Articles
F.A.Q.'s For the Congregational Summit
How Are Decisions Made? What About Flags? Insight into our Music. And More ...
Introduction to Natural Church Development
01/24/08 | Mark Sanders
Natural Church Development and how it will impact CGS.
WHAT IS THE KINGDOM OF GOD?
01/02/08 | Richard Pratt
Insight into the Kingdom of God and how prophecies are fullfilled in Jesus' ministry. This article was referenced in the sermon "The Gift of a King."
Gospel Renewal in the Church
11/15/07 | Tim Schaaf
If you haven't read Lovelace's book, the following might not mean much...but once you understand his concepts you realize how brilliant and true this is. His main point is that the Gospel has to be the foundation for all hope of revival and renewal. We have to understand 1) That the Gospel is Good News and Bad News - The good news is that Jesus is mighty to save, the bad news is that we are sinners in need of saving. 2) The Gospel Changes Everything - from legal justification to real life growth in holiness (sanctification) to supernatural power in spiritual warefare - everything we are, everything we do and everything we hope for is changed by Jesus' work on the cross. 3) The Gospel is the Root of Life - once we embrace the ways that the Gospel has changed us, we find ourselves natrually growing in mission, prayer, community and theological insight. We can preach on any of these, program around these and try to equip people to perform them, but will always fail unless they grow from a foundation of the Gospel. Lovelace compares them to secondary colors - they only exist when the primary colors are blended together. In same way we can only have a good prayer life when we blend out justification, sanctification and spiritual authority.
Overcome Evil with Good
Series: REALationships
KEY PRINCIPLE: Overcome Evil with God "On the contrary: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. " (Romans 12:20-21, NIV) .
E-mail: The Relationship Blowtorch
Series: REALationships
Does the "E" in e-mail stand for "EVIL"? It can. Read this article to find out how and when to use e-mail in a conflict.
10 Building Blocks for Helping Your Kids Become Champions in Life
10/29/07 | Jim Burns, Pat Williams
10 Steps to helping your kids become champions
Forgive as God Forgave You
Series: REALationships
KEY PRINCIPLE: Our Forgiveness Shows What We Think of God's Forgiveness.
Take One or Two Others Along
Series: REALationships
Conflict Starts in the Heart
Series: REALationships
Faith Into Action
Series: CGSNEWSLINE
09/28/07 | Tim Schaaf
I've been thinking a lot about faith in action. As someone who likes books and learning, it's easy for me to think of "Faith" as a rational pursuit. I want to know more about God, understand more about the Bible, and teach more about the Gospel - all good things! But unless I learn to put the stuff in my head into action, it's all useless. As James says, "faith without works is dead!"
Conflict Provides Opportunities
Series: REALationships
The Speed of Change
Series: CGSNEWSLINE
09/11/07 | Tim Schaaf
...people between age 18 and 30 are falling out of church at an alarming rate. 70% of young people fall away from Christianity, and less than half return. This is a trend that, I believe, God wants to change.
CGSNEWSLINE - Faith In Tough Circumstances
Series: CGSNEWSLINE
08/07/07 | Tim Schaaf
This past Sunday I shared a poem by John Piper called Waiting for My Husband After the Bridge Collapsed. It was inspired by the crash of the bridge of 35W in Minneapolis and helps us see how God can work even in the best circumstances. This is the sort of event that takes the words of the song “Blessed Be Your Name” and puts them to the test. How easy is it to praise God when he “gives and takes away”?