Project Church Weekly Update (11.14.08)

Saturday Nights @ Six | Alternative Fuel Coffee House | Downtown Rapid City

We’re changing things up this weekend at Project Church and you don’t want to miss it!

The first thing we’re changing is this week’s message.  We’re going to pause our current series, “True or False” and this week we’re going to look at the vision of Project Church. Where are we going? How are we doing? Why do we do what we do?  If there’s ever been a week to check us out for the first time or invite friends/family who might dig us, this is it.

We’re also adding a new element to our weekly gathering called, “Stories.” It will be a brief Q & A between me and someone with a story to tell. This week, we begin with story from a dude who’s recently connected with Project Church.   We’ll chat and then he’ll share his story with a song.  I’m really looking forward to it. If you or someone you know have a story you think others should hear, shoot me an email.

Some other items to note.

• Be a Facebook Fan of Project Church here.  There are some special goodies there so check it out.
• This Christmas season, we’re taking part in something called The Advent Conspiracy. More to come.
• There will be no gathering on Saturday, November 29 due to the Festival of Lights parade downtown.  This is a great city-wide event and I hope to see you there. We’re back in action on December 6.
• If you’re interested in helping out this weekend, be at Alternative Fuel at 5:30pm on Saturday.

So join us Saturdays night @ 6pm at the recently-expanded Alternative Fuel Coffee House in downtown Rapid City (next to the Firehouse Brewing Co.).  Bring a friend, grab a coffee, enjoy some live music, and discover more about Project Church.

Tags: Church, project church, Rapid City

Project Church Weekly Update

Have you ever wondered why God would allow suffering? I know I have.  And this week at Project Church we are going to explore that question further as we continue on in the series, “True or False” where we are examining some of Christianity’s most common questions. This is an important message for anyone who has ever gone through difficult times (which is all of us).

Here’s what’s on deck for the rest of the series:

October 18 - Does God Exist?
October 25 - Is the Bible True?
November 1 - Why Does God Allow Suffering?
November 8 - Who is Jesus?
November 15 - What’s the Truth About Heaven & Hell?
November 22 - Why Don’t Most Christians Act Like Jesus?

Other News and Announcements

• This week we are going to have some special music by Shawn Michael Shoup.   He’s quite talented and I think we’re in for a treat.
• On Saturday, November 29, we will not have a formal gathering due to the Festival of Lights Parade downtown. There will be thousands of people downtown that night and I encourage you to be a part of it and connect with others in the city.
• We will be back on track December 6 when we begin our new Christmas series, The Advent Conspiracy.
• If you would like to help out at the gathering, show up at Alternative Fuel at 5:30pm and we’ll get you plugged in.
• If you’re interested in exploring Scripture further, I encourage you to check out this article I wrote for our church titled, “A Divine Conversation.”
• Did you know we’re on Facebook?  Be a fan here. It’s another way to get to know one another.  We’re also launching a MySpace page if that’s how you roll.
• If you’re on Facebook, check out this cool video that Cory Church (one of our Projectors) put together for Project Church.
• Don’t forget to vote!

Missional Communities
Soon we will kick-off our missional communities.  This is the primary way we connect with others within Project Church and live our lives on mission together. These smaller groups of people (8-20) provide an opportunity to develop relationships with others and live out the rhythms of authentic community. If interested, reply back to projectchurch@gmail.com.   We will have more on this soon.

So if you’re in or around Rapid City, join us this Saturday night @ 6pm at the recently-expanded Alternative Fuel Coffee House in downtown Rapid City (next to the Firehouse Brewing Co.).  Bring a friend, grab a coffee, enjoy some live music, and explore Christianity’s most common questions with us.

Grace & Truth,

Jason

Tags: project church, Rapid City

Three Things I’m Excited About

This Saturday night at Project Church

We wrap up our DNA series in a message titled, “No One Stands Alone” as we look at being an authentic community of grace, truth, mission, and meaning.  Don’t miss it!

Next Saturday

We begin a new series titled, “True or False” where we are exploring Christianity’s most common questions.   This a great series to invite people to.  The trailer for the series is up on YouTube.  Check it out below.

Also, we are having an after-party immediately following the gathering for those who are interested in connecting with Project Church.  You’ll learn more about the vision of the church as well as how to get plugged in.  Make plans to join us.

Tags: Church, project church, Rapid City

Truth & Meaning

This Saturday night at Project Church, we are covering two of our values (truth and meaning) in a single message titled, “God’s Epic Story…and You.“

We are going to attempt to walk through meta-narrative of Scripture and explore what that means for our lives.  It should be fun. It should be interesting.

Join us!
Saturday Night @ 6pm
Alternative Fuel Coffee House
Downtown Rapid City, SD | 620 Main St. (next to the Firehouse Brewing Co.)

Also, make check out the trailer for our next message series.

Tags: Christianity, Church, God, Jesus, meaning, project church, Rapid City, truth

Tonight @ Project Church

SENT: A Movement of Missionaries
What does it mean to be missional?
What is our mission as a church?
How does this affect my life?

Project Church
Saturday Nights @ Six
Alternative Fuel Coffee House
620 Main St. Downtown Rapid City, SD

Tags: missional, missional church, project church, Rapid City

Project Church Rundown

• This week at Project Church was the third week of our brand new church and it was something special.
• We’re in the midst of a series titled, “DNA” and looking at how we can be an authentic community of grace, truth, mission, and meaning. This week we dug into grace in a message titled, “Grace Uncensored.”
• Even though we can’t afford it, we are giving 100% of this week’s offering to help out a 17-year-old who was paralyzed after a fight with another kid last week.  His family has no medical insurance and we just felt that we needed to show grace, not just talk about it. You can read the story (and comments) on the Rapid City Journal website.
• I shared the “To Write Love On Her Arms” story this week.
• Grace is a truth that is simple and profound at the same time.  Charles Spurgeon calls grace an “abyss” and I completely agree.
• My brother Josh played beautifully this week as he did, “Heart of Life” by John Mayer in addition to “Mighty to Save” and “Amazing Grace (My Chains Are Gone).”
• Every week, the make-up of who’s in the gathering looks different.  Looking forward to seeing who’s there next week.
• Speaking of next week, we’re taking a look at another strand of our DNA: mission.  Don’t miss it!
• I’m discovering that a lot of what I learned before we started Project Church about leadership and vision was actually true. Go figure.
• It’s so cool and humbling to be a part of a movement that I can’t take credit for.

Tags: Church, grace, project church, Rapid City, rapid city journal, TWLOHA

Change the Story

“Change the story.”  This has become a favorite phrase of mine lately.

I think we all see things in our lives, in our communities, in our country, in our world, that aren’t as they should be.   We can respond by ignoring it, complaining about it, or doing something about it.

Project Church is here to change the story.

I’m often asked about why we’re starting a new church.  After all, the last thing Rapid City needs is another church.  But look at the story.  The view of those outside the Church is not so peachy.  Instead of being known for love, we’re generally known as judgmental, self-righteous hypocrites.  Something’s not right.

That’s reason #57 why we’ve started a new church, (Reason #1 is God’s calling).  I could gripe and complain about the state of the Church (and I have).  But the best way to criticize isn’t by bashing the Church, it’s by changing the story.

Can we be known for love?  Can we be an authentic community of grace, truth, mission, and meaning? Can we be a church that says, “we’ll love you as is” and help each other live the life we’re meant to live?  Can we be big on Jesus and big on people?  Can we change the way people think about church?

I think so.  I often say church isn’t a building, an event, or a big show.  Church is a people.  Recovering hypocrites discovering authenticity. Imperfect people, like you and me, who are exploring and following the perfect Savior/King/Jesus.  Let’s not pretend we are more or less than we really are and let’s not forget that God is more loving and great than we can imagine.

Jesus said, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” (John 13:34-35)

Let’s change the story.

Let’s be known for love.

Love someone today.

Tags: Christianity, Church, God, Jesus, project church, Rapid City

Hey Rapid City! Check Out Project Church on Saturday Night

You’re invited.  Hope to see you there!

Project Church
Saturday Nights @ Six
Alternative Fuel Coffee House
Downtown Rapid City, SD (620 Main St.)
Next to the Firehouse Brewing Co.

Tags: Church, nondenominational church, project church, Rapid City, saturday night

This Week @ Project Church

This week we begin a 6-week series on the DNA of Project Church.

We’re starting the series with a message titled, “Posers Like Me: Confessions of a Recovering Hypocrite.”   An inside look at one of our core values- authenticity.

Join us on Saturday night at 6pm at Alternative Fuel Coffee House in downtown Rapid City. (map)

Check out projectchurch.net for more information.

Tags: authenticity, Church, hypocrites, project church, Rapid City