This Is Really Good

I honestly hope that we are setting a culture of openness, transparency, grace and support at CATF. So that people can find help for their darkest secrets.

Read more on this subject
http://www.perrynoble.com/2009/07/28/preparation-h-and-confession/

btw...I'm on vacation and my blog is set to auto update.

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You Don't Have What It Takes Part 3

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Sunday Recap

How You Can Be An Active Part Of CATF

This past Sunday I spoke to the church about being an active part of what God is doing through CATF. Here's some ideas of where you might consider being involved.

• Kidmo - helping by leading or co-leading. If you love kids, know how to have fun and are passionate about an environment that teaches Biblical truth to kids in a very upbeat relevant way, this would be a great place for you. If you are interested in more info you can contact Ian Gordon on Sunday morning.
• Host Team - greeting and providing a welcoming atmosphere for guests on Sunday morning. If you love meeting new people, making people feel welcome and are somewhat outgoing this would be a great place for you to be involved. Please see Lindsay Nielson if you are interested.
• Lil'K - Caring for newborn through age 5 on Sunday morning morning. We have a qualified care giver that oversees this area but would love for you to be an assistant. If you love to nurture and care for children this would be a great place for you. Please see Debbie Richardson.
• Road Crew - Set up and Tear down are a key part of our Sunday Gathering. If you enjoy being behind the scenes, working with others and have a willing attitude then helping out with this team would be a great place to serve. Please see Brandon Duff
• Praying for our church - If you have a heart for prayer and enjoy praying for others let us know. We would love to have you pray for requests that come our way. Please See Brandon Duff
• Computer Tech - If you have a good grasp of downloading, setup up software, and are very dependable (so says those that know you best) then we would love you to work regularly on setting our computer up for Sunday mornings. See Brandon Duff
• Admin - Are you Word proficient, dependable and very focused on on excellence. We would love you to be part of producing weekly print material for CATF. See Brandon Duff
• Encouragement - Do you love to encourage others? If so we would love to have you making phone calls to people in need of an encouraging word. See Brandon Duff
• Givers - We all should give back a portion of what God gives us. If you would like to use Automatic Funds Transfer to give each week, we can set that up for you. See Raymond Pacque
• Servoluton - Do you get charged up by serving others. We would love to have someone head up the monthly community service events. See Brandon Duff

For addition information see the person noted by each opportunity. For general info or if you you need to be directed to the right person see Brandon Duff . We are wide open to answer questions in order to help you make decisions to be involved. Thanks for all you do as part of CATF. We love provding opportunities for you to be part of God's work at CATF.

I am excited about this weekend!

I'm excited about Sunday for multiple reasons:

• God is present when the church gathers together. Matthew 18:20
• People's lives have been changed over the last couple years as a result of what God is doing through The Fallz (CATF) and this will continue to happen. This Sunday and throughout the week God will do great things.
• It's just a lot of fun when we get to come together each week.
• God has something for each of us.
• New people will join us.
• You never know what's gonna happen!

See you Sunday!

Confessions of a Pastor #5

Confession #5

I am not as consistent at reading my Bible and praying as I should be. Don't hear me wrong, I always pray for people that ask me to and love to be part of what God is doing in your life. My problem is more to do with the consistent time with God each day. Does that mean I just give up because I struggle? NO way. I keep on pushing against my laziness and becoming more of the man God wants me to be.

Confessions of a Pastor #4

Confession #4
I vacuum and clean the house. I actually enjoy doing this for the most part. Maybe I just burst the bubble of you macho guys out there, but I actually think it takes a real man to vacuum. Don't worry, I do not wear an apron.

Confessions of a Pastor #3

I love being a pastor, but there are some things about the job that are challenging and great at the same time

Challenges

• I am always on the job. It's impossible to forget about the needs and responsibilities. The stress takes a toll.
  
• Being part of a church plant means I need to multi-task. Some of the stuff gets a little frustrating.
• People think of you as a pastor first and then a regular guy second. I'm just like you. Only difference is I lead a church.
  

Great Things

• I love seeing lives changed and I'm right in the thick of it.
• I enjoy the challenge that comes with the position. Never a dull moment it seems
  
• I love the people that are part of CATF.
• I am doing what God created me to do.
  

Confessions of a Pastor #2

Confession #2

I find that the church gets too focused on itself and misses the great commission, "go into the world". I really get pretty tired of Christians that just want to consume. Give me deeper teaching, give me more singing, give me more opportunities to be with the church doing Christian activities. The church too often has bowed to the pressure of the consumer Christian.

The church is for the world and that is why we keep things simple at The Fallz (CATF), that way you have time to be a light to your world. I'm so glad to be part of a great church like the Fallz. Let's keep focused on others.

Confessions of a Pastor #1

I hope to give you 10 confession of a pastor over the next week or so.

Confession #1 I love Jesus with all my heart. I blow it at times.

I don't always act real Christ like. You may think a pastor is supposed to be like Jesus 24/7. I'm not! I will say, I take leading my church very very serious and I take my own relationship with God even more serious. I have this deep dark confession. I'm human! BTW so is my family... human that is. :-)

I'm a work in progress just like you. Thankful for the grace and mercy of God.

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Show Me Your Faith

This past Sunday we heard a great talk, You Aren't Good Enough. That's right, no amount of good works will get you into God's good books. You can't do it, that's because it's already been done for you. Christ did it all when He gave his life for you on the cross and then rose from the grave. In doing so He made it possible for you to be in right standing with God and to have life eternal. Get off of the performance treadmill and just realize God accepts you for who you are, because Christ made you right when you came into a relationship with Him.

So this week, relax and let your good works be a result of what Christ has done in your life. Let the good things you do flow out of a life transformed by Christ. Show the world what God is doing through you and in time they will take notice. 

Words are empty without action.

These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Matthew 15:8 NLT

I am amazed at how easily Christians are deceived by so called God-speak. We are quick to judge the spirituality of a person by their words and have no idea if their actions back up their words. Show me your faith by your actions, I really don't have a lot of time to listen to words that don't have the backbone of action. Let me add this addendum, it's not about perfection, it's about a genuine desire to serve God. Words are a dime a dozen.

I love when I see people living their faith...two thumbs up.

Weekend Update

Good Morning CATF,

I left my camera at home today, so no video update this week. Here's some highlights:

• New Series starts Sunday. We are going to have some fun stuff for kids and adults so try and come a little early on Sunday morning. I can't tell you any more than that, but we are going to have a great day on Sunday. Don't be late getting into the theatre or you will miss an incredible and fun song from our band.
  
• Invite a friend along on Sunday. Remember the church is the light of the world. You are the church so let your light shine before those in your community.
• Servolution - Saturday, July 18 we will clean up Dorchester Road from in front of our office all the way down to Morrison Street. Let's show Niagara Falls how much we care by our actions and our desire to serve our community.
• There is always an opportunity for you to be part of our set up team each Sunday at 7:45 am to 8:30 am. If you would like join us just come out this Sunday and lend a hand. You can be part of impacting people for Christ.
• Thanks for your giving to One Prayer Church Planting. We will be sending $430.00 to make a difference in lives around the world.
  

Why the church?

Why are you part of the church and more specifically Church at the Falls? The answer to this question is vital to your spiritual growth and your long term connection with your church. In addition it is vital to the health of our church.

Let's define some basics.
The Church was not created for the Church. The Church was created to reach the world.
The Church is not a building, the local church is a group of people that know Christ and have a common vision.
The Church not only meets on Sunday, but also meets in smaller groups, meets while serving the community and for that matter goes where you go. Not one of these environments should stand alone. We need to balance each.

With that said, what will never change at Church at the Falls?
Our mission, We exist to lead be into a growing relationship with Christ. In one word, discipleship.
How we accomplish our mission will always be in process of changing. We may not always use the style of music we use today. We may use different means to communicate on Sunday morning than we do now. We may offer different ways other than LifeGroups for people to connect. We may do children's teaching different in the years to come. The way we connect with and invite people from the community will change. Things will always change because we are reaching people and our society is constantly changing. So to reach people we must change.

So, if you come to Church at the Falls for what we do now then one day we will disappoint you when we change something you "like". If you come to Church at the Falls for who we are, we are into making disciples, then you will stick for the long haul because you are into being the church and not into "going to church."

I want the best for you and I don't want to disappoint you, even though I know I will. But I want to minimize the disappointments by clearly casting the vision for what the church should be. Clear communication saves heart ache down the road.

I realize that I increase the chance that some will leave CATF when I cast this kind of vision, because some are just part of CATF to get what they like rather than be part of the a life changing church that will march boldly into the future. A church willing to change in order to reach people and raise up disciples.

Are you in!

When Family Life Is A Struggle

What do you do when family life is a struggle?

So often I hear of people that are facing relational struggles, whether it be parents and teens or between spouses. One thing I can tell you, these struggles have the potential to debilitate every area of a persons life. But it doesn't have to be that way. Can I give you some practical steps that you can take to help when facing these kinds of struggles.

1. Pray Do not underestimate the power of prayer. The strength found in prayer is what will get you through. The need to fall before God admitting you total dependence on Him should not be underestimated. You see, we must put God as #1 in our situation before we can see His power evident. Prayer does just that, it removes our dependence on everything and puts it on God. Keep praying even when you think it's not making any difference.
2. Reach Out To Friends You can't do this on your own. You need to surround yourself with people that care for you, support you and point you in the right direction. Avoid people that are negative or critical of your family, church or the good steps you need to take.
   
3. Serve Out Of Your Hurt Find others you can encourage in the very area you are struggling. Don't find someone to wallow in self pity with, but find someone to encourage and help grow in this very area.
   
4. Find A Counselor You need someone that can speak truth into you life about your current struggle. So often we wait till it's too late to seek help. After all, only "desperate people" go to counselors. Not TRUE, healthy people make the healthy choice to seek help for the challenging areas of life. Do you go to the doctor when you are basically healthy, sure you do. You go to deal with a problem area. Do the same with counseling. I can recommend some great counselors.
5. Read The Bible Fill you mind with God's truth to counter the lies that flood your mind.Don't run on empty.
   
6. Confront The Problem I am surprised at how many couples or families try to sweep the problem under the rug only to end up with catastrophe.
   

My heart goes out to those of you that are facing relational struggles. I'm praying for you. Please understand this list is not a step by step fix, but some advice to point you in the right direction.

Galatians 6:9 NLT "So let's not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don't give up." This verse has kept me going when times have been hard. Keep doing the right thing.

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