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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]

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