we marvel once again at the mercy and grace of our great God!

Second, we must thank Rock Bridge Community Church and God's universal church. From Dalton across the U.S. and even into Africa, people have prayed for us. Many gave everything from time to money to 'sky miles' to support us.  We would receive text messages, cards, emails, and phone calls in dark moments that provided glimpses of light that pointed us back to hope in Christ.

Thank you for letting me walk with my wife through this time. Thank you for letting me learn the joy of serving my wife in some small way as Christ loved and served us, His church. I missed being there with many of you as you walked through your own valleys but God is so big and His grace is so overflowing, I trust He was sufficient for you as He has proved for us.

Beth's life verse is Romans 8:28 -- "We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God: those who are called according to His purpose."
This is a dangerous verse (but we know it is true) because when God asks you to believe it as you face extremely difficult "all things", you have to die to anything but Jesus. But in dying you really learn to live.

Galatians 2:20 -- "I have been crucified with Christ; and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the flesh, I love by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me."

Another Reason to Attend Church

If you are a Christian, somewhere along the way you've been taught to attend church or "meet together" with other believers. The biblical reasons for doing so are to receive encouragement (Hebrews 10:25), hear the preached Word of God (2 Timothy 4:2), be equipped to serve God (Ephesians 4:11-13), pray (I Timothy 2:1), and praise God (Colossians 3:16).

I want to suggest another extremely important reason: to evangelize.  Yes, your attendance and active participation in a worship service can be an act of evangelism (evangelism is telling & showing others God's worth as revealed through the Gospel of Jesus Christ or you could say that evangelism is simply recruiting more worshippers for God).

How is worship part of evangelism?

1-Unbelievers are present in most weekend worship services ... so they are watching you!! This means your worship is a witness because how you are responding to God is showing unbelievers how much God means to you. While unbelievers cannot worship God because they do not yet know Who He really is, they are still worshipping something (we are all pre-wired to worship) so they understand passion, excitement, and authenticity.  The fact is most unbelievers see more worship at a football game than in a church. Some suggestions to improve your worship witness:

a) Sit like you are interested and excited about what is going to happen.  If someone offered you tickets on the 50-yard line or the end zone 'nose bleeds', you'll take the 50 every time.
b) Sing. Read the psalms, read the OT, read the NT, and note how many times music is involved ... you will see that music is like God's "love language". God loves for His people to sing His praises. He is drawn to it.  A side benefit is that the more you participate in a service, the more you'll tend to enjoy it.
At RBCC, we are very intentional about picking songs that are easy to sing and easy to learn. We talk about and evaluate this literally EVERY week because it is that important to our overall worship environment.
c) Take notes during the sermon. Again, you'll get more out of it and you demonstrate the "weight" of God's Word in your life.

2-God is attracted to worship and when God shows up in a service, people don't tend to stay unaffected. In fact, the Apostle Paul taught that when worship is rightly focused, rightly ordered, and God's Word rightly preached then unbelievers will be converted and become worshippers --

"...if an unbeliever or some inquirer comes in [to a worship service] ... he will fall down and worship God, exclaiming, 'God is really among you!'" {I Cor. 14:24,25}

3-Worship fuels evangelism. When we worship God, we are declaring His infinite worth and value to us. This also should produce a burden in us for those who do not yet know the God we worship.  So worship drives us to tell others (i.e.-evangelize) about the worth of God.

May people say every week at RBCC that "God is really among us!"

Moment or Movement?

Our church appears to have been touched by the presence of God at last week's First Wednesday service. We thank God for speaking, for moving, and for affecting us during that moment in time. But what now? What happens next?

First, let me address what usually happens -- nothing. We go back to our routines, habits, and typical patterns. We shared a great moment together but we then move back to life as we know it. But we must remember that whenever God uniquely encounters His people (as we believe He did last week), He does so for more than our momentary pleasure; He wants to move and accelerate His people to His purposes for them. In other words, God "moments" in our lives should lead to God "movements". The overall direction and trajectory of our lives and our church should be somehow permanently altered. A new normal should be defined, a new pattern should emerge, and new habits should form.

To encourage us toward a "movement" of God and not just a "moment" with God, I believe God has ONE simple step:  immediate obedience. However God spoke to you (conviction, challenge, comfort, awakening, awareness) last Wednesday, act on it now! Delayed obedience is sin --

"Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn't do it, sins."
James 4:17 {NIV}

So God revealed something "good" for you to do, you must do it and you must do it now while it is clear in your mind and while there is a sense of God-given confidence in your heart.  If you wait, you will become less clear and less sure of your next step.
Here are a few suggestions to encourage your immediate obedience and fuel what I hope is a movement and not just a moment in the life of our church body:

1-Write down how God touched you and what you sensed Him saying.  Then tell a friend and/or your small group and ask for accountability -- tell someone to ask you if you have "acted" on what God revealed within 10 days.

2-Pray for boldness. Your struggle is not lack of knowledge of God's will, but fear. God's perfect love casts out fear and God's Holy Spirit gives you courage, not timidity.  Know His love for you and be bold in your obedience to Him ... your obedience is how you tell God you love Him!

3-Remember the goal is obedience, not a certain result. Most of us fear what our obedience will cause or lack faith that our obedience will matter.  Our obedience matters and God will use all obedience for His purpose ... so give God your obedience -- today!

Praying we "move" together with God!

Matt

Video Blog From Matt

Link to the First Wednesday Message.

Repentance

What is repentance?
The word 'repentance' should be no stranger to a Christ-follower.  Repentance is part of our initial step into Christianity. We often say that when a person becomes a Christian, they "put their faith" in Jesus.  Repentance and faith are different sides of the same coin and are inseparable experiences of God's saving grace. Repentance is the turning from sins and an overall God-less path, and turning to Jesus.  As we turn to Jesus, we place our faith in Him as our Savior, Lord, and highest treasure.  The result is a life that has a new affection for Christ and a new ambition to live for Him.  This also means that we have a new battle.  Before Christ (and repentance) we were at war with God and His ways.  After Christ (and the new life He gives us), we now are at war with sin.

Because Christians are always at war with sin, repentance is an ongoing part of our walk with Christ.  God will continually reveal sins in our lives to produce repentance. This ongoing repentance continually demonstrates that Jesus is our Lord and that our highest desire is to live in fellowship with Him.

Finally, we must understand that repentance is not an endless cycle of sin, remorse, and confession ... only to keep on sinning. Repentance is not sorrow for getting caught or sorrow for consequences.  Nor is repentance an attempt to "do better".
Repentance includes sorrow for sin, its consequences, and its offensiveness to God.
Repentance is more than doing better; it is also a conviction that believes Christ is better than sin.

What causes repentance?
Repentance is the right response to God's revelation.  God through the Holy Spirit reveals the truth to us about our sins and about Himself. We see sin for what it really is -- offensive and dishonoring to God and harmful to us. We also see God for who He is -- glorious, almighty, loving, holy, and perfect.  This clarity about sin and God prompts us to turn from sin and turn to God.

How do I stay "repentant" before God?
First, would be to pray something along the lines of Psalm 139:23-24, asking God to search us and reveal anything that is offensive to Him.
Second, would be to ask yourself (and perhaps your spouse, mentor, accountability partner, small group) some questions about yourself:

• Are there any idols in my life? Is there anything in my life that is carrying more "weight" than God?


• Have I turned to substitutes for God? Is anything causing me to "forget God"?


• Are my words and speech tearing others down? Critical? Gossip? Condemning? Discouraging?


• Is my heart full of love for others?


• Am I disobeying any known command of God?


• Do I currently have the "joy of the Lord"? {lack of joy generally = lack of repentance}


• What would those closest to me say about my walk with the Lord?


• How unified am I with other Christians? Am I regularly meeting together as commanded by Scripture?

Special Invitation!!

Hello Rock Bridge!!

I want to ask all of you who consider Rock Bridge "your" church to be at First Wednesday on October 5th (that's next week). As your pastor, I have some things I really need to share with you.  We are at an exciting place in the history of our church as we approach our 10-year anniversary. We are also at a crucial place in the life of our church.  I believe with all my heart that Rock Bridge was created and positioned by God "for such a time as this"; therefore, we must steward this time and the opportunity it presents for the glory of the living God.

I look forward to sharing God's Word, worshipping, praying, and taking the Lord's Supper with you, my family in Christ!

Matt

Rock Bridge Calhoun
Dinner at 5:30; Service at 6:30
Gordon Hills Shopping Center*
Message will be LIVE STREAMED!

Rock Bridge Chatsworth & Dalton
Dinner after 5 pm in Stage 123
Service at 6:00 pm in the Wink Theatre*

*Child care provided through 1st grade; 2nd graders & up attend service w/parents.

Weekly Rundown (9.26.2011)

• Pray for our team in Honduras this week as they dig a water well for a local village and share Jesus with villagers.


• We are starting the process of elder selection for 2012.  We have 4 elders rotating who are rotating off at the end of this year. This New Testament position within the local church is very important and serves a critical role in helping our church stay on mission with wisdom and integrity.  Any church member may submit a nomination.


• First Wednesday in October is a little over a week away. I'll be sharing some things on my heart for Rock Bridge and I'm asking all group leaders (adult, student, and children), all ministry team leaders and captains, all members, etc to make a special effort to attend this special edition of our First Wednesday time of worship, prayer, & the Lord's Supper.
  
  
  
  • If you attend our Chatsworth campus, please attend in Dalton (Wink Theatre at 6 pm).
  
  
  • Dalton campus will meet in the Wink Theatre at 6 pm (dinner before in Stage 123 after 5 pm).
  
  
  • Calhoun campus will meet in the new building (at the Gordon Hills Shopping Center) and we are planning to 'live stream' parts of the service from Dalton SO all our campuses will be connected together for this one night ... one church in multiple locations with one mission and one vision from one AWESOME God!!
  
  
  
  


• Remember: next week in Chatsworth starts one service at 10:30 am in Bagley Middle School.


• Please consider being part of our $10-$50 Plan to help us meet and exceed our 2011 budget goals!!


• An update on Beth:
  
  
  
  • She is supposed to come home this week for about 8 days.
  
  
  • We are awaiting a couple of important test results that could "map out" what the next few weeks/months look like ... so please pray we are still on track!
  
  
  • She feels stronger and overall better everyday.  Truly amazing to see how much better she looks and feels. Check out her 'Foto Friday' blog from this past week!
  
  
  
  


• Have a great week and remember: "This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it." {Psm. 118:24 NIV}

Elder Selection

Rock Bridge is now entering into a process of nominating, screening, and selected new elders who will begin serving in 2012.

To read more about the selection process or submit a name for nomination, please click here.

Elders are mentioned numerous times in the New Testament. Throughout Paul's writings he charges elders to guard the church from false teachings, shepherd and care for the members, address and oversee matters of church discipline, correctly teach the Word of God, govern the overall affairs of the church, and display the fruits of God's work in their lives.

At Rock Bridge, we put these various functions in three broad categories: discerning, shepherding, and guarding.  Elders discern God's will for the church and help determine our overall direction. They shepherd God's people in the church through prayer, care, and accountability.  Finally, elders guard and protect our unity, teaching, vision, and resources.

Rock Bridge Elders come from our church's membership (elders must first be a member of the church for 1 year), live out our church's values, model a life devoted to Christ, and are approved by the Church and therefore, authorized by the church to be the "leading servants" for the church. They serve a three-year term and may serve 2 consecutive terms.  The Elders cannot call a new Lead Pastor, approve the church budget, or appoint new elders. Those decisions are made by a vote of the church membership.

Weekly Rundown (9.19.2011)

• Amazing baptisms yesterday! I really believe baptism not only blesses the one being baptized, but those watching and welcoming the new Christ-follower.  Baptism is a public and bold reminder of what God works inside the heart of man. My faith grew larger yesterday, and I was reminded that God is indeed mighty to save.


• We are continuing to see people saved in regular frequency in our worship services.  We praise God for this and ask for more! The greatest thing in the world is to be saved and satisfied by Jesus Christ!!


• Our new series "LIFE APPS" continues this week.
  
  
  
  • Is there someone you are positioned to invite?!? Praying you do!!
  
  
  
  


• To all our amazing volunteers: THANK YOU!! You live out our core value of active participation.
  
  
  
  • I'm excited to be able to hang out this week with our Tech/Production ministry team.  They are true unsung heroes because 99% of people never know they are there unless something goes wrong. And >>>99% everything is right because of their hard work, service, and commitment to excellence!!
  
  
  
  


• Missions update:
  
  
  
  • We have a team going to Honduras later this month to dig a well and present the Gospel.
  
  
  • After one year of radically increasing our missions giving and going, our elders believe we will need to hire a missions/outreach pastor in 2012.  I believe our church has unbelievable potential to impact our local communities and penetrate lostness & relieve poverty around the globe.  Ask anyone who has taken a trip this year and you will discover how God enlarged their heart to match more closely His heart.  This is what is happening to our church's collective heart as well. Psalm 67!!
  
  
  
  


• Beth has a scan this week to hopefully/prayerfully discover that all the EBV 'nodes' are gone from her body.  Please join us in prayer.  Once this hurdle is cleared, we should be able to talk more about moving her back home "full time"!!

Excelling in Giving

Last year our church approved a faith-based budget of $3.2 million dollars. This budget was born out of prayer and a vigorous pursuit of wisdom.  We doubled the amount of money we invested in local and international missions.  We sought to wisely and adequately fund our own ministries for worship, children, students, discipleship, and day-to-day operations.

Even with the troubles in our local economy, we have seen our weekly giving increase this year!  However, we are still falling short of our budget by around $2000 per month.  Because we have some reserve funds and some built-in margin, we are not in a crisis.  We can easily adjust our spending to handle this shortfall, but that means cutting back on some investments to which we believe God has called us.

We believe this is an opportunity for us to "excel in the grace of giving" as Paul encourages churches to do in 2 Corinthians 8:7.  So rather than back down and reduce our budget for the remainder of the year, our Elders believe we can rise up and exceed our budget by finishing strong in this last quarter of 2011!  Here's how:

The $10-$50 Plan

Our church currently has about 1400 giving units (a giving unit could be one person or an entire family).  If each of those giving units increased their monthly giving by $10 to $50 we would easily meet and even begin to exceed our budget goals!

So we are asking anyone with an income to prayerfully seek to raise your current monthly giving by between $10 to $50.
Think about it this way: over 30 days that represents about 3-5 gallons of gas, 3 Starbucks' coffee drinks, or 1 movie ticket!!

If you have never given consistently to God's church, then would you prayerfully consider starting to give around $10-$50 per month? This is a simple way for you to begin giving regularly and begin to experience God's leadership over your finances.

Remember: it is simple and easy to set-up online giving directly from your checking account (called "E-Give"). You can sign-up directly from our web site by clicking here.

If we as a church take this step together, a few things will happen:

1-We will meet and could even exceed our 2011 budget!!

2-We will be more like Jesus by becoming more generous (2 Corinthians 8:9).

3-We will resist the pull of complacency, instead experiencing the thrill and joy of being open to God's direction and leadership in our lives (2 Corinthians 2:14).

4-God will be more glorified as we invest in His Great Commission (Matthew 28:19-20) and kingdom work locally and globally.

Thank you for being a part of what God is doing at Rock Bridge! We know God is moving and we know that He is providing through the generous hearts of His people!

**If you have no income, are unemployed or under-employed and need assistance, please allow your church family to help. Financial counseling and/or assistance with groceries or other basic needs are available and part of our budget to minister to those in our church family who are experiencing tough times.

 

Weekly Rundown (9.13.2011)

• Excited to kick-off a new series called "Life Apps".  If you have a smartphone, you love the "apps" or applications it has to tell you the weather, find a location, check your bank balances, etc. etc. ... in this series, we'll learn that God has some "apps" to help us navigate life.


• Baptism is this weekend!!!! Life change, going public for Christ, obedience, the wonderful illustration of salvation ... not to mention the BBQ and fellowship ... can't wait!!


• At our Dalton campus this weekend, we are experimenting with a new environment called, Meet the Pastor.  We'll meet in the Gathering after every service (Thursday 6:30 pm, Sunday 9:30 & 11:00 am) on announced weekends.
  
  
  
  • This will be an informal and easy way for me to meet guests and newcomers as well as for those looking to connect more with our church family.
  
  
  • We'll have other staff members and ministry leaders there as well, plus refreshments!
  
  
  • If you know someone who is new to our church, then please invite them to this!!
  
  
  
  


• Beth has been home for the past week!! She's done great and it is awesome to see her energy returning and her start to feel so much better!!
  
  
  
  • She'll head back to NYC later this week. The next big check is a repeat PET/CT Scan to check for Epstein-Barr "nodes". She had a few left (reduced in size) last time and the doctors.
  
  
  • Last conversation with her doctors gave us some indication that she could be home permanently by early to mid-Fall!!
  
  
  • Your grace and prayers to us continue to be tremendous blessings!
  
  
  
  

A Sincere Apology

I need to apologize to our entire church family.

Today during one of our services I inappropriately 'called out' and corrected two teenagers who I felt were being a distraction.  My comments were off target, made in anger, and reflect poorly on the values of Rock Bridge. There is no excuse for this from me or from God's pulpit. I have spoken with and apologized to the specific family but now I need to do so to our entire church.

Our church has a core value of Christ-like acceptance and my words and their tone violated this foundational principle of Rock Bridge.  Additionally, they created an "unwelcoming" atmosphere and uncomfortable moment in our service.  We strongly believe that only the Spirit-brought conviction of God should make anyone ever feel uncomfortable at RBCC, not our actions or words. I apologize to all of you and any guests who may have been with you.

A second core value our church shares is radical dependence on God and His Word.  We believe that only God can change people and author salvation in their lives.  We believe He does this in large part through the sharing and teaching of His Word. Today, I incorrectly believed that my particular method of presenting and communicating God's Word was more important and more powerful than the simple message of His Word.  My dependence was not on God or His Word but on myself and my presentation; that is sinful. As a result, I took the attention off God and His truth.  I apologize for the negative effect on your worship experience.

I am deeply sorry for my words and the anger behind them.  Along with our elders, our staff, and my wife, I will seek to repent, resolve anger biblically, choose words wisely, and rest in the sufficiency of God's grace.
Today, I need to ask for your forgiveness.

Matt Evans

The Lord's Supper

For me, teaching the subject of the Lord's Supper and participating in this gift of Christ to His church is more than just theology and obedience; it is personal.  During some stretches of Beth's treatment and recovery from bone marrow transplant, I was with her and unable to be in church.  I remember just desiring to connect with God and sense His presence in a more tangible way than prayer and Bible study.  This literal 'hunger' pushed me to learn more about the Lord's Supper and want to observe it.  Christ gave us this gift because He knew we needed it, and He gave it special symbolic and spiritual significance to indeed help satisfy our hunger for Him.  I believe He did this for several reasons:

1) He knew we tend to be forgetful. Over and over again we are warned not to forgot God or His faithfulness, and yet over and over again we do.  The Lord's Supper is a visible reminder to us that God is faithful (He gave us His Son), God is sovereign (even over death!), and that God is for us ("This is My body, which is for you ...").

2) God uses our 5 senses to strengthen the "6th sense" of faith. Just as food and drink nourish our bodies so does Christ nourish our souls.  We truly do not live on bread alone (Matthew 4:4)!  Just as we receive physical benefits from eating and drinking, we receive spiritual benefits from feeding on Christ through faith. We receive forgiveness, grace, mercy, strength, peace that passes all understanding, and hope that does not disappoint.  Through proper observance of the Lord's Supper, Christ does in fact become more "alive" and real to us.

3) God creates anticipation of His future grace in the form of His promises. Christ has promised to come again ("... whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until He comes."). Christ has promised us more grace than what we now have.  This future grace helps fuel our present day obedience and keep us joyfully focused on what is sometimes the difficult and narrow way of walking with Christ.  The Lord's Supper calls us again and again to live by faith in God who keeps His promises of love to His children.

4) The Lord Supper prompts examination and thus exercises preventative discipline and if necessary, corrective discipline in our lives. The Lord's Supper includes a process of examination that should prompt repentance and feasting on God's amazing grace.  And let's be honest, we often wait to change until we experience pain and consequences.  By bringing us close to Christ's painful death, the Lord's Supper can serve to awaken in us the desire to change, to repent, to confess and therefore, be filled anew with God's presence.

The goal of the Lord's Supper is not just to do it as a task to complete. Paul warned the church at Corinth by saying, "...it is not the Lord's Supper that you eat ...". We take communion in order to facilitate closer communion with Christ.  We do not merely observe the Lord's Supper but experience the Lord of the Supper.  And any encounter with the Risen Christ, will strengthen our faith and deepen our joy.

Update on Beth

Overall, Beth is doing much better and feeling much better.  She has had several consecutive weeks of feeling strong and generally good.  We are awaiting an immune function test to see how well her T-cells are performing.

Things on the "needs to improve" list include resumption of normal eating, reduction in throat mucus, and elimination of the last EBV "nodes.

• Eating: She is primarily using the 'G-tube' to eat with some attempts to eat normally but throat mucus continues to be an issue. Thankfully, through the G-tube she is getting all the calories and nutrients she needs.


• Throat mucus: After much examination by ENTs, infectious disease specialists, and the transplant doctors the consensus seems to be the mucus is from a fungus that likes to feed on the dead Epstein-Barr tissue which was most concentrated in her throat/nasal areas.  It is improving ... slowly.


• EBV: The last PET Scan showed that the "nodes" (or sites) are either gone or significantly smaller but there is still enough EBV present for the doctors to order another round of T-cell treatments (1 dose a week for 3 weeks).

Hurricane Irene is heading for NYC-area this weekend. Beth is not in an evacuation area but they are warning that the city could be without power for several days.

Finally, she will get to come home after Labor Day for about a week (still no crowds, etc.).  In mid-September the doctors will reassess where she stands in relation to EBV and her immune function.
But the biggest and best news for us and the doctors is how well Beth feels and how strong she is -- we walked almost 2 miles around Central Park last week! We still have challenges and risks remain on her road to recovery so we remain careful and prayerful ... but we are moving in the right direction and seem to be picking up speed!!

Serving

Guest post by Executive Pastor Alfred Turley

1 Peter 4:7-11

7 The end of all things is near. Therefore be clear minded and self-controlled so that you can pray. 8 Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. 9 Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. 10 Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms. 11 If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.

This weekend Matt taught on this passage specifically and how the church represents the realm of eternity on earth now.  And in representing God, we see that each of us has been given gifts and talents, desires and dreams that God wants us to use to represent Him and His Son.  Serving Him is supposed to be a joy and privilege, not something we do to earn points with Him or something we do to "be a better Christian."  God wants us to do it out of love and out of a response of gratitude for Him and for what He has done for us.

Serving in a church can be one of the most enriching and encouraging experiences we can know.  There is something that happens when we steward what we are given, when we join up with others in God's church, and when we allow Him to move in us and use us for His glory!  It's truly a recipe for blessing!

I have always been so amazed at all the gifting and talents each of us has.  Some of us have a talent to imagine big and to put that imagination and creativity into reality.  Some of us just thrive off of being around people and engaging in their lives and loving them.  Some love being hospitable, and cooking and serving others physical needs.  Some of us have wisdom and can help others make better decisions.  Some people are natural leaders, and people readily trust their heart and their judgement in how they direct things.  All of these talents and gifts are needed in the body of Christ, the Church!  In my own life, I have found serving in Children's Ministry and Student Ministry, and helping to lead small groups all to be amazing uses of what God has given me, and it gives me great joy to lay those gifts down for His use.  It has been a wonderful ride to take what came from Him in the first place and give it back to Him.  He has given us so much, and He has given us the life of His own Son, so giving back is the least we can do!

Serving has also been a place where I truly began to engage others and get to know people, and to have them come along side me and support me as well.  I have had countless times when I came in great need of a friend and support, and got it every time.  And there have been countless times when I have seen serving teams and small groups surround those in need and those hurting and bring healing through community and through the unconditional love of Christ.  Those who have struggled to connect to the church relationally: get on a serving team, and get in a small group!  You will be stepping joyfully into the open arms of a church ready to love you.

One of the most surprising things about serving has been how challenging it has been, and how it has pushed me to trust in God as never before!  Loving each other unconditionally requires that we lean on God and on the power of His Spirit inside of us.  So many times I have seen lives changed because a group of people went to God in their needs and His power came and worked a miracle!  God wants to be the power that fuels our lives.  Serving stretches us and pushes us to trust in Him and lean on Him often, and we grow because of this!

Serving in the church is a joy God wants for each of us.  It is a place where He brings us together in loving and supportive community, united around the cause of His heart: reaching a lost and hurting world.  God will use our service to grow us and stretch us in a good way, and He will use it to surround us with healthy love and support that will be there when life takes hard turns.

Serving in the local church, specifically Rock Bridge, has been a joy and a great blessing for me and for many others.  Please pray and ask God to show you what gifts and talents you have that should be put to use!  And take a step of faith!  Serve on a team and get in a small group!

 

Membership Matters

Because God loves us and because He is honored when we make godly commitments, the Bible is clear that membership to a local church is the normal practice for a Christian.  Scripture speaks of Christians being committed to a specific church leadership (Hebrews 13:17), to intentional meetings with each other (Hebrews 10:25; I Corinthians 11:17-18; Romans 16:5), to mutual accountability (Matthew 18:15-17; I Corinthians 5:1-13), and to being known as a serving member of a church (Romans 16:1; 16:3-16).

Clearly a commitment to a specific group of Christians (how we define membership) is expected and the normal practice in the New Testament and too many verses in Scripture could not be obeyed without a membership commitment. But are there other reasons for committed membership? Here are four:

1-Membership defines the team, enabling the team to be organized, efficient, and effective in fulfilling its mission. This makes sense in sports, the military, businesses, and even in our families.  It also makes sense in the local church. There is a reason why banks want to see the "membership" of a church before giving churches loans -- they are assessing the strength of organized and declared commitment.


2-Membership helps the elders protect the church from false teachings and unhealthy influences. (see Titus 1:9)
We require background checks for all volunteers that work with children and youth and rightfully so. Protecting them is extremely important.  The Bible also mandates that the church be protected from false and incorrect teachings.  Membership helps the elders ensure that the church body and those who teach it (children's workers, small group leaders, etc.) adhere to sound biblical teaching. Unhealthy spiritual influences can wreck havoc on a person and in a church.

3-Membership defines the protective scope of the church. I don't discipline my neighbors kids. I don't feed them or clothe them either and they don't sleep in my house.  Why? Because they are not my kids.  Christians need discipline, care, and at times provision.  Membership defines where these things most readily and naturally occur. Membership is us giving permission for our church family to provide discipline, accountability, and care.
For example, there are certain sins and sinful tendencies that are part of my life story.  Only in an environment of love, trust, and commitment can these sins be addressed and biblical accountability provided.  This protects me from sin and its consequences as well as the witness of our church. The church by definition and by practice exists in part to protect one another from sin while protecting the overall "salt and light" witness of the church before the world.  Membership defines the protective (and at times corrective) reach of the church.

4-The work of the universal, and eternal church will be advanced further and faster through committed members of healthy local churches. If every community had multiple healthy, biblical, Christ-centered churches and if every church had committed members, then more people would be saved and discipled, more money would be available to reach the world for Christ, and the church's 'light' of hope would be brighter.  When Christians act as if church were optional, hop from church-to-church, or withhold their full commitment, then the Body of Christ is weaker and the cause of Christ suffers.

Ask yourself:  If every church had members as committed as you are, what would the future of Christianity be?

 




 

 




 

 

Update on Beth: Major Milestone

For months we've known Beth's immune system needed to have "200" T-Cells to be in the normal range and for her immune system to even be considered  mature enough to protect her against most infections.  Talk of returning home was always conditioned on the number "200". Specific and frequent prayers were offered with the number "200" in them.

TODAY WE LEARNED BETH HAS 251 T-CELLS!!!!!!!!!!

Praise God! Praise God! Praise God!
Thank you! Thank you! Thank you for praying so faithfully with us and for Beth!!

We are awaiting a test to determine if all of those T-cells are functioning properly; however, this obviously feels like we are entering the home stretch.  No predictions yet on when Beth can return home ... but this is MAJOR MILESTONE.

 

Small Groups

Guest post by Discipleship Pastor Brian Holt

We’re more technologically connected then ever before, and yet we’re lonelier than ever before. In “Social Isolation in America”, the authors write that, “while modern technology has made it possible to connect more frequently, email and text messaging do not lend themselves to intimate revelations or in-depth conversations. These are things that may be necessary to combat loneliness and isolation.” In other words, we’ve traded deep, meaningful connections with shallow, surface-level friendships through technology. We “know” more people, but we don’t know them as well – and that impacts us internally. We were created for community (see HERE), and the natural level of community that exists in our culture just isn’t cutting it. In order to thrive, we need others to love, support, and encourage us.

 



 

Small Groups are often misunderstood. To many, it sounds kind of lame. Why would I want to sit in a circle, hold hands, and tell everyone about my feelings? It sounds pretty awful. Thankfully, that’s not what small group is all about. In fact, if it were no one would go.

Small Group is so much more. Yes, small group is fun. You’ll have a blast meeting with each other every other week (or every week if you’re daring enough). The food is (usually) excellent. It’s an all-around good time.

But that’s not what makes small group so vital to a Christ follower. You can have friends and spend time with them anywhere. Small Group is vital because it allows for deliberate relationships centered on Jesus Christ. And those relationships help you grow!

To get involved in a Rock Bridge Small Group in Dalton or Calhoun, come to GroupLink at each campus on August 14^th right after the 2^nd service.

To get involved in a Rock Bridge Small Group in Chatsworth, stop by the Small Group booth in the lobby after both services.

 

Why Community?

The Bible says many things that are mind boggling and hard to understand.  One of the most incredible is that human beings are made in the image of God.  This truth immediately communicates to us how much we are valued and loved by God.  But to fully grasp what being made in God's image means, we must also understand more of Who God is.

Central to understanding God is knowing the doctrine of the Trinity, which simply means that God exists in three distinct personalities (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) yet is still one God with one purpose and one nature.  The Trinity means that God has always existed in a community of love before we ever existed.  The Trinity assures us of God's love and His desire for a relationship with us.  If there was no Trinity, we would be left to wonder, "Why did God actually create us?"  The Trinity of God assures us that God's initiative to create us came from an overflow of His own community and His desire to love.

Therefore, being made in the image of the triune God means in part that we belong in community with God and others.  There is no escaping the fact that we are wired for community because we were wired by God who has eternally existed in community.

Sin has undeniable affected our wiring and made community more difficult and loving others much more challenging; however, the Gospel of Jesus Christ not only changes our eternal addresses, but also our earthly desires.  Christ gives us the "want to" as we start wanting what God wants. God has always wanted us in community with Himself and with others ("It is not good for man to be alone").

So as we continue talking about the Body of Christ in our new sermon series, we cannot miss how important community is to God because God is community.  We cannot downplay the church and our connection to her as Christ's body.

If you want to take a step toward community, consider learning more about Rock Bridge small groups:

• GROUP LINK for our Calhoun & Dalton campuses
  
  
  
  • A unique environment designed to help people find a small group.
  
  
  • Chatsworth campus: get connected to a group in church lobby after any service
  
  
  
  

 

Weekly Rundown (7.31.2011)

• Closed out the 4-part series, Epic Fail, on the stumbles of first church leader, Peter.  I really felt God move in me and our church during this series.  And we saw numerous people make decisions for Christ, indicating salvation!


• I know of so many of us who are going through tough times and adversity.  Everything from illneses to the economy to struggles with sin.  Please ask for prayer and seek to participate in prayer with others through a small group or our monthly, First Wednesday service which is this week.


• A few staff members met me in Brooklyn, NY last week to attend the Brooklyn Tabernacle's Tuesday night prayer service. God's providence and power were so evident.  3000-4000 people fully focused on prayer with obvious passion for Christ was absolutely beautiful ... a taste of heaven!


• Ukraine mission trip reported over 450 individual presentations of the Gospel with over 100 indications of first-time salvation!! WOW!!


• Some of our staff department heads and pastors are going on a strategic work retreat in a few weeks and we'd appreciate your prayers.  We are committing the time to lots of prayer and discussions about everything (yes, everything!) in our church.  We are going to a place with no internet and no cell coverage ... unplugged from technology to plug into God!


• Got to marry two of the first students who participated in Rock Bridge Student Ministry this weekend ... yes, I cried :)


• Beth is doing okay. The mucus issue in her throat, sinuses, and nasal passages is still unresolved, causing some nausea and making 'normal' eating problematic. We are asking for 3 very specific prayer requests:
  
  
  
  • For the mucus issue to be resolved -- healing, removal of excess mucus, & restoration of normal eating.
  
  
  • For protection from infection and for EB virus to be completely gone (it's in retreat but not fully gone yet).
  
  
  • For 200 "T-cells".
    
    
    
    • 200 is the "magic number" because it means her immune system is strong/mature enough to offer adequate/better protection.  This is the number that triggers steps toward her returning home, being able to be around more people, etc.  As of last week, she is about 70% there.
    
    
    
    
  
  
  
  

The Rundown (7.25.2011)

I'm back in NYC for a few days with Beth after spending 2+ weeks at home. Beth & I continue to be humbled and blessed by your prayers and concern. We do feel like the big picture is much brighter as all the major problems and obstacles are resolving (leukemia in remission, EBV in full retreat); there are some lingering throat-mucus problems that cause eating-drinking issues and resulted in the G-tube.  Overall, cautiously optimistic yet prayerfully vigilant!

• The Rock Bridge staff team is simply amazing.  Almost every encounter I had over the past 2 weeks including praise for our staff:  work ethic, passion, leadership, growth, etc.


• Had lots of great conversations about the direction and health of our church.  We are all excited about what we see God doing in us and through us.
  
  
  
  • Biggest area we are working to upgrade is how we connect new people into the church.  Everything from first-time guests and salvation to group involvement and membership.
  
  
  
  


• I was able to connect with a few of our mission partners and I'm so excited about the "to the ends of the earth" work we get to be part of in our NW GA communities and across the oceans.
  
  
  
  • Our work with Compassion International will continue to grow. 4 Rock Bridgers went to Ethiopia to meet our partner church in Awassa and were blown away by Compassion and by the opportunity we have to do something significant for Christ!
  
  
  • The Living Water trip to Honduras to dig a water well was fantastic and another group goes in September. We anticipate 2-3 more trips in 2012.
  
  
  • Our Ukraine trip just returned and the initial reports are exciting!!
  
  
  • I'm very excited about our work with church planting through Launch Network. With 5 church planting "hubs" (and more to come) across the U.S. we are able to invest resources into planting healthy churches.
    
    
    
    • On a more local level, we can welcome and begin to pray for Wesley Odum and Dynamic Church which will be launching in Chattanooga in 2012.
    
    
    • Pray for Terrence Lester as God has called him to plant in Atlanta.
    
    
    
    
  
  
  
  


• Above all, I think many of us are being drawn by God to pray passionately, consistently, and specifically for Him to move. We are more aware than ever of our need for Him (apart from Him = nothing!!) and yet His desire to work through His people and churches.

Turning a Corner: The Latest on Beth

Been great to be back home and at Rock Bridge!!  I love our church!  Yet my heart is so with Beth in NYC, and as y'all have again shown me, your prayers are with her and our family in a "big" way.  Thank you so much!!

Beth just finished "Skype-ing" with our boys and she is looking great and feeling stronger.  She has had several good days in a row both in how she feels and what the doctors are observing.  The mucus problem in her throat (which is making eating difficult) seems to be a result of a fungus that took root in the dead Epstein-Barr virus tissues (that thing causes problems even after it dies!).  Thankfully, some infectious-disease specialists were able to pinpoint this likely culprit. So with some changes in her medicines, we are hopeful this latest challenge will be overcome soon.  While we wait, the G-Tube is doing its job so Beth is getting nutrion and feeling better.

So we are cautiously optimistic that she is turning a corner.  Her counts are very strong and there new signs (from her latest labs) that her immune system is maturing and getting closer to full capacity.  However, we are not there yet, we must remain careful and vigilant ... but we are very thankful for where we are today :)

A Hard and Hopeful Week from NYC

Whirlwind. Bitter. Sweet. Crazy. Tough. Long. Emotional. Doubting. Hoping.

That's about how I would describe this week for our family.

On Tuesday, I flew up to NYC with our boys and our family was reunited for the first time in 7 months.  Beth was thrilled just to watch them play and see how they had grown and changed.

However, Beth was still having trouble eating and drinking.  As the week progressed she grew very weak and tired, requiring IV fluids at the hospital on Wednesday & Thursday.  She started vomiting when she tried to swallow her medicines.  We both realized this had the potential to become serious and that her struggle eating/drinking had gone on long enough. So on Friday morning we made the difficult decision to cut the boys visit short  -- I would fly them home, Beth would go to the hospital, and I would fly back to NYC late Friday night.

Beth was readmitted to the hospital Friday afternoon to get an "NG Tube" for feeding (pretty uncomfortable procedure). However, by the time I got back to the hospital around midnight Beth was already feeling and looking much better.

The eating troubles seem to be coming from a severe case of mucus literally streaming down the back of Beth's throat and the cause is still somewhat unclear, although the doctors believe it is temporary and will resolve.  She will receive a G-tube on Wednesday as part of a longer term/less invasive "eating" solution.

Also, a PET Scan was repeated on Wednesday and the results show that the Epstein-Barr virus is in full retreat.  Most of the "nodes" are gone and the ones that remain are significantly smaller.

So while this week was not what we had hoped for with our boys, we have learned that our perspective cannot be limited to days or even weeks.  And the bigger picture perspective is much brighter: leukemia is in remission, her bone marrow graft is strong, EBV is going away, she is finally getting the nutrition her body needs, our boys are doing great, and ... most especially, the tomb of Jesus Christ is still empty!!

Bringing the Boys to NYC!!

This week we're bringing the boys up to the "Big Apple" to see their mommy!  I'm so excited for the boys and for Beth who has not seen them in 7 months!! Our incredible doctors have even worked Beth's check-up and treatment schedules so our time at the hospital is minimal.  I'm flying up with the boys by myself so I'll be in man-to-man defense in the ATL airport and at 35,000 feet!!

Beth is improving but it is slower than we expected. The procedure to clear out her throat last week has helped but eating is still slow.  The "stuff" they removed from Beth's nasal passageways revealed a fungal infection so the doctors added a high powered anti-fungal medicine.  On the positive side her pneumonia is gone :)

Dr. Boulad explained that healing and recovery takes longer in older transplant patients and especially in those who have Fanconi Anemia.  She is going to undergo some more treatment to hopefully knock the rest of the EB virus out and then the doctors will be in a position to evaluate where we are overall in post-transplant recovery.  Her graft (new marrow) continues to be strong, it just takes (more) time for the immune system to mature to the point where it can completely protect Beth from infection.

Thanks for your continued prayers and support!

Update on Beth

Today is a long day at the hospital for Beth to get treatment for the EB virus and a breathing treatment to prevent certain types of pneumonia.

Our biggest challenge of late has been eating and weight loss since the tonsil surgery. Food is sticking in Beth's mouth and throat areas, making eating frustrating and somewhat futile. The doctors were/are considering putting in a "G-tube" device into Beth's stomach (bypassing the throat area) to increase her caloric intake and weight.

However, yesterday we met yesterday with an ENT surgeon.  He looked in Beth's nasal passages and throat and found a lot of "rubbish" (I guess that's a medical term) that he thinks is the culprit for her eating problems. The doctors believe that while the tonsil surgery did remove a portion of the EBV, the virus is still in her throat area and complicating her healing, causing this "rubbish" to build up and linger in her throat area. So on Saturday the ENT is going to clean out Beth's nasal ways and throat and remove some tissue adhesions/scar tissue.  He thinks this procedure could solve the eating challenge and we can avoid getting the G-tube :)

Prayer Requests:

• For Saturday's procedure to be safe and successful.


• For Beth to be able to eat and increase her caloric intake.


• For EBV to continue to go away.


• For protection against any more infections and complications.


• Luke 11:13

Out of the Hospital: Latest on Beth

As we've learned bone marrow transplant is a series of steps forward and back with the hope that the overall direction is forward. True to form this week has been two big steps forward and one small step back.  Here's the latest on my bride:

2 Steps Forward:
#1-Yesterday after 5 weeks, Beth was released from the hospital!  We are thrilled to be back in our "home away from home".  We are giving her 2 IV medications at home. A home care nurse just trained me to give her these 2 drugs in our apartment.  Good to be out of the hospital :)
#2-The latest PET scan showed that ALL of the EB virus nodes in Beth's body are significantly smaller.  The doctors are very encouraged to see that Beth is responding to the treatments.

1 Small Step Back:
The EBV PET scan showed that Beth has a bit of pneumonia in her upper right lung.  She shows no symptoms (no cough, no fever, no sounds that the doctors can hear), but it is there.  She always has some infection in her throat area.  We're on some powerful antibiotics, and the doctors believe these infections should be gone relatively soon.

Finally, we got the 'OK' to bring the boys up to NYC!!  Since we just got out of the hospital, we're going to take a week or so to get rested, get stronger, and get ready for Eyasu and Abreham. Beth has not seen the boys in person since the first of December and she is ready! Last night we Skyped with them -- Abreham said, "I love you" and "Ma-Ma"!!

Prayer Requests:

• For the pneumonia to go away quickly.


• For Beth's T-cells to increase (the T-Cell level is what determines the restrictions we have to follow such as being close to the hospital, avoiding crowds & enclosed spaces, and a low microbial diet).  As Beth's T-cells increase, they will be easily able to kill off the EB virus.


• For two transplant friends we met, Kevin (age 19) and Karl (age 14), as they recover from their transplants.


• Soli deo gloria!!

Slowly but Surely: Beth Update

First, we are so blessed to be part of Rock Bridge Community Church. You have loved us, given to us, and prayed for us faithfully during this long and challenging time for our family.  When the Elders first told me that they wanted me to take the month of June off from preaching, I was hesitant. I love studying God's Word and preaching it.  I love being with the people of my church family. However, I ultimately recognized and submitted to their wisdom, authority, and love for Beth & myself.  They are acting to protect the long-term health of the church and the teaching ministry while protecting me from the long-term dangers of fatigue and burnout (real dangers for any minister under normal circumstances).  Additionally, in God's providence He has confirmed that June is an important month in Beth's recovery and healing and I need to be with her as much as possible.

Beth is still in the hospital after 4 weeks but starting to feel much better.  She is working hard to eat and swallow while trying to get the needed calories from drinking smoothies, and shakes.  These are the prerequisites for her release so she does not dehydrate, gets the right amount of nutrition, and can take her medications by mouth.

Additionally, she is still getting treatment for the Epstein-Barr virus on a weekly basis.  A PET scan will be repeated in about a week to determine if further progress is being made against this problematic virus.  Because of the presence of EBV and the effect fighting it has had on her T-cell counts, we do not believe Beth will be home in late June (rats!).  However, we are making progress. Sometimes we take 2 steps forward and 1 step back; sometimes 2 forward and 1 1/2 steps back ... but slowly but surely things are moving in the right direction.

Prayer Requests:

• For Beth's swallowing to get stronger/easier so she can eat & drink enough on her own.


• To be released from the hospital.


• For the EBV virus to continue to diminish and be defeated.


• For us to be able to bring our boys up to NYC in June.

Signs of Progress: Latest on Beth

We are profoundly moved and grateful for so many prayers, acts of kindness and generosity, and support as Beth's recovery continues.  I was overwhelmed by so many heartfelt inquiries and genuine interest over the weekend.
This adversity has definitely been teaching us that God while God values prayer, He especially values persistence and perseverance in prayer (Luke 18:1). Thank you Rock Bridge, family and friends all over for continuing to pray for Beth and our family!! Know and trust that God is working -- medically yes, but also in ways that go far beyond the physical healing we seek for Beth.
Here is where we are:

• The latest scan revealed that all of the Epstein-Barr "sites" in Beth's body are significantly smaller, except a slight increase in the size of a site on her liver (within the test's margin of error).
  
  
  
  • The doctors are very encouraged and optimistic about these results.  The T-cell therapy is working but it does take time and Beth's immune system is still not able to fight off the virus on its own.  She will receive at least 2 more doses of EBV-fighting T-cells (apparently T-cells are sort of like highly trained SEAL teams :)
  
  
  
  


• We are still in the hospital.
  
  
  
  • Her throat is healing and one scab/sore remains.  As this heals, Beth will be able to eat and drink more and then she should be able to be released. This could be this weekend or the first of next week.
  
  
  
  


• Will Beth be able to come home in late June, at the post-transplant 6-month mark?
  
  
  
  • While that question is on our minds, the doctors are not discussing it at this point.  Getting home in late June has always been an estimate and somewhat of a moving target.  The doctors' goal is getting rid of the EB virus and helping Beth's immune system get to a point of self-sufficiency where she will be able to fight off viruses, bacteria, & fungi on her own and thus be much more protected ... and we are not there yet. We could get 'there' by late June (pray!), but that is uncertain at this point.
  
  
  
  


• The Epstein-Barr virus in post-bone marrow transplant patients is very serious ... more so than we thought, knew or imagined.  The treatments are complex and take time to produce the desired results.  However, they are working, Beth is fighting, and we are praying!! God is in way more control than I ever knew and God's love is way deeper than I understood back in November when Beth was first diagnosed ... and with His sovereignty and grace at work, our work is to rest.

Seeking to rest,

Matt

Weekly Rundown (5.22.11)

• Finished Modern Family today.  Can honestly say this was a great and needed series for us.  Already hearing stories of people freed, marriages moving from divorce to restoration, and salvations!  Soli deo gloria!


• Baptism ... what can I say?! God gave us this command to remind us of His salvation and His power.  I believe public, bold baptisms are also a great encouragement to those who have already been saved.  Baptism reminds us that God is still mighty to save and our work to evangelize and connected the disconnected is not in vain!


• Sign-up for E-GIVE!
  
  
  
  • During the summer months our church attendance is less consistent which translates into lower offerings to the church.  However, our mission continues and God's work does not let up ... even in the summer.  So E-Give not only helps you give automatically and consistently even when you can't physically put something in the offering during a worship service; it also keeps our church's ministries and missions going strong year round.
  
  
  • To sign-up go to www.rockbridge.cc and click on "Give".  You'll need your checking account number and your bank's "routing number" (found on a personal check).  It's simple and easy.
  
  
  
  


• Our Calhoun campus' new building is ready: NEXT Sunday at either 9:30 or 11:00 am (going to 2 services too!).
  
  
  
  • I toured the building on Friday and WOW!! It is amazing.  It is at the old Piggly Wiggly location right off Highway 41.
  
  
  • Praying God uses the building to further His mission, advance His kingdom, and increase RBCC's impact for Him in Gordon County!!
  
  
  
  


• Update on Beth: Thanks so much for asking and staying faithful to pray for her and our family.
  
  
  
  • She is still in the hospital and may get released by mid-week. Her throat area is still healing and now shedding the scabs so eating and drinking has been difficult.
  
  
  • We expect to have another PET scan this week to determine how well all this treatment has worked against the Epstein-Barr virus.  This "EBV" continues to be our biggest concern and obstacle so we are praying it is all gone!!
  
  
  • Prayer requests:
    
    
    
    • The complete and final defeat of the Epstein-Barr virus in Beth's body.
    
    
    • Healing for her throat area and the ability to eat and drink normally again.
    
    
    • T-cell production to ramp up (several of the medicines she had to take lately suppress this part of the immune system)!!
    
    
    • For the family of our dear friend, Edwin who passed away last week from a post-transplant infection.
    
    
    
    
  
  
  
  

The Latest on Beth: Post-Surgery

Beth's tonsils and adenoids were removed today.  The biggest "reservoir" for the EB virus was there and now it is gone!  The surgery went well.  Beth has a lot of swelling in her tongue, mouth, and throat but she is able to rest.

Beth still has the EB virus in her body, mainly in the abdomen area.  The doctors are hopeful that by removing the largest concentration of it (in her throat area), this will free up her immune system to fight the virus  more effectively in other areas of her body.  Additionally, she is receiving medicine and "T-cell therapy" to further tip the scales in our favor against EBV.

Your thoughts, prayers, texts, Facebook messages, love, and support are so appreciated.  They comfort and strengthen us as we know God in His sovereignty and grace has ordained prayer as a means to receive His mercy and glorify the One in Whose Name we pray.  I know the church took time on Wednesday to pray for Beth specifically.  It worked: the doctors got control over Beth's pain, she (we) got much needed sleep, and the surgery was successful.

We do feel like we took a step forward today in the fight against EBV and toward recovery.  We still are praying for complete healing from EBV, immune system growth and strength, comfort and rest while recovering from surgery, and continued overall recovery from the entire transplant process.

Update on Beth: Back in the Hospital

Today Beth was readmitted to the hospital (she had been in an outpatient status since mid-January).  We are awaiting some test results but the likely culprit is the Epstein-Barr virus which is causing some intestinal-abdominal problems, including pain and weight loss.  To be safe and to ensure Beth gets fluids and nutrients, the doctors decided to hospitalize her through the tonsillectomy.
So while this feels like a step backwards, we are hopeful this enables her to take lots of steps forward in the coming days.

Prayer Requests:
For EBV to go away and stay away.
For relief from pain and discomfort.
For sleep.
For successful surgery to remove tonsils (scheduled for Friday morning).
For Beth's graft (new bone marrow) to remain strong and keep producing more healthy cells.
For our friend, Edwin who is in serious condition (you can read his Caring Bridge update here).

Lastly, we continue to pray for and encourage prayer for the victims of the terrible tornadoes that struck our area and much of the Deep South a week ago.

While we hurt, we rest in God's Sovereignty even in the midst of suffering, the overcoming of evil on the Cross, the communion we now have with God in Christ, and the hope of heaven.

 

A Blog to Catch-up

So much has happened in the past 5 days that I felt like a quick blog just to catch-up would be worth it.  From storm relief to the death of Osama to "How is Beth?" and the launch of a new series ... here goes:

STORM RELIEF
The loss and grief is almost hard to bear, especially when this is home or so close to home.  Please continue to pray for God's comfort, strength, and hope to be alive in these affected areas.
The response of supplies and volunteers (and the necessary coordination efforts) have been amazing. Rock Bridge, we are BEING the church.  You can stay updated via our web site and Facebook pages.

OSAMA'S DEATH
This blog post by Pastor J.D. Greear is worth the read.  "Thinking About Osama"

NEW SERIES: MODERN FAMILY
It appears Part 1 of this series struck a nerve in our church.  I'm praying for all the conversations taking place right now, asking God to bring clarity and courage into families, marriages, and singles.  I'll address some questions that have already been raised at the start of Part 2 this weekend.  This is a great series to invite a guest and to make sure your WHOLE family is in church! Please pray that God's Word is made clear and God's Spirit works in all our lives.  I know some of what we have (and will) cover will be uncomfortable and challenging at times; however, if we keep our eyes on God, lean into His grace, and follow Him no matter what ... it will be worth it!!

HOW IS BETH?
Still fighting the Epstein-Barr Virus which at times makes her very uncomfortable.  We think the doctors will remove her tonsils on Friday since the bulk of the infection is in that area.  We need prayer for healing, for comfort, and for strength.  Someone called me several months ago and quoted a Scripture in a voice message to me that has been the basis for how I pray for her.

Isaiah 41:10-13 {NIV}
So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. “All who rage against you will surely be ashamed and disgraced; those who oppose you will be as nothing and perish. Though you search for your enemies, you will not find them. Those who wage war against you will be as nothing at all. For I am the LORD, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you.

 

Responding to the Storms

The devastation in our area is tremendous from the storms that ripped through NW Georgia.  While much of Whitfield, Murray, and Gordon County was spared, our neighboring communities were not.   So this is a "Good Samaritan moment" for our church to meet needs in Jesus' Name and to be His hands, feet, and face to our hurting friends.

Our staff has been working fervently to develop an action plan and many of you have called asking what can be done.  We are in communication with area churches, the Red Cross, as well as the "Rock Bridgers" who live in Catoosa County (as far as we know they are ok physically).  Please know that as of now most of the affected area is closed to everyone but emergency personnel.

Pray. We can immediately ask God's presence and Holy Spirit to touch people supernaturally with His grace, comfort, and strength.

Supplies: Our church is serving as a collection point for the Red Cross.  You can bring items to the church office on the corner of Hamilton and Gordon Streets OR to any lobby space at any Rock Bridge venue during our weekend services. Right now the needs are:

• Hand sanitizer


• Feminine products


• Toilet paper


• Paper towels


• Wipes


• Bottled water


• Flashlights


• Tents and tarps

Financial Assistance: We will be giving from our missions budget.  We are still working out details of how best to give.  If you do wish to give additional money, you can make checks out to "Rock Bridge Community Church" and write  "Storm Relief" in the memo line.

What You Don't See

Watching ducks can be a fairly peaceful and entertaining experience. They are beautiful, naturals in the water, and can twist their necks almost 360 degrees (which is a skill I'd like to have).  However, what we normally don't see is below the surface of the water where ducks' feet are pretty busy "paddling".  In other words, "there is more than meets the eye" to a duck; it takes more than what we see to make a duck ... well, a duck.

This is especially true in a local church.  We see preachers and singers. We see buildings and bulletins.  But just like our friend the duck, it takes (way) more to make a church ... well, a church.

What most people don't see are the people who prepare the bulletins, pick-up the trash, mix the sound, manage the lighting controls, run the computers, pray during the services, make the volunteer schedules, put out the signs, check the batteries in the microphones, call the first-time guests, send out letters, count the offering, make meals for the sick and bereaved, visit the sick, teach the children, change the diapers (I know my son's can be particularly nasty, sorry), hang out with the teenagers, check the toilets (and toilet paper), lead the small groups, organize the prayer requests, send out the prayer list, answer the phones ... you get the idea.

So I want to acknowledge and thank those members of the church that we don't normally see, encourage, or appreciate. Thank you for making the church function.  Thank you for doing what needs to be done with grace, humility, and excellence. Thank you for giving without expecting. Thank you for serving without selfishness.  What would we be without you??  One thing is for sure, we would not be a church. So ...
thank you for BEING the church!

Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function, so it is with Christ’s body. We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other.
Romans 12:4-5 {NLT}

 

Monday "Randomness" and An Update on Beth

• Always love hearing follow-up stories from Easter weekend.  Praise God for life change, for people returning to Him, for passion rekindled, for Good News proclaimed and received!!


• Thanks to all the volunteers who helped make this weekend happen.
  
  
  
  • I also want to thank our amazing staff team ... your passion, work ethic, love for Christ and His church is a testimony to the worth of our great God. I love serving Him with each of you!!
  
  
  
  


• Got to baptize my niece Saturday ... very special.


• Praying for God to use our next series, Modern Family. It starts THIS weekend. Who will you bring with you?!?

An Update on Beth:
The Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV) is still present and problematic. Beth will continue to receive treatment this week in hopes that real progress is made by Friday.  This virus is obviously a very real obstacle and complication in Beth's recovery.  We would very much appreciate specific prayers against EBV, for full recovery, and just for rest.
Because EBV continues to linger and complicate things, we we have postponed the boys' trip to NYC (rats!).

HE IS RISEN! HE IS ALIVE!

 

 

Today

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="400" caption="The Today Show Studio at Rockefeller Plaza in NYC"][/caption]

I have always enjoyed watching NBC's Today Show.  I would watch it before going to school after I watched Inspector Gadget or, as I matured, The Three Stooges.
But I always anticipated the 7:00 am introduction to the Today Show as the host would summarize the major news story they were covering and seque into a dramatic ending of "... Today, [the date]." The impression: major things happen every day; every day is full of news, promise, and pain.

In fact, today is the only day we have -- to live for God, to love our families, to treat people right, to make things right, to seize opportunities, and in essence, to live.

Martin Luther used to say, "There are only two days on my calender -- this day and that day."
"This day" refers to today.  "That day" is the day we stand before the Lord to give an account of how we used the "todays" He gave us.

This is the day the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.
Psalm 118:24 [NIV]