Community News 4/29/14

Shannon Compton Speaking Tomorrow Night!
Shannon Compton will continue speaking from the book of John.  He will be focusing on John 6:66-71.  Snacks will be provided at 6 PM and worship begins at 6:30 PM. 

National Day Of Prayer This Thursday!
Come gather together as believers as we lift up the nation, military, and churches at the gazebo on the courthouse lawn in downtown Brevard this Thursday at 12:00 PM.  

Men’s Breakfast!
Rise and shine!  Meet in the student center at 7:30 AM this Saturday, May 3rd for prayer, food, and encouragement. 

Tee Off For Missions!
Calling all golfers!  Help send our high school mission team to the Dominican Republic this summer and our college mission team to Vancouver, Canada while enjoying a day on the golf course! The golf tournament will be held at Connestee Falls this Sunday, May 4th.  The time has changed to 1:30 PM. Cost is $75 to play. Email brent@brevardcommunity.org or marty@brevardcommunity.org to register.

Life Groups!
Are you currently leading a life group or are you interested in starting a new group?  Please make plans to attend our next life group leadership meeting on Sunday, May 18th in the worship center after second worship.  Lunch will be provided.  Come join us as we refocus on why life groups are vital to our mission here at BCC.  We will look at key principles from scripture about how we are to pursue community with insiders.  We will also be looking to what is coming up this summer, share resources, ideas, and prayer requests.  Please RSVP to Shannon Compton, the Life Group Pastor at shannon@brevardcommunity.org.  

Baby Dedication!
On Sunday, May 18th parents will be giving their children back to God in both worships by trusting in Him.  If you are interested in participating please contact Lauren at 884-5932 or email her at lauren@brevardcommunity.org.

Graduation Sunday!
Parents of high school graduates, we need your help!  Please submit 6 to 7 photos of your graduate to the church office by the 21st of May or email to brad@brevardcommunity.org.  These pictures will be portrayed in the graduation presentation on Sunday, June 1st.

Spots Still Available!

Take a trip to The Holy Land this summer from August 30th to September 8th!  This will be Pastor Todd’s fifth trip leading groups on this most spiritual journey.  If you are interested or have questions contact him at todd@brevardcommunity.org.

Help lead discipleship or training in conversational evangelism in Mazatlan, Mexico.  This trip will leave on July 8th and return on July 15th.  The cost will be $1,300.  If you are interested or have questions email alan@brevardcommunity.org.

Summer Camp For Middle Schoolers And High Schoolers!
Middle Schoolers will be going to Johnson City, Tennessee from June 16th to June 20th!  The cost is $199 and the deposit of $50 is due by May 1st.  High Schoolers will be going to Panama City, FL from July 7th to 11th.  The cost is $225 and the deposit of $50 is due by May 1st.

Busy Families

The definition of busy is to have a great deal to do.  The verb form for busy is to keep occupied.  In the year 2014, the word is on the lips of nearly every person I talk with – we need help with this serious disease!

Yes, I said disease!  I think busyness is a disease because it is stealing our life of joy, peace, and fun.  It is spreading rapidly in our culture with such force that people are giving up hope for a cure.  It seems that we are just going to give in to this disease with little or no fight.

Thankfully, the God of the universe came to cure the greatest disease of all, sin, which He accomplished through His Son, Jesus.  If you have trusted Christ as payment for your sin and turned to Him from sin, you know how gracious the gift of salvation is.  If God can cure the disease of sin, then surely He can cure the disease of busyness!

Beginning this weekend, we will be looking at what Paul teaches as the cure for busy families from Ephesians chapters five and six.  All the way through June we will be teaching practical messages for busy families, moms, dads, and children.  We will discover the culprit for our busyness and if not dealt with, the devastating ending.  This is serious and cannot be put off any longer!

Plan on being here Sunday to begin your ban from busyness.  During mid-week worship, we will continue our journey through John. 

I love you and want to help you became more like Him!

Todd Alewine

Lead Pastor

BCC News 4/22/14

Marty Burgess Speaking Tomorrow Night!

Come hear Marty speak tomorrow night on John 6:52-66.  Join us for snacks at 6 PM.  Worship will begin at 6:30 PM.  

Starting Point Class!

Starting Point is a six-week foundational Bible study that is designed to walk you through the fundamental beliefs of the Christian faith and help you start connecting deeper into the life of the body at BCC.  Join the next class this Sunday, April 27th during second worship in the Welcome Street House.  For questions or to sign up please email Shannon Compton, Life Group Pastor, at Shannon@brevardcommunity.org.

Red Cross Blood Drive!

Red Cross relies on volunteer donors to meet the needs of patients who depend on transfusions. Come make an impact on the lives of so many by donating blood next Monday, April 28th from 3 to 7:30 PM here at BCC.  Please contact Paula Piercy at 553-1272 to set up an appointment.  

Tee Off For Missions!

Calling all golfers!  Help send our high school mission team to the Dominican Republic this summer and our college mission team to Vancouver, Canada while enjoying a day on the golf course! The golf tournament will be held at Connestee Falls on Sunday, May 4th at 2 PM. Cost is $75 to play. Email brent@brevardcommunity.org or marty@brevardcommunity.org to register.

Looking For New Life Group Leaders!

If you are interested in leading a life group, please contact Shannon Compton at 884-5932 or email him at shannon@brevardcommunity.org.

Baby Dedication!

On Sunday, May 18th parents will be giving their children back to God by trusting in Him.  If you are interested in participating please contact Lauren at 884-5932 or email her at lauren@brevardcommunity.org.

Graduation Sunday!

Parents of high school graduates, we need your help!  Please submit 6 to 7 photos of your graduate to the church office or email them to brad@brevardcommunity.org. Please have these turned in by the 21st of May. These pictures will be portrayed in the graduation presentation on Sunday, June 1st.

Summer Camp For Middle Schoolers And High Schoolers!

Middle Schoolers will be going to Johnson City, Tennessee from June 16th to June 20th!  The cost is $199 and the deposit of $50 is due by May 1st.  High Schoolers will be going to Panama City, FL from July 7th to 11th.  The cost is $225 and the deposit of $50 is due by May 1st.

Good Intentions

"But he (Peter) said to Him, “Lord, with you, I am ready to go both to prison and to death!” And He (Jesus) said, “I say to you, Peter, the rooster will not crow today until you have denied three times that you know Me.” Luke 22:33-34

        

Have you ever made a promise to God, and were not able to keep it? Have you ever told God you would do something, and before you know it, you have either forgotten about it, or you were surprised when you suddenly realized you hadn't followed through with your intention? We all have good intentions!  When we are unable to keep them, they leave us feeling ashamed and guilty. So, I'm sure we can all relate to Peter. I have no doubt that he meant those words at the time he spoke them to Jesus. As best as he could, Peter in his own strength, was willing to go to his death with Jesus. However, Jesus knew Peter's heart; He knew Peter’s weaknesses; He knew Peter’s future; just like he knows our own heart, our own weaknesses, and our own future.

     

Peter's failure did not surprise Jesus. God is never surprised. Jesus knew Peter would follow Him at a distance when the soldiers led Him away to be questioned. The man who had bravely stated he would die with Jesus was now afraid of being associated with Jesus. Jesus also knew that Peter would warm himself at the campfire with the enemies of God, and would even be "bullied" by a servant girl leading to his denial of his Lord for the third time. We can learn from this passage.  First, we learn to walk with God. Don't try to keep Him at a distance. Those around us need to know Jesus is our Savior. Second, be careful of the company we keep. If we continually spend time with the enemies of God, we will fail.

What do we do when we realize we fail? What do we realize when our good intentions crash? We do what Peter, a true Christ-follower, did. He was broken because of his failure. He felt he had let His Master down. He went out and wept bitterly. This is an indication of his confession of sin and his repentance. We know Jesus forgave Peter because of the message He sent Peter after His resurrection. The message was "Go tell my disciples and Peter to meet me in Galilee" (Mark 16:7 my paraphrase).

One of the first verses I memorized when I became a Christ-follower is 1 John 1:9. "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness." This verse is written to Christians. To those of us who have good intentions and sometimes fail, to those of us who really and truly want to please our Lord Jesus, but sometimes go about it the wrong way: we never surprise Jesus. He knows all. When we confess our sin and repent (are broken because of it and turn away from it) He is faithful to forgive and restore us. I have experienced His forgiveness and restoration on several occasions! Praise the Lord!

As we celebrate Easter, we celebrate the fact that Jesus has given us life, and forgiveness, because of our faith in Him and our dependence on Him. Because of Jesus' resurrected life, which we celebrate daily if we walk with, we thank Him that He knows our hearts, and the intents of our hearts. He knows our weaknesses. He is never surprised. He forgives us of all our failures and sins. Jesus does not cast us away when we fail, but restores us and makes us stronger as we learn more and more to depend on Him. Now that's something to celebrate!

May this be the most Blessed Easter you have ever experienced,

Alan Perry

Missions Pastor

Community News 4/15/14

Communion Tomorrow Night!

Please join us tomorrow night for communion to set our eyes on Christ during this Easter season.  Worship begins at 6:30 PM and snacks will not be provided.

Easter Sunday!

This Easter Sunday, we will be celebrating the Risen Savior with believers who want to make their faith known by being baptized. Our praise choir will be singing.  If you are interested in being baptized, call the church office at 884-5932. We will also be giving Bibles and the Billy Graham Hope DVD to guests in the rear of the worship center. 

Office Closed!

In observance of Easter, the church office will be closed Monday, April 21st.  

Starting Point Class!

Starting Point is a six-week foundational Bible study that is designed to walk you through the fundamental beliefs of the Christian faith and help you start connecting deeper into the life of the body at BCC.  Join the next class on Sunday, April 27th during second worship in the welcome street house.  For questions or to sign up please email Shannon Compton, Life Group Pastor, at Shannon@brevardcommunity.org.

VBS DATE CHANGE!

Due to inclement weather Transylvania and Henderson County Schools have revised their calendars; therefore, July 28th through August 1st are the new dates for VBS.   It will be held from 9 AM to 12 PM.  This is free for students who are 4 years old by September 1st, 2014 through rising 6th graders.  Please mark this week on your calendar so that your children will be able to participate.  

Tee Off For Missions!

Calling all golfers!  Help send our high school mission team to the Dominican Republic this summer while enjoying a day on the golf course! The golf tournament will be held at Connestee Falls on Sunday, May 4th at 2 PM. Cost is $75 to play. Email brent@brevardcommunity.org to register.

Looking For New Life Group Leaders!

If you are interested in leading a life group, please email Shannon Compton, Life Group Pastor, at Shannon@brevardcommunity.org.

Summer Camp For Middle Schoolers And High Schoolers!

Middle Schoolers will be going to Johnson City, Tennessee from June 16th to June 20th!  The cost is $199 and the deposit of $50 is due by May 1st.  High Schoolers will be going to Panama City, FL from July 7th to 11th.  The cost is $225 and the deposit of $50 is due by May 1st.

Community News 4/8/14

Midweek Worship Tomorrow Night!

Brad Snipes will be speaking tomorrow night at midweek. Join us at 6 PM for snacks and 6:30 PM for worship.  Make plans now to join us for communion next Wednesday!

Talk to God Now!

This Saturday from 9 AM to 4 PM there will be a one day conference here at BCC.  This study, Talk to God Now, focuses on learning and sharing about prayer and resting in God.  The cost is $10.  A light breakfast and lunch will be provided. Childcare will not be provided. 

Benefit for Frances Collins!

A benefit for Frances Collins will be held this Saturday, April 12th at Victory Baptist Church.  A general auction, cake auction, and raffle will be held.  Live bluegrass and southern gospel music will be provided along with barbecue.  All proceeds will go to help with medical expenses for Frances, who has been diagnosed with leukemia.

Discovering Membership Class Coming Up!

Interested in becoming a member of Brevard Community Church?  Join us for Discovering Membership Class this Sunday, April 13th at 12:30 PM in the worship center.  Lunch and childcare will be provided. 

Anyone Interested in Singing in Praise Choir on Easter Sunday!

A quick 10 or 15 minute meeting will be held in the student center after second service this Sunday. If you plan on singing in the choir and did not attend last Sunday’s meeting, you must attend this meeting!  

Easter Sunday!

This year on Easter Sunday, we will be celebrating the Risen Savior with believers who want to make their faith known by being baptized. Our praise choir will be singing that day.  If you are interested in being baptized, call the church office at 884-5932. We will also be giving Bibles and the Billy Graham Hope DVD to guests in the rear of the worship center. 

Starting Point Class!

Starting on April 27th a six-week class will be held during second worship in the brown house led by Shannon Compton.  If you are curious about following Jesus Christ, new to Brevard Community Church, or interested in connecting deeper, join us for Starting Point.

VBS DATE CHANGE!

Due to inclement weather Transylvania and Henderson County Schools have revised their calendars; therefore, July 28th through August 1st are the new dates for VBS.   It will be held from 9 AM to 12 PM.  This is free for students who are 4 years old by September 1st, 2014 through rising 6th graders.  Please mark this week on your calendar so that your children will be able to participate.  

Summer Camp for Middle Schoolers and High Schoolers!

Middle Schoolers will be going to Johnson City, Tennessee from June 16th to June 20th!  The cost is $199 and the deposit of $50 is due by May 1st.  High Schoolers will be going to Panama City, FL from July 7th to 11th.  The cost is $225 and the deposit of $50 is due by May 1st.

Church League Co-Ed Softball!

If you enjoy playing softball, come sign up in the welcome center to join BCC's softball team!

Small Groups Are Not Good Things

Let me explain what I mean. I am afraid the term “small group” has become a trendy church term that has lost meaning to some degree. We hear terms like these used so much that they lose their significance, and begin to fade into the background noise of our modern church culture. 

If I asked you to define the term “small group” what would you say? Most of us would say, “They are small groups of Christians that meet to study the Bible.” Most of us would also agree that a church small group is a good thing. A lot of us would even go as far as to say that it’s something we should do if we are serious about growing in our walk with Christ.  We know we should spend time with other Christ followers by studying, praying, and having fellowship with one another. This just makes sense to us. The problem is, we know it is a good thing, but it is so hard to fit another good thing into our already busy schedules.

So, is it enough to simply see small groups as just another good thing we should do? Or, should we view being a member of a small group as a vital part of what it means to be the church? Here are three simple reasons that I believe being a part of a small group is not a good thing we should do, but a vital thing we need to do. 

When we were saved, we were born into a Gospel-centered community. We are the children of God; therefore, we are all brothers and sisters in Christ. Being born into His family means we do life together as family. Imagine if your family members thought of their relationship with you as just another good thing. They would feel inclined to try and fit you into their busy schedule. If you’re a parent of a teenager, you might know what that feels like!  So, why do we take this view with our church family? Don’t we realize that our earthly relationships are temporary, but that we will be brothers and sisters in Christ for eternity? How much more should we pursue community with one another now, as the family of God? I believe small groups are a vital key to pursue community with one another as the family of God. 

Life change happens in the context of a Gospel-centered community. God called us into His family, and it is in the context of this family that He intends to grow us to maturity. It is pretty obvious a healthy family unit at home has advantages to raising kids into healthy mature adults. In fact, one of the primary functions of the family is to provide love, acceptance, security, instruction, and discipline that it takes to raise children. The same is true in the family of God. The best place to grow into a mature Christ follower is in a healthy church family. We need to belong to a body where members love one another, consistently encourage, and equip one another to truly live faithfully to Christ. Scripture describes it as “iron sharpens iron”. Or, in other words, as we do life together and obediently pursue love towards one another, no matter how difficult that may be at times, God uses that process to sharpen and shape us into the image of His Son. I believe small groups are vital to how He grows us up.

We can’t carry out our mission apart from community. Jesus did not commission a few individuals to go and make disciples.  He commissioned the whole church. It takes a community to effectively reach a culture. In John 13:35 and John 17:23, Jesus said “The world would know (the word know here is actually continually know) that He sent us when they see our love for one another and observe our unity.” The way we pursue community with one another is one of the greatest testimonies of the veracity of the Gospel to the watching world. It’s when they see us loving one another more deeply than natural, when they see us unified and growing together more and more into the image of Christ, that they will take note that something supernatural is going on. I believe small groups are vital to how we reach our culture with the Gospel. 

These are just a few reasons that barely scratch the surface of why doing life together in real, deep, genuine community with one another is so much more than just a good thing for us to try to squeeze into our busy day. I encourage you to stop and reconsider the vital part that small groups play in the life of the church, and how you can begin to pursue deeper community with a few brothers and sisters in Christ today.

One parting note, don’t be afraid to think out of the box when it comes to small groups. It doesn’t have to look like a circle of cookie cutter Christians sitting in someone’s living room with Bibles on their laps (although that is perfectly alright). The real point is, you and a handful of other Christ followers are intentionally going deeper into real relationships with one another, and pressing each other on towards faithfulness in Christ that can take many different forms, but the principle is the same. Go deeper with fewer to help each other faithfully follow Christ. 

Thankfully in Grace,

Shannon Compton

Life Group Pastor

Community News 4/1/14

Midweek Worship Tomorrow Night!

Todd Alewine will be speaking tomorrow night at midweek. His message is "Picnic with Jesus" from John chapter 6. Join us at 6 PM for snacks and 6:30 PM for worship.

Men’s Breakfast!

Gentleman, make plans to attend the Men’s Breakfast in the Student Center this Saturday, April 5th at 7:30 AM. A breakfast will be prepared and prayer time will be afterward.

Volunteers Needed!

If you have a few minutes after second worship this Sunday, we would gratefully appreciate your help taking down chairs and setting up tables for the Seder Meal. 

Talk to God Now!

Ladies, save this date! On Saturday, April 12th from 9 AM to 4 PM there will be a one day conference here at BCC. This study, Talk to God Now, focuses on learning and sharing about prayer and resting in God. The cost is $10. A light breakfast and lunch will be provided. Childcare will not be provided.

Discovering Membership Class Coming Up!

Interested in becoming a member of Brevard Community Church? Join us for Discovering Membership Class on Sunday, April 13th at 12:30 PM in the worship center. Lunch and childcare will be provided. 

Anyone Interested in Singing in Praise Choir on Easter Sunday!

A quick 10 or 15 minute meeting will be held in the Student Center after 2nd service on April 6th and April 13th. If you want to sing in the choir you must attend one of these meetings. Attendance is not required at both.

Easter Sunday!

This year on Easter Sunday, we will be celebrating the Risen Savior with believers who want to make their faith known by being baptized. Our praise choir will be singing that day. If you are interested in being baptized, call the church office at 884-5932. We will also be giving Bibles and the Billy Graham Hope DVD to guests in the rear of the worship center. 

Starting Point Class!

Starting on April 27th a six-week class will be held during first worship in the brown house led by Shannon Compton. If you are curious about following Jesus Christ, new to Brevard Community Church, or interested in connecting deeper, join us for Starting Point.

VBS DATE CHANGE!

Due to inclement weather Transylvania and Henderson County Schools have revised their calendars; therefore, July 28th through August 1st are the new dates for VBS. It will be held from 9 AM to 12 PM. This is free for students who are 4 years old by September 1st, 2014 through rising 6th graders. Please mark this week on your calendar so that your children will be able to participate.

Summer Camp for Middle Schoolers and High Schoolers!

Middle Schoolers will be going to Johnson City, Tennessee from June 16th to June 20th! The cost is $199 and the deposit of $50 is due by May 1st. High Schoolers will be going to Panama City, FL from July 7th to 11th. The cost is $225 and the deposit of $50 is due by May 1st.