loveworshiplovelife is moving. A new year a new look. You can now find me at
darrellloper.wordpress.com
Please be patient. The new site is still under construction but operable none the less.
See you at the new site.
Monday, January 7, 2008
Sunday, January 6, 2008
It Feels Like C3
Alright I know that Pastor Byron, Angie, Barry, Josh and possibly Travis will blog about today but I couldn't wait to get home and write about our great morning at C3. Today was our very first services at Regal Cinemas at Waterford Lakes Town Center. God's hand was all over today and He blessed us beyond measure. Let me say thanks to the almost 200 volunteers that helped in every area at C3 this morning to create a great experience for those attending church. This morning was not without it's small glitches but everyone handled the moments with calm and grace. There were nothing but smiling faces and great attitudes.
It was absolutely incredible to see the worship theater probably 60% full in the first service and 90% in the second service. It is awesome considering that our kickoff service is not until January 20th. This is just the beginning. God is going to bring so many new people that it will blow us away. People that don't know about God or church are coming. Can you see it C3? Just like Pastor Byron spoke about this morning, we are investing so that everyone, no matter who you are can come and find God. Remember it's not for us, it's for others.
What a great start C3! Praise the Lord!
C3 Church, Connecting the Community with Christ!
It was absolutely incredible to see the worship theater probably 60% full in the first service and 90% in the second service. It is awesome considering that our kickoff service is not until January 20th. This is just the beginning. God is going to bring so many new people that it will blow us away. People that don't know about God or church are coming. Can you see it C3? Just like Pastor Byron spoke about this morning, we are investing so that everyone, no matter who you are can come and find God. Remember it's not for us, it's for others.
What a great start C3! Praise the Lord!
C3 Church, Connecting the Community with Christ!
Thursday, January 3, 2008
Let's Connect!
It has been a crazy week and the craziest part hasn't even begun. Tomorrow we take delivery of our portable church (3, 24 foot trailers, weighing 7500 lbs a piece, of equipment). We have approximately 140 out of our 190 people coming out for training at the theaters on Saturday morning as we set everything up for the first time at Waterford Lakes Town Center. We have our very first service on Sunday (one of two preview weeks). It will be crazy but exciting at the same time.
What a great way to start the new year. Doing church in a completely new way. A fresh start and break from the old and a marriage with the new. I can not wait to see the 80 volunteers on "The Connections Team" that will be in their Connections Team t-shirts and lanyards helping people as they walk through the doors on Sunday morning. I can not wait to see the 60 people on "The Crew", with their Crew t-shirts on setting up and tearing down on Sunday. I can not wait to see the 50 new people serving in "C3 Kids" with their t-shirts on. This Sunday will be electric. Most of all I can't wait to see all of the visitors we will see this Sunday and in the coming months.
People of C3, you are shining brightly. Thank you for your love and commitment to Christ and the desire to see others come to know our Lord. I count it an honor and privilege to serve with you. You are an inspiration to us! Remember, LET'S CONNECT!
What a great way to start the new year. Doing church in a completely new way. A fresh start and break from the old and a marriage with the new. I can not wait to see the 80 volunteers on "The Connections Team" that will be in their Connections Team t-shirts and lanyards helping people as they walk through the doors on Sunday morning. I can not wait to see the 60 people on "The Crew", with their Crew t-shirts on setting up and tearing down on Sunday. I can not wait to see the 50 new people serving in "C3 Kids" with their t-shirts on. This Sunday will be electric. Most of all I can't wait to see all of the visitors we will see this Sunday and in the coming months.
People of C3, you are shining brightly. Thank you for your love and commitment to Christ and the desire to see others come to know our Lord. I count it an honor and privilege to serve with you. You are an inspiration to us! Remember, LET'S CONNECT!
Wednesday, January 2, 2008
Hello 2008!
Right now it is 3am and I cannot sleep. I probably would have blogged on the first day of the year but I was too busy to even go on line until late last night and then I was too tired. Now here it is 3am and I cannot sleep so I will blog. I could say a lot about last year but I am not going to belabor the point. I will say this. I learned a lot in 2007. A lot of things became clear too me in 07'. I was able to see God's hand in many areas of my life the least of which was the preparation for battles that I faced during the year. I can say that my passion for reaching the lost is greater than it has ever been. The personal sacrifice to reach others is a privilege and a blessing. It is no where near what our Savior sacrificed to reach us but I can relate a little bit (a little bit) to Paul when He said I count it all as loss for the cause of Christ.
You might ask what is the greatest lesson you have learned from 2007? Right now it is this. Loyalty even among friends is something very rare and precious. Most people do not have it. I've heard this said, "When there is a covenant, it is always between people, not things. So if I am in a covenant, it is a commitment between you and me and not between me and a thing." Most people are in covenants with things so they throw friendships, trust and even loyalty out of the window because things mean more to them than people.
I am in a covenant with my God. I am in a covenant with my wife. I am in a covenant with my family. I am in a covenant with my friends. And I am proud to say I am in a covenant with my Pastor!
And having done all to stand, I stand.
Thank God for lessons learned but I am thrilled to say good bye to 2007 and welcome with open arms 2008. Leaving behind, what is behind, I press on forward for that which is ahead.
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
You might ask what is the greatest lesson you have learned from 2007? Right now it is this. Loyalty even among friends is something very rare and precious. Most people do not have it. I've heard this said, "When there is a covenant, it is always between people, not things. So if I am in a covenant, it is a commitment between you and me and not between me and a thing." Most people are in covenants with things so they throw friendships, trust and even loyalty out of the window because things mean more to them than people.
I am in a covenant with my God. I am in a covenant with my wife. I am in a covenant with my family. I am in a covenant with my friends. And I am proud to say I am in a covenant with my Pastor!
And having done all to stand, I stand.
Thank God for lessons learned but I am thrilled to say good bye to 2007 and welcome with open arms 2008. Leaving behind, what is behind, I press on forward for that which is ahead.
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
Sunday, December 30, 2007
Past And Future
Since C3 Church did not meet this week Andrea and I decided to visit a church we have been wanting to visit for a while now. Usually Andrea and I do not get to visit other churches unless we are on vacation. When we do get a Sunday off we like to go someplace new and different because it's almost like a time of refreshing when we can just participate in worship and be a sponge without any responsibility other than to praise our Lord. This morning was one of those times.
We visited a fairly large ministry in the central Florida area this morning. This service was such a blessing to Andrea and I. I will not name the particular church that we attended this morning because I would not like to fuel any rumors or speculation on this particular church's situation. I only know that this particular ministry has been through some tough times this year. They referred to their trial by fire a few times this morning and how they are optimistic about the coming new year. I know personally of rumors and innuendo that have circulated about this ministry over the past several months but they are persevering and letting the people that need to leave, leave and are going on from here determined to reach lost people with the message of Christ.
One of the things that the Pastor said this morning struck me as being very profound. I probably have heard this before but it really spoke to me this morning. "It's time to divorce ourselves from our past and get married to our future!" This statement is so true. There are people who would love to go back to the way things were or mourn that things are not like they used to be when it comes to church. But I say it is time to divorce ourselves from the past and get married to our future. The path is going to be so much brighter in C3's future than it was in our past. This last year has been a tough one. A year filled with many struggles and many people that could not stand when the fire came. It's time to say so long and move forward. It's time for a new thing! Just like the Pastor preached this morning, "But forget all that- it is nothing compared to what I am going to do. For I am about to do something new. See, I have already begun! Do you not see it? I will make a pathway through the wilderness. I will create rivers in the dry wasteland. Isaiah 43:18-19."
To my brothers and sisters on the other side of town that are walking through the wasteland, don't worry, the rivers are on their way. To my brothers and sisters at C3 Church, God has already started to do a great work, can you see it? Sometimes you have to let something die in order for something new to rise up and take it's place. It's time to divorce ourselves from the past and get married to the future. The future is bright. Give God praise!
We visited a fairly large ministry in the central Florida area this morning. This service was such a blessing to Andrea and I. I will not name the particular church that we attended this morning because I would not like to fuel any rumors or speculation on this particular church's situation. I only know that this particular ministry has been through some tough times this year. They referred to their trial by fire a few times this morning and how they are optimistic about the coming new year. I know personally of rumors and innuendo that have circulated about this ministry over the past several months but they are persevering and letting the people that need to leave, leave and are going on from here determined to reach lost people with the message of Christ.
One of the things that the Pastor said this morning struck me as being very profound. I probably have heard this before but it really spoke to me this morning. "It's time to divorce ourselves from our past and get married to our future!" This statement is so true. There are people who would love to go back to the way things were or mourn that things are not like they used to be when it comes to church. But I say it is time to divorce ourselves from the past and get married to our future. The path is going to be so much brighter in C3's future than it was in our past. This last year has been a tough one. A year filled with many struggles and many people that could not stand when the fire came. It's time to say so long and move forward. It's time for a new thing! Just like the Pastor preached this morning, "But forget all that- it is nothing compared to what I am going to do. For I am about to do something new. See, I have already begun! Do you not see it? I will make a pathway through the wilderness. I will create rivers in the dry wasteland. Isaiah 43:18-19."
To my brothers and sisters on the other side of town that are walking through the wasteland, don't worry, the rivers are on their way. To my brothers and sisters at C3 Church, God has already started to do a great work, can you see it? Sometimes you have to let something die in order for something new to rise up and take it's place. It's time to divorce ourselves from the past and get married to the future. The future is bright. Give God praise!
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