Celebrating the "gift"

"If you knew the gift of God" John 4:10. I have been dwelling on this statement for the last several weeks and it has made my Christmas. One of the reasons that this is so good is knowing that Jesus was speaking to a Samaritan woman. Jews did not speak with Samaritans and men did not speak to women in public (even their wives). Today, we see so many people who are living their lives in isolation and fear. Jesus met this lady where she was and loved her with truth. I want to know this "gift" more and more. As you celebrate Christmas this year, remember the "gift". If you have not received this "gift" or would like to know more than contact us at Roane Church or simply come this Sunday at 10am at the Michael Dunn Center.

Praying for Missions

Michael Durham knows what it means to connect out to a world that God loves. Michael is moving to Guaimaca, Honduras this December 22 to work with Orphanage Emmanuel. It was great to pray for him Sunday as a church and to continue to pray for him as he goes. Michael said that he has never felt "so free". This 60 year old man was faced with a decision in what to do with his retirement years. He said "I feel God has more for me to do than to join all the other retirees at Hardees or on the golf course". This type of talk sounds so crazy in our culture today. We feel so many times that we deserve to "get" something when we turn 60 but Michael desires to "give" something - His life. Michael said "There are a lot of things that I can not do in this world, but one thing I can do is love children and be a dad to teenagers". I am challenged by this man to fix my eyes, especially at Christmas, on things that matter. "For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son". What am I giving this Christmas. Will I be willing to give God my life?
You can get updates on Michael Durham on facebook or email mdurham60@yahoo.com

Chirstmas Songs Roane Church Style!!!

It was great Sunday! There is just something about Christmas and singing. People were excited and the band was absolutely great. I have never sang "Joy to the World" the way we did Sunday and I still feel that people in Roane County are looking for something different in a church. I smiled Sunday morning wondering what it would be like to go Christmas caroling with our band. Could you imagine setting up the speakers, guitars, drums, and jamming in a park or in a neighborhood! lol! Great job guys - I am already looking forward to next week when we can sing some more.

For all of us who are just like Nicodemus

I found this story and thought about the Journey of Faith. I am so thankful for God's patience.

"After six years given to the impartial investigation of Christianity as to its truth or falsity, I have come to the deliberate conclusion that Jesus Christ is the Messiah of the Jews, the Savior of the world, and my personal Savior."
These were the words of Lew Wallace, Governor of New Mexico, over a century ago. He had started out to write a book against Jesus Christ and in the process was converted to Christianity. He told a friend how it happened.
I had always been an agnostic and denied Christianity. Robert C. Ingersoll, a famous agnostic, was one of my most intimate friends. He once suggested, "See here, Wallace, you are a learned man and a thinker. Why don't you gather material and write a book to prove the falsity concerning Jesus Christ, that no such man has ever lived, much less the author of the teachings found in the New Testament. Such a book would make you famous. It would be a masterpiece, and a way of putting an end to the foolishness about the so-called Christ."
The thought made a deep impression on me, and we discussed the possibility of such a book. I went to Indianapolis, my home, and told my wife what I intended. She was a member of the Methodist Church and naturally did not like my plan. But I decided to do it and began to collect material in libraries here and in the old world. I gathered everything over that period in which Jesus Christ, according to legend, should have lived.
Several years were spent in this work. I had written nearly four chapters when it became clear to me that Jesus Christ was just as real a personality as Socrates, Plato, or Caesar. The conviction became a certainty. I knew that Jesus Christ had lived because of the facts connected with the period in which he lived.
I was in an uncomfortable position. I had begun to write a book to prove that Jesus Christ had never lived on earth. Now I was face to face with the fact that he was just as historic a personage as Julius Caesar, Mark Antony, Virgil, Dante, and a host of other men who had lived in olden days. I asked myself candidly, "If he was a real person (and there was no doubt), was he not then also the Son of God and the Savior of the world?" Gradually the consciousness grew that, since Jesus Christ was a real person, he probably was the one he claimed to be.
I fell on my knees to pray for the first time in my life, and I asked God to reveal himself to me, forgive my sins, and help me to become a follower of Christ. Towards morning the light broke into my soul. I went into my bedroom, woke my wife, and told her that I had received Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior.
"O Lew," she said, "I have prayed for this ever since you told me of your purpose to write this book, that you would find him while you wrote it!"
Lew Wallace did write a very famous book. It was a masterpiece and the crowning glory of his life's work. He changed the book he was originally writing and used all his research to write another book.
Now every time I watch the epic film made from that book and see Charlton Heston racing those four magnificent white horses in that amazing chariot race, I wonder how many who have seen Ben Hur, with its moving references to Jesus, know it was written by a man who wanted to disprove that Jesus ever existed, and instead became convinced that he was the greatest man who ever lived!

Band Gets Better Every Week!

When Roane Church started January 18 of 2009, I honestly had no idea how a band was going to form. No one had a lead or an idea. We simply needed to pray. Well we did and Wow - God has provided! Each week gets better and better and now we are trying to mix things up. It was really cool going from electric guitars and drums to acoustic guitars and percussion. The most important part is a a group of people who want to praise God. Each week I can see the love for God and this is encouraging. Thanks guys.

I also have really enjoyed teaching through the book of John. In talking about Nicodemus and his struggles I truly can relate with him. I know in this week God is making Himself known to you and I am praying that as He gives you and opportunity to acknowledge Him as God that you will. Have a good week.

Great Sunday

It is so good to see all of the students at Roane Church. Roane County has a lot of teanagers and it is great to have the opportunity to create a cool enviroment and worship together. We will continue to find out about Jesus as we study the book of John. This is way to much fun and I am glad to call it church. Thanks Kyle for leading the band. It really was great Sunday.

Michael Dunn Prom

Everyone could not stop talking about how much fun it was to be a part of the Michale Dunn Center Prom. Thank you to everyone who served, opened doors, danced, helped do hair and make up. This was a great time.

Life Change

Wow it has been fun meeting so many people coming to Roane Church. The greatest aspect is how many people have not been in a church before. We are giving out Bibles, seeing people start to understand who God is and what He wants with them. It is really great. I appreciate so many people praying for Roane Church and can't wait to see what happens each and every Sunday.

We are going through the book of John and it is great. This is a tremendous book and has something for everyone. Grab your Bible and come join us this Sunday at 10am. For those of you who are with us then invite someone to connect to hope in Jesus.

This is getting fun!

Over the last several weeks we have seen many people open the Bible for the first time. It has been so encouraging to hear stories of people who have lived to this point and have never owned a Bible. People are telling stories about how this book is changing them. It is great!

This Sunday is going to be really cool. We will be baptizing at the Michael Dunn Center. This is the first time that we have done this on Sunday AM and the first time that anyone has ever been baptized at MDC. The greatest thing is that the first person who will be baptized is a service recipient from MDC who truly understands and has wanted to be baptized for a good while. A total of 5 people will be baptized on this Sunday and we are thrilled. Come and join us - Everyone is invited.

Baptism @ Kingston City Pool

Around 40 people gathered Sunday as we celebrated 7 people go through bapism at the Kingston City Pool. This was a great time to hear the stories of these 6 ladies and 1 young man. Each of them coming to the point of their life where they have asked God for that incredible rescue through Jesus. To tell there stories, they came and were baptized in the City Pool. According to the Parks and Rec department, this was the first baptism known in the history of Kingston to be held in the city pool. This made it even more cool!

You talking about my Mamma?

How do you feel about Mother's Day? Some people love this day and others wish the day was never on the calendar. I am not sure where you are on this but I am so glad that God values Women and desires to empower them with His grace.
We looked at four women of the Bible: Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, and Bathsheba. After telling the stories of these ladies, I asked the crowd to make a judgement about each one but with one warning. Watch what you say because you may be talking about someones "Mama". The stories of these women are incredible and I encourage you to grab a Bible and read about them. But after you read their stories turn over to Matthew 1 and you will find something amazing about these ladies. Each are in the genealogy of Christ! Wow - God had a plan and He still has a plan to empower women to serve Him. This is great Hope! There are truly no perfect people in God's family. He has a plan for you. Let Him empower you with His grace. I hope that you will never be the same again. See you Sunday.

Forgive yourself

I truly enjoy hearing the stories of people at Roane Church. We have prayed for years to be a part of a church that is seeing transformation in people's lives. What can be overwhelming, is the magnitude of hurt and despair that people have carried for numerous years by themselves. It is great to hear and see how God is now using these people. We should come alongside one another and love as God has loved us. I am seeing people do that and am look forward in seeing people set free from stuff that they have held onto for years.

Sunday we looked at Peter in John 21. After Jesus met him where he was, Peter was challenged to Focus on his love for God, Focus on serving others, and trust God with everything in his life. I have come to understand that most people do love God but for whatever reason they are not in Church. Honestly I can understand this and this is the heart of Roane Church. I am excited to see people take past hurts, mistakes, poor decisions and turn them around in their walk with God. It is so encouraging to see people use their hurts as a way to share God's love with others.

For all of you out there who are trying to do this in this week, know that I am praying for you. I look forward in seeing each of you this Sunday. Bring your mom with you and we will have a good time.

Watching People Drive In to RC

Yesterday was great. It has been wonderful over the last several weeks to see so many new people coming to RC. We are doing our best to be faithful followers of Christ and to do and be about things that matter in our community. This has been the most fun that I have ever had in any church.We continued to look into forgiveness. This has been such a powerful series due to the fact that so many people have been hurt and deal with the bitterness that follows. We are encouraging people not to "drink the poison" of bitterness. Bitter people can not see their bitterness but only their hurt. Everyone else though can see the bitter person that this person has become. There is only one possible answer to keep from becoming bitter and that is to forgive.Forgiveness means that I fully release the offender from Any debt. It means fully cleaning Any record. It is a promise never to bring up the offense against The Person again (to God, to others, or to the offender)Does that mean that the person does not have to pay for what they have done? No! But it does mean that you are not the one to collect or put the person in your personal jail. We must turn over our hurts to God and let Him deal with it.Trusting in God is crucial and Entrusting hurts are vital in not becoming bitter.This is such a big topic and we will continue this Sunday to talk about Forgiven. I hope to see you there.

Forgiven

Forgiven – is the new series at Roane Church. Last week we looked into how God has forgiven us and set us free and now we continue this by approaching forgiveness that comes through our hurts and how we can forgive others. This is a tough subject to teach where many people will definitely think “if they only knew”. People have real hurts and pain but there is no reason for that hurt to make them into a bitter person. We are wading into this issue and asking people to simply consider where they are. Here are some questions to ask:

• I often replay in my mind the incident(s) that hurt me.
• When I think of a particular person or situation, I still feel angry.
• I try hard not to think about the person, event, or circumstance that caused me so much pain.
• I have a subtle, secret desire to see this person pay for what he or she did to me.
• Deep in my heart, I wouldn’t mind if something bad happened to the person(s) who hurt me.
• I often find myself telling others how this person has hurt me.
• A lot of my conversations revolve around this situation.
• Whenever his or her name comes up, I am more likely to say something negative than something positive about him or her.

I struggle in this area and have kept these questions for several years to bring out and put in front of God as a check in my life. I would encourage everyone in light of Easter to realize all that God has forgiven.

Matthew 18 'I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. 33Shouldn't you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?'

Spend time today looking at all the ways that He has forgiven you. Come to Roane Church and approach with us this idea of “forgiven” and all that it means. See you Sunday

Easter @ Roane Church

I love Easter! There is an excitement in the air and everyone is ready to come to church.

Romans 8:1 says 1Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, 2because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death.”

I feel that we all need to hear this verse and on this Sunday we came to understand that this is the reason that Jesus died and is now raised from the grave. We are free!!! Free from the past, Free to live our lives, and Free to live in love. This passage begins with no condemnation and ends with no separation. This is great!

If no one has told you today that they love you then I want to tell you that God loves you. This is the purpose of Easter!

Kingston Easter Egg Hunt

I can’t tell you how incredible it was to see 26 people from Roane Church painting faces at the community Easter egg hunt. It was absolutely crazy to see the over 3500 plastic eggs spread out at South West Pointe Park. Whoever shot the musket to begin the hunt made be jump out of my skin but what happened next was great. It only took a matter of 3 minutes for those kids to clean the entire field! Wow! The children of our community are beautiful and the happiness on their faces was contagious. We will definitely as a church continue doing these wonderful events and hope that many others will come and join the fun.

Michael Dunn Valentine's Day Party

Get this party started! Roane Church had an absolute blast at the Michael Dunn Center Valentine dance. We love being involved with things that matter, and in Roane County, the MDC matters. There was no holding back when the music started playing. The happiness on the faces was contagious. Not only was this a dance but it was also a pep-rally for the Roane County Chargers which is MDC’s basketball team. I hope you enjoy the pics.

Philippians

This past Sunday we talked about “status”. It has the possibility to consume us whether we are just beginning up the ladder of success or during these difficult days, we are simply trying not to fall off the ladder that we have worked so hard to climb. Either way it seems to affect focus on self rather than others. This is probably the reason that there are so many discouraging things that happen in our families or even in church. We are so busy with the wrong focus. I desire to be a person who considers others first, and I am thankful for what we are learning through Philippians. Such as the key verse in 1:27, “Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ”, there are a whole lot of “whatever happens”, it seems today, and we can learn together what God has in store for our lives. No matter where you have been or what has happened in the past, God has a plan for your life. Let’s learn together how to focus on something bigger than ourselves or our circumstances.

Still Reflecting on Sunday...

There are many things in life that are bigger, deeper, or have more meaning once we get into it. I love Paul’s example when he takes tough circumstances and says it is “advancing the gospel”. How do you have this peace even when life has a lot to throw at you? In Philippians, we are learning that every circumstance is an opportunity to grow in our understanding of prayer, the Holy Spirit, and life and death. Everyday is a new day to learn something new.
The tough stuff in life has sometimes brought me to my knees. Even in times when I thought my prayers were unheard, I learned to keep on praying. I continue to learn that the Holy Spirit is at work everyday and that the Bible does not hide that it is usually when we are struggling that we come to understand Him the most. As for life and death, I use to think that I was invincible and that life had a reset button, but that thought was soon taken away during tough circumstances. As time goes by, I am thankful for the circumstances although I would never want to go through this again. I am truly thankful for all that God is teaching us at Roane Church.

Follow-up on Pete

I called Pete Stetson while he was still in the emergency room yesterday and talked with him later on in the day. At the hospital, they did some tests and blood work and found no answers that would explain the situation that occurred. He will follow up with a cardiologist in the near future. Please pray for him as he and his wife try to get some answers. At this point, he is back to business as usual.

Our First "Public" Meeting

How do you take your heart and put it on paper? Sunday was a great day! The worship environment was incredible. The children’s area is one of the neatest areas. I am not sure who was having more fun the children or the adults. There have been so many people praying and working to begin a church in Roane County that would not be just another church but a different church. I want to thank all of the new people who came. Several of you have already responded with so many positive statements that honor God. I know that God is the one who led us yesterday.
We are gearing up for this Sunday already. Bryan McKaig will be leading worship with band members from Knoxville. Remember this church is for anyone. I don’t care where you have been or what you have done. Please come and know that already people are earnestly praying for you this week.

The People

Today we went to the Michael Dunn Center to do some work in their community room. It is so much fun just to be there, but I love getting the privilege to know some of these incredible people. Today it was Justin.
My family, along with MDC employees Micheale & Rhonda, looked through Justin's photo album. The pictures depicted a young man full of compassion and joy who has many meaningful relationships. As we looked at these pictures I could see Justin smile to let us know that he was fully aware of everything going on.
There were many other people with different needs come and engage us while we were there. All of them noticed the children and my pretty wife. This all goes to show that the incredible people at the MDC are people who long to share real lives, with real hope, and real love. I hope through the years to develop some of these real relationships. Roane Church knows that God’s love is for everyone, no matter our backgrounds or different needs. Sunday is coming fast! We will see you at 10am at the MDC!

Preparations

Today, we sent off our second 5000 piece direct mail. It is going to the same homes that the first direct mail went out to in Harriman, Rockwood, Kingston, Oak Ridge, Oliver Springs, Loudon, and Lenoir City. This is a 10 mile radius surrounding the Michael Dunn Center. Who knows what is going to happen Sunday, but we are praying. Many people are praying that people will “connect to hope in Jesus” and people will know that as long as there is breathe in their lungs that they would know that there is hope for them. No matter what we have done or where we have been, God is waiting to show us love. I wanted to share with you a thought that a friend sent me today, Kevin Bradford, who will be moving he and his family here from another state to join us in the work God has appointed us to do at Roane Church.

As I was reading through Luke 15, verse 1 and 2 caught my attention.
It says that the tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to Him.
And the Pharisees and the scribes grumbled saying, 'This man receives sinners
and eats with them.' May the tax collectors and sinners draw near Sunday as
Roane Church begins public services. May they be received, welcomed, and
loved! And as verses 7 and 10 say, may the maddest block party ever
be thrown in heaven because people have surrendered to Jesus and become cleansed through His blood! The Lord God Almighty is more than able to do far more than all we ask or think. May He be glorified?

I thought this was pretty cool. If you are reading this today, maybe take a moment, take a deep breath, and know you are loved by God. Hope to see you Sunday!

Sunday Reflections

Sunday was a really good day for us. Several new people attended for the first time even before our opening day. For the last two weeks, I have taught about both people’s expectations and opinions as they come to church. I am still amazed that the first words recorded in the book of John from the lips of Jesus were “What do you want?” He knows that we have expectations and opinions, but Jesus came to this earth and knows exactly where we are. What thrills me is that He still loves us!
After our Sunday time of worship, Michaele Butler, an employee at the Michael Dunn Center, did an outstanding job giving us training on people with special needs. Roane Church understands that we are coming into their community, and we are excited to make welcome anyone who would want to come to Roane Church. Michaele taught us that yes, these people have special needs, but maybe we could see them as different needs. I thought this was pretty cool. We all have needs and they are all different. Come and learn what God is teaching through sharing life together.

Why The Michael Dunn Center?

One of the most popular questions that has been asked to me is “how did you get connected with the Michael Dunn Center”. I have come to understand that this has been so big that I really did not make this decision but God was truly directing steps. Roane Church was looking to find a place to meet and found that the options were limited in Roane County. The store fronts were too expensive, there is not a movie theater, and meeting in a school fell through. This brought concern and much prayer.

At the same time, Roane Church had a goal to find ways to “earn the right” to be a church in this community. After meeting with different leaders in the community and asking “how will you allow us to serve”, there was not a peace to pursue those options. There was also the thought about doing a “habitat like” project in order to help someone with a home or a renovation. All of this leads to more and more prayer. Then God revealed His plan.

God’s plan was and is for Roane Church to learn what the word “compassion” means by leading us to the Michael Dunn Center. This was not a project to simply get done but a partnership where the church will develop relationships for years to come. The Michael Dunn Center has welcomed us with open arms. After praying for a place to meet and to serve, God has answered that prayer. This last year has been great fun. It is a blast getting to know the people of the Michael Dunn Center. There is a lot to learn, but God is faithful everyday to teach us about compassion.

The first gathering at MDC (before renovations)

Thank you God for these incredible people!

The Christmas party was incredible fun!

As families we learn to live and serve together.

Newspaper Ads

This week, Roane Church has run three separate newspaper ads. The three ads together paint a picture of who we are hoping and praying to be. Maybe as you read these three ads below, it will connect with where you are and you will want to come and check things out.

# 1 We almost gave up on church. Seriously! We are a group of people who are tired of playing church. We’ve grown weary of church as usual. We’re not looking for a new program, model, or style. We’re wrestling with a shift in how we view our purpose as Christ followers and how we live that out in our community.

#2 We’re all asking questions, searching for answers, struggling with issues—looking for hope. We live in the same community and deal with many problems. We're concerned about our futures and our finances, our families and our friends… the stuff of everyday life. So, we have no need to waste your time or ours covering up flaws or masking faults for we have plenty.
Just come and grab a cup of coffee, check out the band, and find hope. And, please, wear what you want… just be comfortable!

#3 Before you write church off completely, give Roane Church a chance to change your mind. Our desire is to make the Kingdom of God tangible. We want you to touch it, taste it, see it, and sense it. We seek to be part of the rhythms of our community, to be good neighbors, good friends and good servants.

Hard Work

This has been a great week! Ryan Brooks who I have known for years brought 21 college students to do work at the Michael Dunn Center from Taylor, SC. They have done a great job painting, putting carpet down, constructing sound panels and covering them with fabric. They also helped Roane Church by passing out 4000 door hangers! That is not the best part of the story. These college students were lined up to stay in a hotel and have a room with a bed and shower. They approached Roane Church and asked if we could find a place somewhere that they could sleep on a floor. Then, they would put the money that they saved on lodging into materials for the Michael Dunn Center. It honestly has overwhelmed me. I want to thank Chapman Grove for allowing these students to use their gym floor. Come and see all that is happening to the Michael Dunn Center on January 18th @ 10am as we kick off Roane Church.

4000 door hangers, Yippee!

We have learned in college to read directions to figure something out!

Putting up many sound panels

The finished product

Laying carpet in one of the many offices

Welcome

Welcome to the Blog! The purpose of this blog is to let you in on the heartbeat of Roane Church. In this last year, we have been praying, planning, and working hard to begin this “come as you are” environment. We are everyday people who have been rescued by Jesus and are learning more about God everyday. We have known for a long time that there are “no perfect people” and that we have a God who sent his Son for us. We want everyone to connect to hope in Jesus. It would be a great honor if you would subscribe to the blog and invite you anytime to come and enjoy Sunday morning at Roane Church.

Welcome

Welcome to the Roane Church Blog! More coming soon!