Homecoming 2016

It is Homecoming weekend here in Hays Kansas as the Hays High Indians and the Fort Hays State University Tigers both battle their opponents on the home turf at Lewis Field on Friday and Saturday. There will be parades, tailgate parties, dances, class reunions and lots of fun for all.

Throughout the football season our youth and college ministries reach out each week to encourage their respective teams. Our CrossCurrent High School ministry prepares a supper for the players and coaches the night before each game where Conor Nichol and Nick Eiden speak to the team about how football and faith are intertwined. Jeff Burnett of our Encounter College Ministry meets with the Tigers at a pregame meal and pumps them up with inspiring words from God’s word. I am looking forward to all of the Homecoming hoopla this weekend in Hays but as I get older I am finding myself looking forward to another Homecoming.

Seeing all of the turmoil happening in our world events today got me thinking again that I am merely on the visiting team of this planet. This place is not my home. I don’t really own a single thing that matters. I have lots of stuff here but that is all it is. Stuff. What really matters is my faith, my family and those relationships that make this game of life worthwhile and will go on with me into eternity.

Jesus talked about homecoming and He was not talking about an athletic contest or a dance. He talked about a final homecoming; a homecoming where we will all be reunited with fellow alumni who have all put their faith and trust in Jesus Christ. But while we are waiting for that homecoming parade; “Lets train well against our opponent, play the game with purpose and passion and lets be victorious for His Team!"

Your pastor and partner in ministry,

Kyle

"What is the purpose of a Christian school?"

Four years ago when we began Victory Christian Academy at Celebration Community Church we asked ourselves the foundational question:  "What is the purpose of a Christian school?"

The answer we arrived at is that we believe a school's ultimate purpose should be to equip children to understand the truth about life, the world, and their place in it. We also believe that in order to understand these truths, the deeper questions regarding the meaning and purpose of life cannot be ignored.  The curriculum of public education cannot guide students through these deeper questions of life, because it cannot use the Word of God as its standard of truth. Christian Schools in general and VCA specifically seek to equip students to recognize the Lordship of Christ in all subject areas of learning, and to respond in obedience to His call to be transforming influences in society. A school not only shapes a child's mind, but also influences their hearts.

Keeping a private school Christian School operating is a daunting task and that is why I am asking our Celebration Community Church family to support VCA in three ways.

#1 Direct students through elementary school to VCA. If you know of any incoming pre-schoolers and kindergarteners whom we can start off connected to the VCA family, be sure to encourage them to check out VCA.

#2 Support with your prayers and financial contributions. If you can see the value of private Christian education being offered through our church’s school, then we would ask that you please make a financial contribution to VCA for the 2016-2017 school year. Your donation would allow us to continue to meet our bare bones budget and provide for our exceptional teachers while maintaining our excellent Christian curriculum.

#3 Purchase McDonald’s Coupon Books from one of VCA’s kids this weekend in the C3 Lobby. Each $5 coupon book you purchase is valued at $20 and VCA gets to keep the entire amount you donate.

Thank you in advance for your prayerful consideration and generous support in this crucial time.

If you have questions at all please contact me.

Your pastor and partner in ministry,

Kyle

Next Steps

In John 10:10 Jesus said, “I have come that you may have life, life to the fullest.”

Jesus didn’t say He came to bring us an institution, an organization or a social club. The church is none of these. Nor is the church a building even though God has given us a blueprint similar to a building of what the church should look like and be like. Here it is:

“His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known…according to his eternal purpose which he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord." Ephesians 3:10-11

God gave us the church to be His body to carry the Good News of Jesus Christ to this lost world.

The Bible goes on to say,

Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. 1 Corinthians 12:27

Did you get that? We are the body of Christ and we belong to each other. The Christian life isn’t just about believing, it’s about belonging; belonging to a family.

At Celebration Community Church we invite you to become part of our family through our Next Steps class.

During this 75 minute class you will learn all about who C3 is, what C3 does and doesn’t do, what we believe and what we don’t believe and most importantly, how you can find your place and purpose in it.

I invite you to our Next Steps Class THIS SUNDAY after our 8:30am, 10am and 11:30 services. We will meet after the services at the Connection Table at the front of our Worship Center.

Child care is provided. A light meal will be served.

To RSVP go to the C3hays app and click on the RSVP tile or e-mail me at kyle@celebratejesus.org.

I hope to see you there.

Your pastor and partner in ministry,

Kyle

What Does The Bible Have To Say About Baptism?

Christian baptism is one of two ordinances that Jesus instituted for the church. (The other being communion) Jesus’ last words to his disciples before ascending into heaven were, “Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age” Matthew 28:19–20. These instructions specify that the church is responsible to teach Jesus’ word, make disciples, and baptize those believers.

The Bible is abundantly clear of what baptism is, who it is for, and what it accomplishes. In the Bible, only believers who had placed their faith in Christ were baptized - as a public testimony of their faith and desire to follow him. Water baptism by immersion is a step of obedience after faith in Christ. It is a proclamation of faith in Christ, a statement of submission to Him, and identification with His death, burial, and resurrection.

With this in view, infant baptism is not a Biblical practice. An infant cannot place his or her faith in Christ. An infant cannot make a conscious decision to obey Christ. An infant cannot understand what water baptism symbolizes. The Bible does not record any infants being baptized. This is why we celebrate infant dedications on 5th Sundays instead of infant baptisms.

If you or someone you know has not been baptized (the Greek word means immersed) as a believer, I invite you to do so THIS SUNDAY. We will be car-pooling to the Haines pond at 12:45pm. Bring a swim suit, a towel and a lawn chair for we will be having a barbeque at 1pm.

To register, go to the C3hays app and click on the RSVP tile or email kyle@celebratejesus.org

This is going to be a great day of celebrating being raised to new life in Christ.

Your pastor and partner in ministry,

Kyle

Baptism: A Matter of Life and Death

For the last several years near the end of the summer Celebration Community Church has hosted outdoor baptisms after services. There is just something about being outdoors in a lake or pond that draws us closer to God and to that biblical experience of John the Baptizer immersing Jesus in the waters of the Jordan River.

When people ask me about the meaning of baptism I usually say to them that baptism is a matter of life and death. What I mean by that is that the Bible teaches us that baptism illustrates our alignment with Jesus’ death and burial, "… Christ died for our sins … he was buried …" 1 Corinthians 15:3–4

The Bible also teaches that baptism is not just about death and burial, it is about resurrection and new life. “For when you were baptized, you were buried with Christ, and in baptism you were also raised with Christ.” Colossians 2:12

"When someone becomes a Christian he becomes a brand new person inside. The old life has passed away and a new life has begun!” 2 Corinthians 5:17

“By our baptism then, we were buried with him and shared his death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead … so that we may live a new life!” Romans 6:4.

We need to be clear in that baptism doesn’t make you a Christian. Only your faith in Christ does that. Baptism is like a wedding ring; it’s the outward sign of the inner commitment you have made in your heart. The commitment as a believer to follow Christ.

Next Sunday September 11th at 1pm Celebration Community Church will gather at the Luke and Julisa Haines’ Pond five miles west of C3 for a barbeque and baptism.

We invite individuals and families (children under age of 12 need meet with a Pastor first) who have not been baptized by immersion as believers to come and be baptized.

To RSVP your desire to be baptized, go to the C3hays app and click on the “RSVP” tile or call the church office at 625-LIVE.

This is going to be a great day of celebrating being raised to new life in Christ.

Your pastor and partner in ministry,

Kyle