This Friday evening is going to be fantastic!  On Sunday we continued our discussion on Secrets, this week focusing on the shame.  Along the way we discovered that, like our physical thirst, we will become spiritually thirsty and go wherever we can to have that thirst satisfied.  Jesus offers the only source of spiritual satisfaction available to us.  When we strive to be satisfied other ways (like addictions, unhealthy relationships and, yes, pornography) we end up struggling with lifestyles that end up controlling us and filling us with shame.  This can happen to Christians or non-Christians who don’t go to Jesus for their spiritual thirst.

 Everybody is thirsty for God.  Most don’t even know it.  The great news is that the spiritual water Jesus offers is both completely satisfying and absolutely free (John 4:13-14).  This Friday evening a bunch of us Gaters will be at a couple of intersections in Columbiana giving out Pepsi to people in their cars who are stopped at a red light.  Under the tab will be a card that simply reads: “Thirsty?”.  Our web address will be at the bottom in case they’d like any more info.  But, like Jesus’ offer of complete satisfaction in life, the pop we give out will be absolutely free.  In fact, you can’t buy it from us.

It’s a very small act of giving without receiving, but it’s a start!  We hope to see you on Friday!

Last Friday evening our church was recognized as an official member church of Converge Mid-Atlantic.  We are now a part of an association of churches (not a denomination) that voluntarily work together towards impacting our communities with the truth about Christ.  There are a couple of fantastic aspects of our new affiliation that really thrill me.  First of all, we all have the same core beliefs (these will be posted on our web site soon).  Secondly, Church planting is a major aspect of what we do – a fact to which our own existence testifies.  Four more new churches were welcomed besides us!

What really thrills me is the diversity of our churches.  There are traditional churches with choirs.  There are more relaxed churches, such as our own.  There are African-American churches, Anglo churches and Ethiopian churches.  I’m certain that God couldn’t be more pleased.

 At The Gate we have made it a priority to do all we can to be a church that honors God.  Doing church can easily become a competition with churches in the area.  But, I’ve found that the pastors of the Columbiana County Ministerial Association (of which I am a member) have this same spirit about them.  I’ve told our congregation that it’s okay by us if someone meets God at our church and leaves to attend another where they feel is a better atmosphere of worship for their needs.  One awesome couple has even taken us up on it and now goes somewhere else.  What a blast it is to not be in competition with those who are on the same side we are on!

Daryl, you are the man.

Daryl is the computer guy whom, along with his awesome wife, Paula, God brought to our new church back in September.  Daryl Miller and Kim Wetzl (our exceptionally talented worship leader/graphic designer) have been working like mad to get this web site looking so great.  Thanks guys!

Anyway, welcome to my first blog ever!  This will be a great forum for Gaters (people from our church) to make comments about Sunday’s message or to respond to comments posted here.  Also, I am very anxious to hear from people who don’t go to church.  We believe that people who don’t go to church, whether they never went or went at one time and stopped going, have a reason for staying away.  Often that reason has to do with the church’s misreprentation of Jesus Christ (me included!) or simply due to a lack of interest.

By the way, this Sunday we will be talking about the secret sin of pornography.  It’s not talked about in churches for the most part, yet Christians seem to be as likely to view porn as non-Christians.  The Gate’s m.o. is to be real about our relationship with God so that He can help us to live life the best way possible.  Your questions about human sexuality and how it relates to spirituality may be answered this Sunday!