The kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls; on finding one pearl of great value, he went and sold all that he had and bought

Transcription

1

2 The kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls; on finding one pearl of great value, he went and sold all that he had and bought it. Matthew 13:45-46

3 Greetings Saints, I hope that this correspondence finds you Kingdom-ready and Kingdom-charged, because you are in for an Xtraordinary future here at The R.O.C.K. God speaks to me in ways that He has not in times past. As you are well aware, in November 2009, I completed a Global Executive MBA from Duke University. This experience afforded me the opportunity to study business from a global perspective in Istanbul, Turkey, Budapest, Hungary, Buenos Aires, Argentina, Shanghai, China, Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Rio De Janeiro, Brazil, and North America. Well, this experience sharpened my leadership ear and ability to lead this tremendous Kingdom vision. My business training has positioned me to hear God in extraordinary ways. Now that we re here in Houston, it s our season to possess the unordinary as we operate in Xtraordinary vision has ushered the church world into a new dimension of opportunity. Both the political and economic culture of our society and world are rapidly changing; people want to experience God in new and more relevant ways than times past. I praise and thank God that The R.O.C.K. is not just another church but a Kingdom experience! and I m excited about my leadership potential and the potential of The R.O.C.K. church community to be able to impact our world in our lifetimes, so that when we all meet God face-to-face, we ll hear Him say, Well done, my good and faithful servant. We have only been in the Houston area about 2 years and have been able to accomplish Xtraordinary things together as a team in which I m confident God was pleased. We have continued our multi-million dollar renovations to our 7 buildings, 11-acre campus, totaling nearly 90,000 square ft. We are experiencing tremendous growth in our membership weekly, which is a indicator of the amazing things we will do together to further touch our world for the Kingdom of God. We have already seen God s Kingdom power breaking through with manifestations of healings, turnarounds in relationships, and breakthroughs in every area of life. I decree that the stewardship initiative will catapult our ministry to its prophetic positioning! Saints, as we embark upon another year of living out Matthew 24:14, spreading the gospel of the Kingdom around the world (an Xtraordinary mission!) and helping people experience the power of God, know that God wants to use you, your time, your energy, and your resources in an Xtraordinary way to help bring this vision to pass. I look forward to seeing all R.O.C.K. Partners get off the bench and get into the game; it s your time for Kingdom manifestation! If you will trust my leadership, imitate my faith, and be willing to give yourself completely over to God s purpose and plan, eyes have not seen, ears have not heard, neither has it entered into the hearts of men what God has prepared for you, because, believe me, my friend, I ve seen it and it s Xtraordinary! In His Kingdom Service, Dr. Dana Carson

4 Spring has arrived, which means it is pledging season at The R.O.C.K. We encourage you to read through this communication as you decide how best to support our church financially. There is much to celebrate about our faith life together since we ve moved to Houston: 119 DISCIPLES 52BAPTIZED 478 NEW PARTNERS We have brought 119 to Christ! We have baptized 52! We have received 478 new partners in ministry! We have reached hundreds of children and youth with our outreach ministries and have provided mentorship to the local public school, Rick Schneider Middle School! We have received recognitions from the school district and government officials because of our community involvement! We have seen physical, emotional, and supernatural miracles take place in thousands of lives through the preaching of the gospel of the Kingdom of God! But that s not all, we have been constantly engaged in our Nehemiah Project, restoring God s house; thus, we have: Completed repairing the roofing in the sanctuary, Completed the Raul Hoxie Youth and Children Sportsplex, Burned the mortgage on our 221 acres of land, Totally replaced the AC units in our sanctuary building in order to provide a comfortable worship experience! We have been doing the work of ministry in this totally Xtraordinary ministry while having three unique worship experiences where people of all ages can connect to God, including a most recent ministry offering, A Ministry & a Meal!

5 Xtraordinary Chemistry God has guided us to a unique place of ministry vision, and we know that He has also placed the resources in The R.O.C.K. to support it. That s where community kicks in. A peculiar, Xtraordinary chemistry is activated when everyone sacrifices their best and no one feels exempt: a sense of ownership and unity emerge, and God breathes on the sacrifices to sustain ministry and blesses those who sacrifice in every dimension of their lives. The call to Xtraordinary ministry vision is like the pearl of great value that the merchant in Jesus parable sold everything to buy. Having encountered such a pearl, let us, like the merchant, be generous in response! Their marriages blossom, their children succeed, their businesses prosper, their careers advance when R.O.C.K. partners participate in God s Kingdom-driven program. Neither the ministry nor you and me can experience God s best until we get off the bench and get in the game! I want to lead you into an Xtraordinary lifestyle that has you living on the edge of your seat, daily anticipating how God is going to blow your mind next!!

6 Stewardship: A Disciple s Response Mature disciples make a conscious, firm decision, carried out in action, to be followers of Jesus Christ no matter the cost to themselves. Beginning in conversion, change of mind and heart, this commitment is expressed not in a single action, not even in a number of actions over a period of time, but in an entire way of life. It means committing one s very self to the Lord. Stewardship is an expression of discipleship, with the power to change how we understand and live out our lives. Disciples who practice stewardship recognize God as the origin of life, the giver of freedom, the source of all they have and are and will be. They are deeply aware of the truth that The earth is the Lord s, and all its fullness, the world and those who dwell therein (Psalm 24:1). They know themselves to be recipients and caretakers of God s many gifts. They are grateful for what they have received and eager to cultivate their gifts out of love for God and one another. Intentional We make a deliberate decision to live the Kingdom life by thanking God for all His blessings and by returning to Him a portion of our time, talent, and treasure. The scripture commands us to be steadfast, immovable, always increasing in the work of the Lord, for we know that our labor is not in vain (1 Corinthians 15:58). Thus, we launch a stewardship initiative each year that assists the believer in remaining in the will of God. It is critical that we remain faithful in our talents or skillsets, our time, and our resources, so that God s Kingdom can be advanced and that the favor of God is always resting on our lives. Proportionate We commit to giving a certain percentage of our time, talent, and our income to Kingdom involvement. Real leaders are ordinary people with [Xtraordinary] determination. author unknown

7 Time...Talent...Treasure... Giving of time We spend time with God in prayer and worship, share our love with family and friends, and volunteer our time in church and community activities that help others and promote justice. Sharing our talents We acknowledge that God gives each of us certain abilities and gifts and that we are called to develop those talents for the good of others. We commit a certain number of hours each week to prayer and charitable activities. Giving of our treasure We share our treasure as we share our time and talents. God does not hold back in His giving, and we must respond in kind, especially in providing financial support to our church.

8 My sacrifice plus your sacrifice plus God s divine multiplication equals a ministry that is sustained in inexplicable, supernatural ways and the FAVOR OF GOD RESTING FIRMLY UPON YOU! Our goal is to be a church for the NEXT GENERATION, WHILE ENGAGING THIS GENERATION! 90% Nearly 90% of all persons who accept Christ do so before 20 years of age. % of Churches Rated as in Serious Decline : 85%² 85% 10-15% ¹US Census Data ² Barna Research Group, ,000 churches closing annually and 1500 pastors leaving the ministry monthly² Commit yourself to investing your time, talent, and treasure not only into our children s future but their present, and watch the hand of God turn your situations around!

9 Make sure you personally ask God what you can give by faith and then, honor that commitment and watch God bless you in unimaginable ways! This is an opportunity for you to impact future generations for the Kingdom of God. Kingdom-minded stewardship successfully bridges the material world around us and the world of the Spirit within us. A Kingdom steward is one who receives God s gifts gratefully, cherishes and tends them in a responsible and accountable manner, shares them in justice and love with others, and returns them with increase to the Lord. When one man, for whatever reason, has the opportunity to lead an [Xtraordinary] life, he has no right to keep it to himself. - Jacques Cousteau % of American Churches Rated as Highly Effective : 10-15%² All of God s Kingdom men and women are called to get into position for God to use them... and there s no pause button for the call. 8,000-10,000 If not us?..who? If not now?..when? If not for the Kingdom?..Why?

10 Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith. Hebrews 13:7 Most ordinary churches in the U.S. do not plant churches around the world, have an online Bible college, or own 221 acres of land for future development but then, we re not ordinary. We re The R.O.C.K.!

11 When we give our lives over to Christ and enter the Kingdom, God expects great things from every man and every woman, regardless of upbringing, past experiences, current life situations, age, race, or creed! Why? Because we have access to power much greater than ourselves an Xtraordinary power that allows us to accomplish Xtraordinary things for His Kingdom! This year, ministry s initiatives will dig deep to pull out the latent potential for greatness within you through seminars that will help your relationships grow stronger, spiritual development classes that will practically teach you how to experience God on a deeper, more intimate level, and opportunities to utilize the gifts that God has graced you with in ministry. Become the YOU God created you to be Xtraordinary! We re embarking on getting in order setting things in place mark time. If you follow me, I promise I ll lead you there. God is always going to look out for His program! And as the One who owns everything, He can do that! Where He gives vision, He also gives provision. As one orator declared, God provides where He guides, and He protects where He directs. Everyone, regardless of income level, is expected to commit their resources to the Lord as good stewards, bringing their tithe, and giving sacrificial offerings. This year, remember: we may not be equal in giving, but we must be equal in sacrifice. Structure your life so you can be obedient to the Lord in the tithe, hear the voice of the Spirit prompting you to give your best offerings, and watch God move in Xtraordinary ways in your finances, your life, and your ministry! Embedded in the larger story of redemption is a principle we must not miss: God uses ordinary people to do extraordinary things in the lives of others. - Paul David Tripp In 2014, we received a promotion from ordinary to Xtraordinary. And now it s time to get into position for the next Xtraordinary level! This will require greater risk, greater sacrifice, greater energy, and greater focus but with the same increase of investment that is required on your part, know that God will increase your reward in ways that are inconceivable to the human mind. We are blessed God s chosen people, a holy nation, the royal priesthood of God we re leaving our children s children a majestic inheritance!!

12 Dates to Remember Kick-off Sunday Sunday, April 3rd Bible Studies Sundays April 3rd April 24th Information Sunday Sunday, April 10th Group Fellowships April 18th April 30th Family Conference Week May 2nd - 14th 36-Hour Prayer Chain May 13th - 14th Commitment Sunday Sunday, May 15th Celebration Sunday Sunday, May 22nd REFLECTIONS OF CHRIST'S KINGDOM WORLD OUTREACH INTL Edgebrook Dr. Houston TX Main Office: (281) s info@therockwoi.com Office Hours: Tuesday - Friday 9 AM - 6 PM