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a convers<strong>at</strong>ion on life and faith<br />
FEBRUARY 2013 ISSUE NO. 32<br />
8 THINGS I USED<br />
TO HATE ABOUT YOU<br />
A funny look <strong>at</strong> how<br />
differences can be<br />
magnified in marriage.<br />
THE DEADLY ROOTS OF<br />
BITTERNESS<br />
Pastor Craig Groeschel<br />
shares his story <strong>of</strong> deep<br />
bitterness and the long road<br />
to freedom from its power.<br />
MAKE THE APPEAL<br />
James MacDonald looks in the<br />
book <strong>of</strong> Philemon to learn the<br />
difference between demanding<br />
change and making an appeal<br />
for change.<br />
IT’S TIME TO DIG<br />
SOME DITCHES<br />
A call to respond to the<br />
incredible growth <strong>at</strong> Central.<br />
A PUBLICATION OF CENTRAL COMMUNITY CHURCH<br />
ONLINE AT WWW.CENTRALCC.CA<br />
BEAUTIFUL.<br />
PAINFUL.<br />
PERMANENT.<br />
Our February series called Poison&Wine delves deep into the beauty and the pain<br />
found in all types <strong>of</strong> rel<strong>at</strong>ionships.
2 THE LOOP - A MAGAZINE OF CENTRAL COMMUNITY CHURCH
CONTENTS<br />
ON THE COvER:<br />
Jeremy Bundy on loc<strong>at</strong>ion for our February series<br />
video shoot.<br />
PhoTo: ANDREW PlETT<br />
COPY EdITORS:<br />
The Loop is edited by a team <strong>of</strong> volunteers.<br />
liNDSAY MoRToN<br />
SuSAN gERbES<br />
MARilYNN bERTi<br />
bARRY WillS<br />
PROdUCTION:<br />
The Loop is printed by Bertie Printers, Stevensville, ON<br />
bertieprinters.com<br />
DEPARTMENTS<br />
08 | EDiToRiAl by Andrew Plett<br />
It’s like getting inked.<br />
10 | ThE big PicTuRE by Bill Markham<br />
Infectious living.<br />
12 | MiSSioNAl ThiNkiNg<br />
Around the world. A call to pray for our aggressive<br />
mission assignments this winter/spring.<br />
14 | chuRch liFE<br />
It’s time to dig some ditches.<br />
24 | cREATivE bRiEF by Andrew Plett<br />
Behind the scenes <strong>of</strong> our Poison&Wine video shoot.<br />
FEATuRES<br />
16 | EighT ThiNgS i uSED To hATE AbouT You by Phil Callaway<br />
A humorous look <strong>at</strong> marriage.<br />
20 | ThE DEADlY RooT oF biTTERNESS by Craig Groeschel<br />
Pastor Craig Groeschel shares his personal experience<br />
with the poisonous effects <strong>of</strong> bitterness.<br />
22 | MAkE ThE APPEAl by James MacDonald<br />
Pastor James MacDonald unpacks rel<strong>at</strong>ionship principles<br />
according to Paul in the book <strong>of</strong> Philemon.<br />
28 | voluNTEER FocuS<br />
Marlene Reynolds from our Niagara Falls Campus.<br />
iNFoRMATioN<br />
32 | coNTAcT iNFoRMATioN<br />
Central’s staff directory.<br />
34 | cAlENDAR<br />
February 2013 events across all campuses.<br />
Leaders’Breakfast<br />
LifeGroup Leaders Breakfast<br />
A scrumptious morning breakfast for all LifeGroup leaders<br />
to connect together and dream for the future.<br />
s<strong>at</strong>urday march 2, 2013<br />
9 - 11am (scott campus, lower aud)
6 THE LOOP - A MAGAZINE OF CENTRAL COMMUNITY CHURCH
I’ve never gotten a t<strong>at</strong>too, so I don’t know wh<strong>at</strong> it<br />
feels like and I don’t know wh<strong>at</strong> it’s like to look<br />
<strong>at</strong> something on my skin th<strong>at</strong> I’ve commited to<br />
for the rest <strong>of</strong> my life.<br />
I’m not sure if you wake up some mornings and<br />
wonder why you decided to get a t<strong>at</strong>too, or wish<br />
you had gotten something different. I’ve contempl<strong>at</strong>ed<br />
getting a t<strong>at</strong>too, but since I don’t like to e<strong>at</strong><br />
the same cereal two days in a row, it might be a bad idea.<br />
A number <strong>of</strong> months back we started talking about our<br />
February series called “Poison and Wine” and Pastor Bill<br />
was adamant th<strong>at</strong> this was not to be another cliché series<br />
8 THE LOOP - A MAGAZINE OF CENTRAL COMMUNITY CHURCH<br />
EDiToRiAl<br />
iT’S likE<br />
gETTiNg<br />
iNkED<br />
HOW RELATIONSHIPS ARE LIKE GETTING A TATTOO<br />
by Andrew Plett<br />
about marriage or d<strong>at</strong>ing, but a series exposing the joy and<br />
the pain <strong>of</strong> all rel<strong>at</strong>ionships.<br />
The more we talked about wh<strong>at</strong> rel<strong>at</strong>ionships were like,<br />
the more we were drawn to the metaphor <strong>of</strong> a t<strong>at</strong>too. They<br />
can be beautiful works <strong>of</strong> art, but they come with pain and<br />
permanence; you can’t just wake up one morning and decide<br />
to wash <strong>of</strong>f your t<strong>at</strong>too; it is a part <strong>of</strong> you.<br />
This month we’ve added some additional articles th<strong>at</strong> talk<br />
about conflict, bitterness and expect<strong>at</strong>ion because we want<br />
to focus our convers<strong>at</strong>ion on all types <strong>of</strong> rel<strong>at</strong>ionships,<br />
arming you with solid teaching th<strong>at</strong> helps point you in the<br />
right direction, and perspective, as you live out your faith.<br />
PHOTO: ANdREW PLETT<br />
JEREMY BUNdY ON LOCATION dURING FILMING FOR THE POISON & WINE SERIES
“I don’t love<br />
you, but I<br />
always will.”<br />
(lyric from “Poison and Wine” by Civil Wars)<br />
Recently my daughter introduced<br />
me to this haunting song about the<br />
beautiful and painful paradox th<strong>at</strong> love<br />
can be. We all have felt the euphoric<br />
sens<strong>at</strong>ion th<strong>at</strong> love <strong>of</strong>fers, and we<br />
all have tasted the bitterness <strong>of</strong> love<br />
rejected. As I listened to the lyrics,<br />
I was reminded <strong>of</strong> the real, and raw<br />
challenge <strong>of</strong> loving people who don’t<br />
always reciproc<strong>at</strong>e th<strong>at</strong> love, or tre<strong>at</strong><br />
us the way they should (I was actually<br />
troubled <strong>at</strong> how sometimes I am th<strong>at</strong><br />
other person). Yet God has called us to<br />
love unconditionally: to love our family,<br />
10 THE LOOP - A MAGAZINE OF CENTRAL COMMUNITY CHURCH<br />
ThE big<br />
PicTuRE<br />
iNFEcTiouS<br />
liviNg<br />
we value people without expecting<br />
anything in return<br />
bill MArKhAM: leAd PAstor<br />
friends, and <strong>community</strong> without reserv<strong>at</strong>ion<br />
or stipul<strong>at</strong>ion.<br />
In his letter to the Ephesians, Paul<br />
instructs followers <strong>of</strong> Jesus on how to<br />
love in a world th<strong>at</strong> is <strong>of</strong>ten loveless. He<br />
reminds them th<strong>at</strong> they are different,<br />
not because <strong>of</strong> the clothes they wear,<br />
the places they go, or the things th<strong>at</strong><br />
they do or don’t do, r<strong>at</strong>her, followers<br />
<strong>of</strong> Jesus are supposed to be different<br />
because they love everyone unconditionally,<br />
even their enemies.<br />
I got to thinking about wh<strong>at</strong> would happen<br />
in the Niagara Region if we were<br />
completely committed to this concept.<br />
Wh<strong>at</strong> would change if we were willing<br />
to love without expecting anything in<br />
return - even when the one we give our<br />
energy to repays us with hurt? This is<br />
not about being a doorm<strong>at</strong>, but r<strong>at</strong>her<br />
about starting a revolution where<br />
we value people. Where we retali<strong>at</strong>e<br />
with acts <strong>of</strong> kindness instead <strong>of</strong> guns.<br />
Where love, instead <strong>of</strong> selfish ambition,<br />
guides our decisions.<br />
Can you imagine such a world? The<br />
Bible can - it is called the Kingdom<br />
<strong>of</strong> Heaven! If you have a thesaurus in<br />
your Bible, I encourage you to look up<br />
the term “Kingdom <strong>of</strong> Heaven” and<br />
read wh<strong>at</strong> Jesus had to say about it.<br />
So this month is committed to understanding<br />
wh<strong>at</strong> th<strong>at</strong> concept could really<br />
look like. It is about learning to love,<br />
especially when it is painful to do so.<br />
We are hoping to shed the cultural<br />
lie th<strong>at</strong> love is a feeling, and th<strong>at</strong> it<br />
is about “wh<strong>at</strong> I get”. Instead, we are<br />
going to learn th<strong>at</strong> loving is rooted in<br />
God’s unconditional love for us, and<br />
th<strong>at</strong> we are merely a reflection <strong>of</strong> His<br />
love to this world.<br />
I am inviting you on a radical journey<br />
to rediscover the reason you exist!<br />
Photo: justin driedger
This year we<br />
are going to<br />
be extremely<br />
active,<br />
aggressive<br />
and intentional<br />
when<br />
it comes to<br />
our mission <strong>at</strong> Central.<br />
Whether it is local or abroad,<br />
we are going out with incredible<br />
passion for the purposes th<strong>at</strong> God<br />
has called us to and we need your<br />
prayer.<br />
12 THE LOOP - A MAGAZINE OF CENTRAL COMMUNITY CHURCH<br />
MiSSioNAl<br />
ThiNkiNg<br />
this winter & spring<br />
we are sending people out<br />
ARouND<br />
ThE<br />
WoRlD<br />
ANd WE NEEd YOUR PRAYER MORE THAN WE EvER HAvE<br />
Right now we have the largest<br />
team in Central’s history serving<br />
in Kenya. Over forty people<br />
have given their time, their<br />
skills and their resources to go<br />
and finish a building project as<br />
well as engage in other ministry<br />
opportunities.<br />
In March, Central Youth is heading<br />
back to The Dream Center in<br />
Los Angeles with a bigger team<br />
than ever. They will spend ten<br />
full days in the inner city serving<br />
the <strong>community</strong> there.<br />
Finally, <strong>at</strong> the end <strong>of</strong> April we<br />
are sending a team to India to<br />
follow up with the over $60,000<br />
we raised in December 2012.<br />
They will be spending time with<br />
girls th<strong>at</strong> have been rescued from<br />
sex slavery and assist our local<br />
missionaries in their fight against<br />
human trafficking, seeing first<br />
hand wh<strong>at</strong> God is doing through<br />
Central and the generosity <strong>of</strong> its<br />
people.<br />
We need your prayer. More than<br />
ever we are moving boldly and<br />
swiftly with the mand<strong>at</strong>e th<strong>at</strong><br />
God has given us and more<br />
than ever we need your prayer for<br />
God’s contintued discernment,<br />
favour, and direction.<br />
In addition to all the intern<strong>at</strong>ional<br />
work we are doing, please<br />
continue to pray for God to give<br />
us favour, wisdom and str<strong>at</strong>egic<br />
insight for our own city and<br />
region. We are witnessing a<br />
move <strong>of</strong> God <strong>at</strong> Central and we<br />
are commited to seeing our city<br />
transformed by His presence.
iT’S TiME<br />
To Dig SoME<br />
DiTchES<br />
14 THE LOOP - A MAGAZINE OF CENTRAL COMMUNITY CHURCH<br />
chuRch liFE<br />
IF YOU HAvEN’T NOTICEd, WE’RE MAxEd OUT - BUT WE KNOW WHAT TO dO:<br />
ANd WE’RE CALLING EvERYONE AT SCOTT STREET TO GRAB A SHOvEL ANd GET INvOLvEd<br />
Bursting <strong>at</strong> the seams. Maxed out. Overflowing. Those are all phrases th<strong>at</strong><br />
people are using to talk about wh<strong>at</strong> is happening <strong>at</strong> Central these days!<br />
If you’ve been to the Scott Street campus on the weekend over the last<br />
while you’ve probably noticed th<strong>at</strong> we are out <strong>of</strong> parking, the lobby is<br />
so full you can hardly walk, and when you do manage to get inside the<br />
auditorium, there’s hardly a place to sit.<br />
We’ve been setting record <strong>at</strong>tendance numbers and seeing scores <strong>of</strong><br />
people connecting in our discipleship process (LifeGroups, LifeLessons).<br />
Everywhere you go there are people <strong>of</strong> all ages, and lots <strong>of</strong> them! We are in the middle <strong>of</strong><br />
a very exciting time th<strong>at</strong> is also presenting us with some amazing challenges. God is up to<br />
something!<br />
In January, we walked through a series inspired by the book ‘Gre<strong>at</strong>er’, by Pastor Steven<br />
Furtick. One <strong>of</strong> the principles we discovered was “digging ditches” in order for God to fill<br />
them (2Kings 3:16-20). At Scott Street, we need to work together to dig some ditches th<strong>at</strong><br />
expand our capacity with parking, the lobby and our kids area. In order to do this we are<br />
launching ‘Oper<strong>at</strong>ion Dig-A-Ditch’ and we are challenging everyone to dig deep, and extravagantly<br />
give your time, talent and treasure, because we don’t want even one person to miss<br />
out on the transforming power <strong>of</strong> God in their lives.<br />
this page shows<br />
you how you can<br />
start digging<br />
tIme<br />
WE WANT To chAllENgE You To Dig TWo DiTchES: coMMiT To ATTENDiNg ThE<br />
9:30AM SERvicE AND coMMiT To uSE ouR SPEEDY ShuTTlE SERvicE<br />
You can dig a ditch by <strong>at</strong>tending the early service or using our speedy<br />
shuttle service. In doing so you will cre<strong>at</strong>e room for new people in our<br />
l<strong>at</strong>er service and by using our shuttle system you’ll be out the door and<br />
in your car faster than anyone else in the parking lot.<br />
**Just in case you aren’t aware, we also have two other amazing campuses<br />
(Niagara Falls, Downtown) th<strong>at</strong> you might be interested in checking out.<br />
taleNt<br />
coMMiT To uSE YouR SkillS AND PASSioNS bY FiNDiNg A<br />
voluNTEER RolE oN SuNDAYS<br />
With so many people here on Sunday we have huge needs<br />
in all <strong>of</strong> our ministries. Whether its working with the parking<br />
team, greeting and ushering, working with kids or on our<br />
production team, we are sure th<strong>at</strong> there is a spot for you to<br />
contriubute th<strong>at</strong> will be rewarding and exciting.<br />
treasure<br />
hElP uS MAkE RooM FoR MoRE PEoPlE<br />
The truth is, we’ll have to make some changes to make room<br />
for growth. If God taps you on the shoulder to dig some<br />
ditches by partnering with us financially to make room for<br />
others, we’d welcome th<strong>at</strong> too.
16 THE LOOP - A MAGAZINE OF CENTRAL COMMUNITY CHURCH<br />
EighT<br />
ThiNgS<br />
i uSED<br />
To hATE<br />
AbouT<br />
You<br />
by Phil CAllAwAy<br />
Six months before my wedding day an older man tapped my shoulder in<br />
the post <strong>of</strong>fice and <strong>of</strong>fered some free advice. “Ramona’s a lovely girl who<br />
deserves a good husband,” he said. “Marry her before she finds one.”<br />
Before Ramona agreed to marry me, she s<strong>at</strong> me down after <strong>church</strong>, placed<br />
my hands on a Bible and asked me the usual questions: “You are pretty good<br />
<strong>at</strong> basketball, Phil, but have you ever tried hitting a laundry hamper? “Will<br />
you refrain from using phrases like ‘I told you so,’ and ‘is there anything to<br />
e<strong>at</strong> around here?’” I kissed her deeply and agreed to work on these things.<br />
Before long we stood <strong>at</strong> an altar as my ordained f<strong>at</strong>her peppered me with<br />
more questions: “Wilt thou take this woman to be thy lawfully wedded<br />
wife, Phil? Wilt thou rinse the sink when thou shavest and make the bed<br />
when thou are the last one out <strong>of</strong> it? Wilt thou affirm, admire, and accept<br />
her—and quit e<strong>at</strong>ing chicken wings with a fork, so long as you both shall<br />
live?” I kissed her deeply and agreed to work on these things.
Continued from page 17<br />
In the receiving line, the same man from the post <strong>of</strong>fice<br />
whispered some more advice: “You want a happy marriage?<br />
When the things th<strong>at</strong> <strong>at</strong>tracted you to her start to drive you<br />
apart, find a way to reverse the process.” I’ve been thinking<br />
about the old man’s advice for 24 years now, and it’s finally<br />
starting to make sense. Allow me to explain. When Ramona<br />
and I were d<strong>at</strong>ing I was <strong>at</strong>tracted to her many <strong>at</strong>tributes,<br />
including the way she took life slowly. I was constantly<br />
running. She taught me to stop and taste the strawberries.<br />
Three weeks after our honeymoon, the lack <strong>of</strong> speed with<br />
which she approached life made my adrenaline race.<br />
During our first year <strong>of</strong> marriage, I wanted to follow Martin<br />
Luther’s example and nail a list <strong>of</strong> irrit<strong>at</strong>ions to the b<strong>at</strong>hroom<br />
door. I couldn’t quite come up with ninety-five theses, but<br />
eight came to mind:<br />
1. Your sense <strong>of</strong> humor is warped, my dear. The funniest<br />
thing I did<br />
this week<br />
was hit my<br />
head on a<br />
cupb o a r d<br />
door. You<br />
laughed as if<br />
I were Peter<br />
S e l l e r s .<br />
This was<br />
not funny.<br />
Please do<br />
not laugh<br />
when you<br />
read this.<br />
2. A vow <strong>of</strong><br />
silence is<br />
fine for a<br />
monk. Our<br />
l<strong>at</strong>e-night<br />
“fights” are as one-sided as a Chicago Cubs game. You<br />
grow quiet during arguments. Silence can be a virtue, but<br />
it can also be maddening.<br />
3. You are kind to telemarketers. On our first anniversary a<br />
phone call interrupted a candlelight dinner I had prepared.<br />
You talked for upwards <strong>of</strong> two minutes with a complete<br />
stranger because you were too polite to hang up.<br />
4. Generosity isn’t always a virtue. Last week you made four<br />
pies and gave away three. You gave ten dollars to the Girl<br />
Scouts and the cookies weren’t th<strong>at</strong> gre<strong>at</strong>.<br />
5. Wh<strong>at</strong>’s next, pickled ice cream? On Wednesday you made<br />
banana me<strong>at</strong>loaf. Wh<strong>at</strong> other recipes do you have? Can we<br />
go through them together?<br />
18 THE LOOP - A MAGAZINE OF CENTRAL COMMUNITY CHURCH<br />
6. You throw things away. I love to hang onto things, but<br />
last week my wool swe<strong>at</strong>er went missing. The one I got for<br />
my seventh birthday.<br />
7. Necking won’t fit on the calendar. I love to do things<br />
we haven’t planned. Like quick trips to the city, surprise<br />
purchases, or necking on a back road to nowhere. You like<br />
the necking, but you like to plan for it.<br />
8. I am from Switzerland; you are from Zimbabwe. I love to<br />
be on time. You do not. Is this a cultural difference? Meet<br />
me in the living room <strong>at</strong> 8 p.m. sharp and we’ll talk about it.<br />
Thankfully I refrained from nailing the list to our b<strong>at</strong>hroom<br />
door. Twenty-four years in the University <strong>of</strong> Diversity have<br />
taught me th<strong>at</strong> if we were the same we’d be in trouble. If we<br />
were both spenders, we’d be bankrupt. If we were both spontaneous,<br />
we’d never get anything done. If we kept all my wool<br />
s w e a t e r s<br />
we’d need<br />
doN’t mIss<br />
phIl callaway<br />
lIve<br />
__<br />
13 U-Hauls<br />
each time we<br />
moved.<br />
The Bible<br />
describes<br />
marriage as<br />
two becoming<br />
one.<br />
Ideally it is<br />
a partnership<br />
<strong>of</strong> two<br />
distinctly<br />
d i f f e r e n t<br />
individuals<br />
who are<br />
stronger<br />
t o g e t h e r<br />
than apart.<br />
But this won’t happen until we swallow our pride, praise each<br />
other’s uniqueness, and encourage each other’s strengths.<br />
Though Ramona’s silence caused me grief <strong>at</strong> first, I’m learning<br />
to wait until she’s ready to talk and to remind myself<br />
th<strong>at</strong> those who say the most do not always have the most to<br />
say. When book sales brought in unexpected abundance, it<br />
was her generosity th<strong>at</strong> helped us respond as Christ would,<br />
giving away wh<strong>at</strong> we didn’t need. Her kindness to phone<br />
salesmen was the same kindness th<strong>at</strong> first drew me to her.<br />
Thankfully it has tempered with time. She now <strong>of</strong>fers a polite<br />
“No thanks,” followed by a click. Or she says, “My husband<br />
would love to talk to you,” and hands the phone to me.<br />
frIday feb 8 - 7:30pm<br />
tIckets are $5 per persoN<br />
[scott st. campus]<br />
I’ve asked her to meet me in the living room <strong>at</strong> 8 p.m. sharp<br />
to talk about this.<br />
HymnSing<br />
TIMELESS WORSHIP<br />
Don’t miss this wonderful opportunity to join in uplifting worship and meaningful connection with<br />
one another! Our HymnSing is an evening <strong>of</strong> worship with the classic hymns th<strong>at</strong> have been an<br />
inspir<strong>at</strong>ion to the <strong>church</strong> for gener<strong>at</strong>ions.<br />
SUNDAY FEBRUARY 3rd & 17th<br />
6PM (SCOTT ST.)
Pastor craig groeschel shares his<br />
Personal journey through the Poisonous<br />
Progression <strong>of</strong> anger, bitterness<br />
and rage.<br />
The recent charges brought against a<br />
former football coach <strong>at</strong> a prominent<br />
university brought to mind one <strong>of</strong> my<br />
family’s most painful chapters. When<br />
I was growing up, most kids in our<br />
small town took <strong>at</strong> least one class from<br />
“Max” on their journey through the<br />
sixth grade. To many, Max was a favorite<br />
teacher — always cutting up, telling<br />
jokes and handing out easy As. To me,<br />
he became the object <strong>of</strong> the deepest<br />
bitterness th<strong>at</strong> I’ve ever known.<br />
You see, no one knew th<strong>at</strong> over the<br />
years Max initi<strong>at</strong>ed special rel<strong>at</strong>ionships<br />
with his favorite students, who<br />
just “happened” to be cute, young<br />
girls. My little sister, whom I treasure<br />
and love, became one <strong>of</strong> Max’s victims.<br />
20 THE LOOP - A MAGAZINE OF CENTRAL COMMUNITY CHURCH<br />
And the day I found out th<strong>at</strong> Max had<br />
molested her is still one <strong>of</strong> the most<br />
disturbing, surreal times <strong>of</strong> my life.<br />
As it turns out, my sister was not the<br />
only victim <strong>of</strong> this twisted teacher’s<br />
unholy desires. Girl after girl came<br />
forward and revealed how Max had<br />
showered them with presents and compliments,<br />
luring them into his trap.<br />
The more I thought about it, my sadness<br />
hardened into anger and then<br />
blossomed into rage. The seed <strong>of</strong> bitterness<br />
planted in my heart grew to<br />
a full-blown briar p<strong>at</strong>ch <strong>of</strong> revenge. I<br />
prayed th<strong>at</strong> Max would suffer eternally<br />
in hell, and I vowed to make him suffer<br />
on earth before facing God’s judgment.<br />
Most would agree th<strong>at</strong> my bitterness<br />
toward Max was justifiable. In the<br />
course <strong>of</strong> time, however, I learned<br />
th<strong>at</strong> bitterness never draws us closer<br />
to God. Instead, I was punishing no<br />
one but myself, and those around me<br />
who would experience the scalding<br />
spillovers <strong>of</strong> the acid churning inside<br />
me. If you’ve ever experienced such<br />
bitterness, then you know wh<strong>at</strong> I’m<br />
talking about. Over time, our bitterness<br />
poisons our heart.<br />
It’s obviously not a sin on your part<br />
when someone hurts you. But if you<br />
don’t handle the hurt properly, their<br />
sin becomes a c<strong>at</strong>alyst for your own.<br />
Then you won’t be hurt once — but<br />
hurt twice or even more. Th<strong>at</strong>’s wh<strong>at</strong><br />
happened to me as I brewed on Max.<br />
The more I imagined wh<strong>at</strong> he’d done,<br />
the deeper my bitter plant grew its<br />
roots into the soil <strong>of</strong> my heart. And<br />
the more its fragrant poison infiltr<strong>at</strong>ed<br />
my own soul.<br />
In the end, my plan for revenge<br />
wasn’t necessary. Several years after<br />
his crimes were revealed, Max began<br />
fighting for his life against the crippling<br />
disease, muscular dystrophy. About<br />
the same time, I became a Christian<br />
and even though I’d started to learn<br />
the principles <strong>of</strong> forgiveness, I r<strong>at</strong>ionalized<br />
th<strong>at</strong> Max was the exception to<br />
God’s command to forgive. Surely God<br />
wouldn’t want me to forgive someone<br />
who did something as horrible as Max<br />
did to those girls.<br />
Unfortun<strong>at</strong>ely, I learned th<strong>at</strong> God’s<br />
command to forgive doesn’t have<br />
exceptions. To make m<strong>at</strong>ters more<br />
challenging for my bitter heart, I discovered<br />
the words <strong>of</strong> Jesus: “For if you<br />
forgive men when they sin against you,<br />
your heavenly F<strong>at</strong>her will also forgive<br />
you. But if you do not forgive men<br />
their sins, your F<strong>at</strong>her will not forgive<br />
your sins” (M<strong>at</strong>t. 6:14-15). No m<strong>at</strong>ter<br />
how justifiable my feelings were, my<br />
self-righteous h<strong>at</strong>red was just as sinful<br />
as Max’s crime in God’s eyes.<br />
Shortly after I started the process <strong>of</strong><br />
forgiving Max, his body took a turn for<br />
the worse. His muscular dystrophy got<br />
the upper end and we got word th<strong>at</strong><br />
Max didn’t have long to live. By the<br />
miraculous power <strong>of</strong> God, my sister,<br />
our parents, and I then made the decision<br />
to forgive Max for his wrongdoing.<br />
God had freely forgiven us. How could<br />
we withhold the same grace from someone<br />
else?<br />
I sent a note to Max while he was<br />
under hospice care, preparing to die<br />
in his home. In the note, I wrote how<br />
Christ had forgiven and changed me.<br />
I explained th<strong>at</strong> God wanted to do the<br />
same thing for Max. As simply as I<br />
could, I told the story <strong>of</strong> the gospel<br />
highlighting the grace and forgiveness<br />
possible through Christ.<br />
After Max’s funeral, I found out the<br />
nurse caring for him had read him the<br />
note. She explained th<strong>at</strong> Max listened<br />
and gave his life to Christ. Even though<br />
Max certainly doesn’t deserve it —<br />
just as none <strong>of</strong> us do — he will spend<br />
eternity forgiven by God in heaven.<br />
God’s grace uprooted my bitterness<br />
by reminding me th<strong>at</strong> even though I’ve<br />
never molested anyone, I’m no better<br />
than Max without the gift th<strong>at</strong> Jesus<br />
gave us, the same one he <strong>of</strong>fers to each<br />
<strong>of</strong> us.<br />
Craig Groeschel is the founder and senior pastor<br />
<strong>of</strong> Life<strong>church</strong>.tv, the second largest <strong>church</strong> in<br />
the U.S and the cre<strong>at</strong>ors <strong>of</strong> the popular and free<br />
YouVersion Bible App. A bestselling author, this<br />
essay is an adapt<strong>at</strong>ion from Craig’s new book,<br />
Soul Detox: Clean Living in a Contamin<strong>at</strong>ed<br />
World (Zondervan May 2012). Used by permission<br />
<strong>of</strong> Zondervan Publishing. All rights<br />
reserved.<br />
PHOTO: KAYLA THOMPSON PHOTOGRAPHY<br />
PASTOR CRAIG GROESCHEL
22 THE LOOP - A MAGAZINE OF CENTRAL COMMUNITY CHURCH<br />
a devotional from the new testament<br />
book <strong>of</strong> philemon<br />
BY JAMES MACdONALd<br />
“Accordingly, though i am bold enough in christ to command you to do wh<strong>at</strong> is required,<br />
yet for love’s sake i prefer to appeal to you - i, Paul, an old man and now a prisoner also<br />
for christ Jesus - i appeal to you for my child, onesimus, whose f<strong>at</strong>her i became in my<br />
imprisonment. (Formerly he was useless to you, but now he is indeed useful to you and<br />
to me.) i am sending him back to you, sending my very heart.” ~ Philemon 1:8-12<br />
Paul was<br />
not just the<br />
g r e a t e s t<br />
theologian<br />
the <strong>church</strong><br />
has ever<br />
known, he<br />
was actually<br />
a rel<strong>at</strong>ional genius. By the end<br />
<strong>of</strong> his life, he seems to have mastered<br />
the concept th<strong>at</strong> so <strong>of</strong>ten<br />
gets us sideways: It is not enough<br />
to believe the right things. The<br />
challenge is consistently putting<br />
those things we believe into practice<br />
in the ways we rel<strong>at</strong>e to the<br />
people around us. Paul helped<br />
Philemon with th<strong>at</strong> challenge.<br />
If we look <strong>at</strong> our lives for a<br />
moment we would acknowledge<br />
th<strong>at</strong> if we’re sideways, more<br />
<strong>of</strong>ten than not, it’s rel<strong>at</strong>ional<br />
r<strong>at</strong>her than theological. We can<br />
believe the right things but really<br />
be struggling to put them into<br />
MAkE ThE APPEAl<br />
practice in our families and our<br />
friendships.<br />
Everybody knows th<strong>at</strong> someone<br />
who knows everything th<strong>at</strong> the<br />
Bible teaches, but can’t forgive<br />
their son. We not only want to be<br />
truth people, but also to see th<strong>at</strong><br />
truth actually lived out in the way<br />
we rel<strong>at</strong>e to one another. Paul was<br />
exemplary in th<strong>at</strong>.<br />
So why is it so difficult to put into<br />
practice the theology we know to<br />
be true? Because we’re selfish.<br />
We tend to think about wh<strong>at</strong> will<br />
benefit us most <strong>of</strong> the time. And,<br />
when we are selfish, Romans 2:8<br />
warns, “But for those who are<br />
self-seeking and do not obey the<br />
truth, but obey unrighteousness,<br />
there will be wr<strong>at</strong>h and fury.” Not<br />
good. God wants us to put others<br />
first by doing wh<strong>at</strong> benefits them<br />
over wh<strong>at</strong> benefits us. And, if all<br />
this selfishness is transl<strong>at</strong>ing into<br />
rel<strong>at</strong>ional strife, God wants to see<br />
people reconciled.<br />
The heart <strong>of</strong> the Gospel is reconcili<strong>at</strong>ion.<br />
God doesn’t want<br />
anybody <strong>at</strong> odds with anyone.<br />
God wants everyone humbling<br />
themselves and getting along.<br />
Sometimes communic<strong>at</strong>ion can<br />
break down: She’s not listening<br />
LOvE<br />
IS THE HIGHEST LAW<br />
to him anymore and he doesn’t<br />
trust her anymore and so on.<br />
Somebody who has the confidence<br />
<strong>of</strong> both <strong>of</strong> the people may<br />
have to stick themselves in the<br />
middle and bring th<strong>at</strong> together. I<br />
want you to do th<strong>at</strong>. It’s wh<strong>at</strong> Paul<br />
is doing here in this passage <strong>of</strong><br />
Philemon.<br />
It is stunning th<strong>at</strong> there’s a whole<br />
little book in the New Testament<br />
th<strong>at</strong>’s not about anything else<br />
but helping people reconcile.<br />
It’s called Philemon. It gives<br />
directions for when you’re on<br />
good terms with two people and<br />
they’re not on good terms with<br />
each other. So, wh<strong>at</strong> are you supposed<br />
to do?<br />
First, make your request about<br />
reconcili<strong>at</strong>ion an appeal, not a<br />
requirement. Paul has written<br />
this letter to Philemon. Does Paul<br />
love Philemon? He sure does.<br />
Philemon 4-7 expresses thankfulness<br />
for Philemon, encouragement<br />
for further ministry, and<br />
personal joy from knowing him.<br />
I mean, Paul loves this guy. But<br />
notice th<strong>at</strong> love does not necessarily<br />
mean th<strong>at</strong> you don’t have to<br />
challenge somebody about something.<br />
Because now in Philemon<br />
8 he says, “Accordingly, though I<br />
am bold enough in Christ to command<br />
you to do wh<strong>at</strong> is required<br />
. . .” And the authority should<br />
be respected. But notice th<strong>at</strong> the<br />
godly leader—and Paul as the<br />
exemplary one—doesn’t exercise<br />
th<strong>at</strong> authority carelessly. He<br />
could say, “Hey! Hey! I’m bold<br />
enough. I have courage enough.<br />
I have position enough. I have<br />
confidence enough to command<br />
you to do this!”<br />
He could do th<strong>at</strong>. But notice he<br />
says in verse 9, “. . . yet for love’s<br />
sake.” This isn’t about orders;<br />
it’s about love. He says, “I want<br />
to submit my behavior to the<br />
highest Law. As I choose how<br />
to handle this—as I decide how<br />
to conduct myself—I don’t just<br />
want to act out <strong>of</strong> my position.”<br />
There is something higher than<br />
our position, men. There is something<br />
higher than our position,<br />
moms. There is something higher<br />
than our position, pastors. There<br />
is love. And love is the highest<br />
law.<br />
I love th<strong>at</strong> word. Underline it in<br />
your Bible. “Yet for love’s sake,<br />
I prefer to appeal” (v.7). “I’m<br />
choosing.” Th<strong>at</strong> word appeal is<br />
a fantastic word too. It means<br />
to beg; to plead; to unburden<br />
your heart with all <strong>of</strong> the emotional<br />
capacity th<strong>at</strong> you have.<br />
I could demand you to do<br />
this, but instead—because <strong>of</strong><br />
love—I want to appeal to you.<br />
So when love leads you to<br />
approach two arguing children,<br />
friends, or wh<strong>at</strong>ever rel<strong>at</strong>ionship<br />
God puts before you, don’t just<br />
command them to get along.<br />
Make an appeal.<br />
JOURNAL:<br />
How will I use wh<strong>at</strong> Paul is<br />
teaching me today?<br />
In wh<strong>at</strong> rel<strong>at</strong>ionships would it be<br />
helpful for me to make an appeal<br />
for reconcili<strong>at</strong>ion?<br />
PRAYER:<br />
F<strong>at</strong>her in heaven, I see You<br />
more clearly every time I see<br />
Your heart for unity. Help me<br />
to see the rel<strong>at</strong>ionships in my<br />
life th<strong>at</strong> are ripe for reconcili<strong>at</strong>ion<br />
and help me approach the<br />
parties involved with love and<br />
a sincere appeal. I’ll leave the<br />
rest up to You, Lord. In Jesus’<br />
name, Amen.<br />
Taken from Our Journey by James<br />
MacDonald, copyright November,<br />
2012 by James MacDonald. Used by<br />
permission <strong>of</strong> Walk in the Word, Elgin,<br />
IL 60123. All rights reserved.
EhiND<br />
ThE<br />
lENS<br />
A GLIMPSE INTO THE FILMING OF OUR<br />
POISON&WINE SERIES SERMON STARTER<br />
24 THE LOOP - A MAGAZINE OF CENTRAL COMMUNITY CHURCH<br />
cREATivE<br />
bRiEF<br />
Rel<strong>at</strong>ionships can be serious business.<br />
Well, let me rephrase th<strong>at</strong>, they are<br />
serious business. As a <strong>church</strong> we’ve<br />
just come out <strong>of</strong> an intense series called<br />
Gre<strong>at</strong>er, and after Poison&Wine we are<br />
moving into an even more intense series<br />
called BeachHead. As a cre<strong>at</strong>ive team<br />
we thought th<strong>at</strong> it might be a good idea<br />
to lighten the mood up a little bit for our February series.<br />
You’ve probably already read most <strong>of</strong> the Loop so I won’t go into<br />
detail again about the concept <strong>of</strong> our series, just to say th<strong>at</strong> it is<br />
less about getting a t<strong>at</strong>too and more about things th<strong>at</strong> a t<strong>at</strong>too<br />
can symbolise. Beauty. Pain. Permanence. For us, th<strong>at</strong> is the<br />
counter-cultural aspect <strong>of</strong> rel<strong>at</strong>ionships the way God fashioned<br />
them. Our culture tell us th<strong>at</strong> when there is too much pain or<br />
struggle we can just bail out. Our culture tells us th<strong>at</strong> after<br />
rel<strong>at</strong>ionships have lost their zing, we should just move on to<br />
new ones. The decision to get a t<strong>at</strong>too is contrary to all <strong>of</strong> these<br />
notions, th<strong>at</strong> is, in order to see the beauty you have to endure<br />
the pain, and, once you have it, you have it.<br />
ANDREW<br />
PlETT<br />
dIRECTOR OF PRINT COMMUNICATIONS,<br />
GRAPHIC dESIGNER, EdITOR OF THE LOOP,<br />
PASTOR OF PRETTY PICTURES<br />
Photos by: Andrew Plett<br />
Photo: sCott trAPAsso
26 THE LOOP - A MAGAZINE OF CENTRAL COMMUNITY CHURCH
28 THE LOOP - A MAGAZINE OF CENTRAL COMMUNITY CHURCH<br />
voluNTEER<br />
FocuS<br />
Marlene<br />
Reynolds<br />
Marlene Reynolds is one<br />
<strong>of</strong> our amazing volun-<br />
teers <strong>at</strong> the Niagara Falls<br />
Campus. She oversees<br />
the bus ministry th<strong>at</strong> was<br />
launched January 26 to<br />
pick up and drop <strong>of</strong>f chil-<br />
dren from our adopted<br />
housing complex every<br />
S<strong>at</strong>urday night. Thanks<br />
Marlene for being such an<br />
amazing part <strong>of</strong> Central!<br />
At Central, we have hun-<br />
dreds <strong>of</strong> amazing volun-<br />
teers who give their time,<br />
gifts and resources every<br />
week to make our <strong>church</strong><br />
the best th<strong>at</strong> it can be.<br />
If you are interested in<br />
volunteering or trying a<br />
FirstServe opportunity<br />
to find a role th<strong>at</strong> you’ll<br />
love, contact our volun-<br />
teer coordin<strong>at</strong>or Karlene<br />
Markham today.<br />
KArleneMArKhAM@CentrAlCC.CA<br />
Photo: justin driedger
30 THE LOOP - A MAGAZINE OF CENTRAL COMMUNITY CHURCH
CENTRAL COMMUNITY CHURCH<br />
240 Scott St.<br />
St. C<strong>at</strong>harines, ON L2N 1H6<br />
905.937.5610<br />
lead Team<br />
Lead Pastor<br />
BILL MARKHAM<br />
Ext. 243<br />
billmarkham@<strong>central</strong>cc.ca<br />
Mission + Collide<br />
JEFF PRICE<br />
Ext. 248<br />
jeffprice@<strong>central</strong>cc.ca<br />
Pastoral Team<br />
Campus Pastor, Downtown<br />
SHAWN PAUL<br />
289.271.1014<br />
shawnpaul@<strong>central</strong>cc.ca<br />
Worship Leader<br />
BECCA ROWAN<br />
289.271.1014<br />
rebeccarowan@<strong>central</strong>cc.ca<br />
Emerging Gener<strong>at</strong>ions Pastor<br />
GIANPAOLO GALESSIERE<br />
Ext. 252<br />
gp@<strong>central</strong>cc.ca<br />
Jr. Kids’ Pastor<br />
KATHRYN HICKS<br />
Ext. 255<br />
k<strong>at</strong>ehicks@<strong>central</strong>cc.ca<br />
32 ThE looP - A MAgAZiNE oF cENTRAl coMMuNiTY chuRch<br />
Cre<strong>at</strong>ive Communic<strong>at</strong>ions<br />
AdAM FRY<br />
Ext. 245<br />
adamfry@<strong>central</strong>cc.ca<br />
Executive Oper<strong>at</strong>ions<br />
MIKE HICKS<br />
Ext. 224<br />
mikehicks@<strong>central</strong>cc.ca<br />
Campus Pastor, Niagara Falls<br />
JUSTIN dRIEdGER<br />
905.325.8224<br />
justindriedger@<strong>central</strong>cc.ca<br />
Worship Leader<br />
MELANIE dRIEdGER<br />
905.325.8224<br />
melaniedriedger@<strong>central</strong>cc.ca<br />
Youth Pastor<br />
ALEx SMETHURST<br />
Ext. 251<br />
alexsmethurst@<strong>central</strong>cc.ca<br />
Kids’ Pastor, Niagara Falls<br />
JESSE BONE<br />
905.325.8224<br />
jessebone@<strong>central</strong>cc.ca<br />
STAFF coNTAcT<br />
iNFoRMATioN<br />
Ministry Environments<br />
NATALIE vANdERWIER<br />
Ext. 249<br />
n<strong>at</strong>alievanderwier@<strong>central</strong>cc.ca<br />
Pastoral Care<br />
dAvId TOPPING<br />
Ext. 244<br />
davidtopping@<strong>central</strong>cc.ca<br />
LifeGroups<br />
BRENdA dROST<br />
Ext. 249<br />
brendadrost@<strong>central</strong>cc.ca<br />
Emerging gener<strong>at</strong>ions Team<br />
Sr. Kids’ Pastor<br />
JESSICA SMETHURST<br />
Ext. 253<br />
jessicasmethurst@<strong>central</strong>cc.ca<br />
Kids’ Pastor, Downtown<br />
CATHARINE KRUITBOSCH<br />
289.271.1014<br />
c<strong>at</strong>harinekruitbosch@<strong>central</strong>cc.ca<br />
Worship Leader<br />
GREG SYKES<br />
Ext. 240<br />
gregsykes@<strong>central</strong>cc.ca<br />
Pr<strong>of</strong>essional Counselor<br />
AGNES vRIEzE,MSW, RSW<br />
Ext. 241<br />
agnesvrieze@<strong>central</strong>cc.ca<br />
Red Frogs<br />
KEITH HAMILTON-SMITH<br />
Ext. 255<br />
keithhamiltonsmith@<strong>central</strong>cc.ca<br />
Support Team<br />
Exec. Assistant To Lead Pastor<br />
JOLENE HARdER<br />
Ext. 243<br />
joleneharder@<strong>central</strong>cc.ca<br />
Building Superintendent<br />
GREG BURNS<br />
Ext. 227<br />
gregburns@<strong>central</strong>cc.ca<br />
Print + Graphic Design<br />
ANdREW PLETT<br />
Ext. 258<br />
andrewplett@<strong>central</strong>cc.ca<br />
Assimil<strong>at</strong>ion Director<br />
EMILY SLUYS<br />
Ext. 223<br />
emilysluys@<strong>central</strong>cc.ca<br />
Volunteer Coordin<strong>at</strong>or<br />
KARLENE MARKHAM<br />
Ext. 257<br />
karlenemarkham@<strong>central</strong>cc.ca<br />
Media Director<br />
SCOTT TRAPASSO<br />
Ext. 256<br />
scotttrapasso@<strong>central</strong>cc.ca<br />
Director Of Accounting<br />
MONTE MILLAR<br />
Ext. 228<br />
accounting@<strong>central</strong>cc.ca<br />
Central C<strong>at</strong>ering<br />
IRIS REGIER +<br />
CHRIS FANNEL<br />
Ext. 230<br />
cre<strong>at</strong>ive & Production Team<br />
The board<br />
SCOTT SCHULTz SHARON HAUCK<br />
JOE CARUSO JAMIE IdzENGA<br />
BARRY WILLS PAUL OLAdIPO<br />
JOHN SCHROEdER QUINN HOFLANd<br />
RICK RIKKERINK<br />
Production Director<br />
dARRICK vANdERWIER<br />
Ext. 233<br />
darrickvanderwier@<strong>central</strong>cc.ca<br />
Reception+Admin Assistant<br />
LINdSAY MORTON<br />
Ext. 221<br />
lindsaymorton@<strong>central</strong>cc.ca
february 2013<br />
sunday monday tuesday wednesday thursday friday s<strong>at</strong>urday<br />
27 28 29 30 31 01 02<br />
03 04 05 06 07 08 09<br />
10 11 12 13 14 15 16<br />
17 18 19 20 21 22 23<br />
24 25 26 27 28 01 02<br />
34 ThE looP - A MAgAZiNE oF cENTRAl coMMuNiTY chuRch<br />
FEbRuARY<br />
uNiQuE EvENTS<br />
These are unique events for the month <strong>of</strong> February. They<br />
are indic<strong>at</strong>ed on the opposite page calendar with a grey<br />
circle around the d<strong>at</strong>e. Please note the campus reference<br />
beside the event to ensure you are aware <strong>of</strong> which campus<br />
you need to <strong>at</strong>tend for the event.<br />
SUNdAY, FEBRUARY 3 HymnSing<br />
(6pm - Scott St. Campus)<br />
TUESdAY, FEBRUARY 5 60’s Plus Luncheon<br />
(12pm - Scott St. Campus)<br />
FRIdAY, FEBRUARY 8 Couples Night Out<br />
(7:30pm - Scott St. Campus)<br />
SUNdAY, FEBRUARY 17 HymnSing<br />
(6pm - Scott St. Campus)<br />
SUNdAY, FEBRUARY 24 Encounter Service<br />
(6pm - Scott St. Campus)<br />
FEbRuARY<br />
REcuRRiNg EvENTS<br />
These are ministries th<strong>at</strong> take place every week <strong>at</strong> the same<br />
time in the same loc<strong>at</strong>ion. Please note the campus reference<br />
beside the event to ensure you are aware <strong>of</strong> which campus you<br />
need to <strong>at</strong>tend for the event.<br />
TuESDAYS<br />
Drop-In (9am - Downtown)<br />
Women/Men LifeGroup (7pm - Downtown)<br />
Single Moms Group (7pm - Scott)<br />
LifeLessons (7pm - scott st. campus)<br />
AlphaLife<br />
Financial Peace<br />
Home With A Heart<br />
Steps To Freedom<br />
GriefShare<br />
WEDNESDAYS<br />
Morning Prayer (7:15am - Scott)<br />
Drop-In (9am - Downtown)<br />
TheWell (9:30am - Scott)<br />
Central 101 (7pm - Scott)<br />
CYM (6:30pm - Scott)<br />
ThuRSDAYS<br />
Noon Prayer (12pm - Scott)<br />
CYM Niagara Falls (6:30pm - Falls)<br />
AlphaLife (6:30pm - Falls)<br />
Downtown Prayer (6:30pm - Downtown)<br />
FRiDAYS<br />
Drop-In (9am - Downtown)
36 THE LOOP - A MAGAZINE OF CENTRAL COMMUNITY CHURCH<br />
SCOTT ST. CAMPUS<br />
240 Scott St.<br />
St. C<strong>at</strong>harines, ON L2N 1H6<br />
P: 905.937.5610<br />
SERvICE TIMES<br />
Sunday Morning<br />
[9:30am & 11:15AM]<br />
dOWNTOWN CAMPUS<br />
203 Church Street,<br />
St. C<strong>at</strong>harines, ON<br />
P: 289.271.1014<br />
SERvICE TIME<br />
Sunday Morning [10AM]<br />
NIAGARA FALLS CAMPUS<br />
6970 Mountain Rd.<br />
Niagara Falls, ON<br />
P: 905.325.8224<br />
SERvICE TIME<br />
S<strong>at</strong>urday Evening<br />
[6PM]