This is the framework of what we are shooting for in our communities at Axis Church.

Check out this link by Mike Breen.

http://weare3dm.com/mikebreen/we-are-3dm/5-essential-ingredients-of-a-missional-community/

Here is the latest commercial for my friends at emery FCU.

By request…here’s the workout video josh and i created.  Enjoy!

Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.” Deuteronomy 31:6

That may be just exactly what you need to hear today.  You may be facing challenges or pressure or hardship or discouragement or fear but remember “the Lord you God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.”   So be strong and courageous.

Did you see the story of the mom who lost her legs last week in the tornado in Kentucky but saved her children?

It is amazing to see what love does.  In the middle of the harshest storm, mom was there to protect her children; to give comfort, peace and assurance.

Today, in whatever you are going through, your heavenly Father shields and protects you.  Don’t ever forget it.  And since He is for us, who can be against us!

President Obama came out last week announcing that Catholic institutions (schools and hospitals for example) would need to provide contraceptive coverage for all of its employees.  After an uproar from religious leaders, he “backed off” his stance and said instead that if the Catholic institutions would not provide then the Insurance Companies that the Catholic institutions have their health coverage through would need to provide contraceptive care “free of charge.”  If they refuse, there would be mandatory penalties. In essence, President Obama didn’t change his stance at all.  Either way, the Catholic leaders are being asked to violate their convictions and beliefs.  Not only do Catholics not believe in contraception, the president includes the morning after pill in his definition of “contraceptive care.”

While there are multiple problems with this presidential mandate the most significant problem is that this issue cuts to the core of the first amendment of the constitution and is exactly what our revolutionary founders fought and gave their lives for.  The free exercise of religion means, in part, that the government can not create mandates which violate core convictions/beliefs.  This is not a Catholic issue.  It is an issue that impacts everyone of faith and those who believe in the constitution.

Please be aware of these issues and stay up to date.  Here is what some key leaders of faith are saying on this issue.

Civil Disobedience

Don’t take our religious freedom for granted.  People before us have given their lives for that freedom.  The bible is clear that we must follow God not man.

Well, it has been a long time in coming.  We were two months in house churches as we waited for our warehouse to be opened.  The building isn’t finished yet but at least we were able to meet there tonight for Christmas Eve.  Here are some pictures from tonight’s worship.

On October 30, 2011 Axis Christian Church celebrated her 2nd Anniversary.  It was an EPIC celebration as we enjoyed the AXIS ACADEMY AWARDS.  Here are the three video trailers we showed in our gathering and also our EPIC Transformation video.  ENJOY!

We were in the process of finalizing the actual lease agreement.  We had a handshake but we didn’t have the official lease signed up to this point.  We had our attorney review it (thank you to my brother Jonathan).  We went back and forth on a few items.  We were scheduled to meet on that Friday.

On Wednesday the RAVE corporate office called (first I had heard from them) and said they wanted to notify us that we had one week to move out. Yikes! I asked for another month and started looking for other alternatives. It was a little bit stressful but I knew that God was in control.  Friday they called and said we could stay through October.  Shew!

Friday came and Victor called to say that they had reviewed the lease and that they wanted to add a certain clause in the lease agreement.  It was something we weren’t going to agree to.  So Jonathan and I agreed that we would walk over the issue.  So Jonathan called Victor to tell him.  They called back and said “ok, we will leave the clause out.”

Victor and I met at 3:30 at 5/3 bank to sign and have the agreement notarized and I gave him the deposit.  Remember how I said that our handshake agreement was providential?  Victor told me about a church (another plant nearby) that had come to him two days after we shook on the deal and wanted to lease the building.  They actually wanted  two of the buildings but he told them he had an agreement with us and couldn’t break that commitment.  I thanked him for being honest and keeping his word to us.  Amazing how God works!

The next Sunday I pulled out the keys and showed them to Axis!  We cheered again!

Currently, we are working with the architect, planning tech needs, ordering carpet and chairs and planning work and moving days.

There are many needs and we have already discovered that it is a good thing that we raised more than the $45,000 as there have already been other expenses; architect fees, money for the deposit, added flooring expense, etc.

I have been so amazed by God’s guidance in every step of this journey called Axis.  I am amazed…not surprised.  God is faithful!

I sensed the Lord speaking to me that I needed to go ahead and confirm with Victor.  I knew he had given us his best price on construction and we needed to make a deal.  I went back in the building, climbed up the ladder to the unfinished second story and said, “Victor, I believe that you have given us your best price and this building would work really well for our church.  I do need to go back to our guys, but you and I are the key influencers here and I want to go ahead and make a deal with you and shake on it.” We did.  He seemed pleased.  I was too.

I went back to our congregation the next weekend and showed pictures of the building for the first time.

 The buzz started.  I could sense in our church a very positive vibe about the possibilities.  I told them that we needed to go ahead and raise the money for this.  We didn’t have time to waste since the RAVE was being sold and our new lease was starting in November.  I reported that we needed to raise $45,000 and that we would have a miracle offering and commitment day the next Sunday (September 18, 2011).  One young couple had already given me a check for $2,000.  They met me in the hall after service the previous week and said, “we want to give to this building project, God has been so good to us.”  This is a couple with many kids and the husband had been out of work for 2 years until recently.  I knew this was a HUGE sacrifice for them.

Then, after service, I got a call from one of our couples and the wife said, “Stephen, my husband and I decided to take care of the flooring.”  Wow!  I was blown away!  Later that week, I would get other calls.  My mom and my aunt gave $2,000 each.  One of the leaders from Stadia came to me and said, “my wife and I want to give.  We believe in you and your mission at Axis.”  He gave me a $1,000 check.  Another couple who is brand new to Axis, texted to say they were in for $3,000.  Another couple emailed and said “we will do the coffee area tables and stools.”

That next Sunday, I explained we were going to take this miracle offering and commitments and the goal was $45,000.  We prayed.  We collected the offering and commitments early in the service.  When Scott brought the paper up to me at the end of the service, I looked down at the total and was thrilled.  We had a song up coming in the service so I didn’t tell everyone then.  After the song I got up and announced the total.  ”Axis, I shared with you we needed to raise $45,000, but today we have offering and commitments of $56,000.”  (I actually announced $59,000 but later we realized we had double counted one of the checks).  The church erupted in applause!

I went to Axis on a Sunday in September and reported that we would need to be moving from the RAVE and that we had an opportunity to possibly rent a space for the next 3 years.  There were no loud cheers from the crowd, just a steady resolve that all is well and a trust in the Lord.  I like this about Axis.  When the moment is right, we cheer.  If it is time to be flexible, we are.  If we need to be praying, we do.

So everyone began to pray.

In the meantime, the owner (Victor) and I were continuing to get to know one another.  I had asked him, since he owns a construction company, to give us a bid on doing the work.  He agreed.  I originally told him that we could do $20,000 because I knew that the chairs and carpet would take up the rest of the $30,000.  He said he would need to work on the numbers.

A few days later, I was to meet with Victor again.  I woke up that morning after having a very vivid dream.  I dreamt that Victor would come back with a figure of $45,500.  I met Jon Glista (our worship leader) the next day at the building to show him and to meet Victor.  When Victor gave me the quote I was blown away when it came in at $44,500.  I was $1,000 off in my dream.  I knew this was too much for us at Axis.  But Victor quickly added, this would be my normal cost, but I can do it for $35,000.  I told him that I would need to go back and talk to our guys.

Jon and I went to the parking lot and Jon gave me his feedback and then went on to work.  I stood by my car for just a moment.  I just sensed in my spirit that I needed to go back in to see Victor.  I’m glad I did.  I didn’t know until later how important the next moments would be.