Missions

Update on Chets Creek North Campus!

It has been an exciting time for the Robinson family since we landed back in Jacksonville at the beginning of May. I can definitely say that moving isn't easy. Leaving relationships you value and have invested in is truly the hardest part. But we know that God is calling us to begin a new church in North Jax with Chets Creek Church. We believe in faith that the North campus will be a church for the unchurched, here and around the world.

Here's a few updates on the progress of the launch of the North Campus! 

- We have a location. We have a local school that we will begin meeting in, and will have preview services in the fall. God has already blessed us with great relationships with the school administration as we move forward. 

- We are shooting for a January 2017 launch. As we move forward with the timeline, we are searching for opportunities to serve the community, build relationships and develop a launch team. 

- We have our first interest meeting on July 17. I'll be preaching at the Chets Creek Hodges Campus that weekend and immediately following the 11:15am service, we will have a special meeting for those interested in praying, serving, and supporting the campus. As we are building a launch team, we are praying that God will reveal who will go with us from the existing campuses and those that are unchurched in North Jax. 

- We have an incredible worship band forming. We have had a great response from a talented, passionate group of musicians and singers for the campus.  

If you are interested in partnering with the launch of the North Campus, you can send me an email at: josh@chetscreek.com. 

Above all, please pray for God to lead the North Campus to reach people with the transforming power of the gospel. Please pray for God to reveal where He is working and how we can come alongside to serve.

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One Excuse that Limits our Lives

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We all have excuses don't we? Excuses of why we don't want to do the dishes or excuses of why we made a mistake. One of the biggest excuses I see is this one, "why go overseas to reach people when we have so many people here that need to be reached?"

To start off, Jesus didn't believe this thought process. Jesus said this in His final words before heading home to Heaven:

"Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. 19 Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. 20 Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:18-20.

I'm sure you have read or heard of this passage before. I believe it is the foundation of the mission of the church. It is Jesus' marching order for the church in every generation.

Notice Jesus did not say, "Go and make disciples of Jerusalem" or "Go and make disciples of the country you live in" but went with a global mission rather than just one-dimensional.

The big excuse is to limit the mission of the local church to be one-dimensional.

Look at the layers of mission that the early church began with in Acts 1:8:  "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

The kind of mission Jesus called churches to seek to become is making disciples of all nations.

Why?

First, Jesus commanded it. Second, it teaches us to not become comfortable reaching people we are comfortable reaching. Third, Jesus has a heart for all people to be saved, not just Americans. Fourth, the local church exists to reach everyone. Fifth, Heaven will be populated with every nation.

Finally, I believe one of the biggest ways to help develop mature disciples is to give them a worldview of the gospel.

Lead people to go on mission to experience it short-term so when they return they will live with a better understanding of how God is moving all over the world.

A God-sized mission that doesn't include missions outside of America doesn't live up to the mission that Jesus delivered moments before returning to Heaven.

Let's always ask God to help us reach people that are far from Him locally, nationally and internationally.

The question instead of "why" should change to "why not" in reaching beyond the shores of America to the world.