Is It Worth The Sacrifice?
Is it worth it? This may be a thought you have had when thinking about the amount of effort it takes to do what God asks of us. Or maybe you have thought this when it comes to going to church, doing something for someone other than yourself, or simply trying to do what’s right.
Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. – Romans 12:1-2 (NIV)
No doubt, getting up and going to The Summit tomorrow morning will be an extreme act of sacrifice. It is going to be COLD in the morning so why not just stay home or go to a church that already has a nice comfortable auditorium? Why? Read the rest of this entry »
Some Thoughts about this Sunday: Church Redefined.
The Summit has moved to a new and different season in the life of our church. We launch on October 5, 2008 at The King’s Academy and continued there for 1 year. We started with a launch tem of about 19 and had 167 on our first Sunday. We saw and experienced some incredible things this past year. 73 people made a decision to step into a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. 41 took that a step farther and followed Jesus in baptism by immersion. Now, we are experiencing Church Redefined. This was our official first week to gather and disperse. We have moved to a new building that isn’t finished. So we decided to have a short devotion and then scatter into our community and serve outside our walls on Sundays until our building is complete. Here is a recap of our first Sunday: Read the rest of this entry »
What’s Important to You?
Following is a Facebook blog written by a teenager who’s family is an awesome blessing, both to The Summit and all those who know them. I always thought Kaitlyn was an awesome young woman, but when I read this, I was absolutely blown away by her heart and by what she had to share. So, I wanted to share it with everyone! Be humbled as you read.
“Today we had lifetime wellness. We were in the gym. Class is over and we all head to the locker room. I walk in and see my bags open and all of my things thrown across the floor. The light bulb instantly flicked on in my mind and I realized someone had probably stolen something. I look through my bags and find that my ipod, camera, and wallet are gone. Read the rest of this entry »
Church Redefined!
This is it! History will be written and a new era of church will happen this Sunday @ 10 AM at The Summit Church!
The Summit has moved to its new location and we can’t wait to do “ekklesia” (called out assembly).
This Sunday we will meet outside so dress warm. We will still do community so coffee, biscuits and chatter will still be the norm. Our Kidz will still rock the house, so make sure you bring your kids and your neighbor’s kids so they can experience God in a mind-blowing way. We will still worship. The experience may be shorter but still very authentic. We will still honor God through our giving and our tithe will be seen through the new impact center. We will still communicate God’ message, although more brief, it will still be a message to help shape our lives.
But that is where the similiarities end. Read the rest of this entry »
FIVEtimesFIVE
FIVEtimesFIVE
“The Spirit of God whets our appetite by giving us a taste of what’s ahead. He puts a little of heaven in our hearts so that we’ll never settle for less.” – (2 Corinthians 5:5, The Message)
I know the incredible sacrifice it takes to come home from a long hard day at work and then go out to a building only to work a few more hours. I know there are ball games and clubs and activities going on. But I would like for you to consider FIVEtimesFIVE!
Here is the plan. Too many people have lost faith in God. Yet way many more want a reason to hope again and trust again. The more our community sees us working together to get this task accomplished and the faster we get into this new center, the quicker we get to impact more people!
I am asking you to give God FIVE hours per week for the next Five weeks (in addition to Sundays) starting tonight! That is just ONE hour per day (or 5 hours ONE day) to accomplish such a HUGE task.
Will you make this small sacrifice for such a big reward? I know that several already give more than five hours, but will join us with this simple commitment? Respond back or call Heidi at the office, 865-622-2022. Let us know your in and you have made the commitment to FIVEtimesFIVE. We will provide the water, gatorade and lunch on Saturdays and you provide FIVE! (It’s important to let us know you are in so we can plan accordingly)
I can’t wait to see the difference!
Be Happy!
Pastor Bryan
(PS. HIGH-FIVE :>)
The Summit Church is Closing It’s Doors…
…and opening some others! Today was our 52nd week in existence and we celebrated it a little different. It was our last Sunday in The King’s Academy’s Woody Auditorium where we launched our first worship experience on October 5, 2008 and next week on October 4, 2009 we have nowhere to meet…that is…no building.
In the last year The Summit has seen 73 people become new Christ-followers and 41 choose to be baptized. Yet, we are closing our doors. The fanfare at The Summit was simply loading out all of our equipment into a Penske truck and taking it to storage. It was the last Sunday that The Summit will meet in a building…at least for a while. Read the rest of this entry »
Dangerous Church? Okay, Let’s Do it!
Wow! I am so excited out of mind I don’t even know how to express it in this email. Most of us were aware that this Sunday was going to be The Summit’s last Sunday in The King’s Academy. What we weren’t aware of is “what’s next?”
Now we know!
From Day One the vision of The Summit has to been to reach those who are far from God and help them back into a relationship with Him. In accomplishing that we also want to redefine the way our community looks at God and His church. We want to remove the contempt and replace it with Praise. Our goal is to move people in such a way that when they come to the Summit they can NEVER use church as a reason NOT to come back.
Starting October 4th, we are going to put this vision into a real life, in-your-face, action plan! This is a transitional time for The Summit. We are leaving the Academy, but not yet ready to move into the new building. So what do we do? Find out this Sunday as we gather one last time at The King’s Academy @ 10 AM.
I will lay out the vision and how it will blow away our community. I will show you how God will use The Summit to reach people who said they would never go back to church again or who said they would never dawn the doors of a church building!
I know that God has a better life planned for us and those we live around, work with and do life with. It’s time we start living that conviction out loud!
The More is Here!
Bryan
Freedom to Start Over
I am so excited about this weekend @ The Summit! The Summit is so incredible and we are seeing God do some remarkable things in the lives and in the families around Seymour and S Knox.
We are concluding our series called “Freedom” this week by talking about The Freedom to Start Over. Who hasn’t wished they could have a do-over in certain areas of our lives or maybe even the whole thing. We will discover how God has provided a way and the strength to start new and fresh in this life. Starting Over this weekend could be the biggest decision you ever made. So come to The Summit @ 10 AM for our weekend worship experience or come a little early and enjoy a light breakfast at The Black Bear Cafe’.
You know, walking in the Freedom that God has given us is such an awesome life! It’s when we try to do life under the shackles and burden of our own selfishness that it gets heavy. We often get weighed down with our own wants and desires that when God calls to a better life, we are so stuck in our busyness, we don’t have time to experience God’s freedom. Come this weekend and let’s discover together how we can experience God insane freedom and how to claim it now!
Be Happy!
Bryan
It’s Time To Believe!
Wow! I cannot believe we are preparing a new building as a permanent place from which we can Impact our community! 12,000 sqft of awesome space for us to worship, do community, celebrate with Summit Kidz, for the Summit Edge student impact team to meet and for us to launch a community initiative that is so big that we will see God literally change the face of our culture.
This past week we have seen 60 teenagers from Indiana and Michigan work with Team Effort to help us accomplish the impossible! In 3 days they were able to complete what would have taken us 2 1/2 months to do. These kids did this with smiles on their faces and an energy in the step that absolutely would fire you up!
This has all happened so fast and we have seen God bless so much that it has just astounded me at what He has done. As a church, we believe that God wants us to make this move and that WE will change the face of our culture by expressing God’s love! As we have started this project: Read the rest of this entry »
Freedom – Release the Chains
I am so excited about this week and the coming month @ The Summit!
Thursday we will be having our church-wide camp out at Crazy Horse Campground AND it looks like we are going to have a baptism! That’s right! Someone said they didn’t wait any longer, so if you want to join in this exciting event we will have a baptism in the pool on Friday Night! If you want to be a part of this, just let us know.
Sunday we will be starting a new series of conversations entitled “Freedom – Release the Chains”.
Have you ever wandered weather there could be a better tomorrow? Have you ever doubted your relationship with God? Have you questioned how God could love you? Have you imagined a life that was free from the past and open to an unlimited future? If so, you do not want to miss “Freedom – Release the Chains” at The Summit! This will be a powerful and eye opening series of conversations on the good news that Jesus delivered 2000 years ago and how it affects us today. This will be a time of new beginnings and new hope. We will learn together how to dream again, hope again and to discover the Freedom God has promised to all of us!
Be Happy!
Bryan
