Numbers 5-1 on the top ten list of the evidences of God's activity in 2018 at City Bible Church...

This week we are looking at a top ten list that involves the top ten things that we are celebrating when it comes to the evidence of God’s activity this past year at City Bible Church. Wednesday, we looked at numbers 10-6 on the top ten list. Today, I would like to share numbers 5-1 on the top ten list of the evidences of God's activity in 2018 at City Bible Church.

Number 6 on the top ten list of evidences of God’s activity in 2018 here at City Bible Church involved our involvement in the Global Leadership Summit. This past August, we had the opportunity as a church to be a host site for the Global Leadership Summit, which is held at Willow Creek Community Church in Chicago and is one of the best leadership conferences in the country.  The opportunity to be a host site provides the ability for us to provide top notch training to those who would not have the opportunity to normally attend such a conference.

As a result of the success that we had as a church in hosting what is referred to as a private viewing, we now have the opportunity to invite other churches to be a part of the Global Leadership Summit as a public viewing venue. One of our priorities as a church is to develop spiritually growing leaders within our church, while providing spaces and opportunities for other local churches to develop their leaders as well.

While we are a local church, we want to be open handed and generous to other churches in a way that helps the big C Church advance the kingdom mission we all have been given by Jesus. We look forward to the opportunities we now have to help equip, empower, and unleash leaders from C.B.C. and other local churches to make a difference for Jesus in our community and beyond. 

Similar to number 6 in the top ten list, Number 5 on the top ten list of evidences of God’s activity in 2018 here at City Bible Church involved the Faith that Sticks conference that was held on October 13th here at City Bible Church. As a church we were able to facilitate a one-day conference designed for those who serve in children and/or student ministry.

The conference focused on creating church cultures that will help young people discover and grow to love the local church.  Matthew Deprez from Fuller Youth Institute shared research findings that have been gathered from churches that serve young people well.  This year, the conference included a track specifically for Senior Pastors and church leadership.  

As a result of the excellent leadership of Christy Bronston, along with a committed team of volunteers, 124 people registered for the conference, with over 88 attending the all day conference. As we talked about with the Global Leadership Summit on number 6, one of our cultural values as a church is to come along other local churches to help develop engaging and effective ministries for every age and stage of life.

We want to be open handed and generous to other churches in a way that helps the big C Church advance the kingdom mission we all have been given by Jesus. We look forward to the opportunities to continue to equip, empower, and unleash leaders from C.B.C. and other local churches to make a difference in the lives of children, students, and their families for Jesus in our community and beyond. 

Number 4 on the top ten list of evidences of God’s activity in 2018 here at City Bible Church involved the engagement of those who attend City Bible Church in Community Groups. As a church we have set as a goal for the future that everyone who attends C.B.C. would be investing their time, in addition to attending a corporate worship gathering, in a community group. When we read the letters that make up the Bible, we discover that individuals who were involved in a growing and maturing relationship with Jesus consistently invested their time with other Christians as they gathered corporately for regular weekly worship gatherings and as they scattered to experience community in homes throughout the week.

We feel strongly about this goal because we believe that transformational spiritual growth occurs in circles, not rows. And community groups create those transformational environments where people can develop loving and supportive relationships that challenge us to take that next step when it comes to our relationship with Jesus. This past year, 56% of those who regularly attend City Bible Church are involved in a community group.  Current community groups are listed in your bulletin and other community groups will be starting in the future.

Number 3 on the top ten list of evidences of God’s activity in 2018 here at City Bible Church involved the progress that has been made toward the 2020 Vision. In May 2017, as a church we launched into a three-year capital campaign with the goal to raise 2 million dollars for a new Family Life Center so that we could create the space for the city to encounter Jesus.

The goal of the Capital Campaign is to create an environment where hundreds of children and their families could have irresistible and engaging spaces to connect with Jesus. Our goal is to be able to create the environment where hundreds of students and their families could have irresistible and engaging spaces to know God, own their faith, and make their faith know. Our goal is to be able to create the environment where we would be positioned to create irresistible and engaging spaces that provided training opportunities for churches in the region in areas such as children, student, and family ministry.

Our goal is to be able to create the environment where we could love and serve our community in real and practical ways by creating irresistible and engaging spaces where local organizations could have conferences and training for their employees. Our goal is to be able to create the environment where we could love and serve our community in real and practical ways by creating irresistible and engaging spaces for our community to engage in sports leagues and other activities and interests. Our goal is to be able to create the environment where we would be positioned to meet the potential pressing and practical needs of our community that come through crisis. Our goal is to be able to create the environment where we could reach out to both the church family and the community by creating irresistible and engaging spaces for marriage and parenting conferences.

Since the launch of the 2020 Vision, we have raised over $536,000 towards the 2 million dollar goal. As a church we are grateful for everyone who has made the commitment to be a part of the 2020 Vision. Since we launched the 2020 Vision, we have had many individuals who have started attending the church and who are beginning to engage in the ministries of the church. Maybe I have just described you. Or maybe you were not in a position to commitment to partner with us in the 2020 Vision last year but now are at a place where you could make that commitment.

If I have described where you are at, I would invite you to consider the impact that you could have by making a commitment to the 2020 Vision by prayerfully considering the following questions: Have you been blessed and want to say YEA GOD!? Would you consider giving an additional one-time gift, or increase your monthly giving? Have you not formally committed to the 2020 Vision, but are giving sporadically? Would you be willing to either complete a commitment card, and/or decide to give regularly? If you were not able to join us part of the 2020 Vision last year, but feel you can now: Will you join us by partnering in the 2020 Vision?

Similar to number 3 in the top ten list, Number 2 on the top ten list of evidences of God’s activity in 2018 here at City Bible Church involved the sale of the church parsonage. This past March, the Lord provided a buyer for the church parsonage. The sale provided $205,833 dollars towards the 2020 Vision while relieving the church of the financial responsibilities that surrounded the care and upkeep of the home. In addition, we were able to bless the buyer with a home as the Deacons did an amazing job of representing Jesus well throughout the process.

Now with that in mind, we come to the number 1 on the top ten list of evidences of God’s activity in 2018 here at City Bible Church. Number 1 on the top ten list of evidences of God’s activity in 2018 here at City Bible Church was the “Duct Tape Dave Night. This past February 7^th, individuals from all ages and stages of life had the opportunity to purchase strips of duct tape to duct tape Pastor Dave to the wall.

This event provided the opportunity for children, students, and their families in a real and practical way, to participate in the 2020 Vision. As a result of the generosity of those who participated that evening, $6,100 was raised toward the 2020 Vision. Just as important, the evening was marked by an energy and enthusiasm in community with one another that was contagious. I still receive comments about what occurred on that evening and requests when it comes to when we can do that again. The evening was an amazing picture of why we feel so strongly about the 2020 vision and the potential that we have as a church to impact our community for Jesus.

So as this list demonstrates, 2018 has been an amazing year where we have been surrounded by the evidences of God’s activity. As we leave 2018 behind and lean into 2019, may we continue to lean into the kingdom mission that we have been given as a church to be a city in a city that is striving to reveal and reflect Christ as we love and serve the city....