Campion Church

Today is a new day. Today is a good day. Today we celebrate the Joy of Jesus in the way that He told us to, at His table, with the unleavened bread and the pure juice of the vine. As we continue to commemorate the greatest story of the greatest love expressed through the greatest events in the history of the Universe, we conclude our sermon series on Hebrews 12:1-3 by inviting you to the Lord's Supper. We believe there is no better way to remember the anniversary of His love and to announce that He is coming back for us. 

We invite you, then, to prepare your hearts through the foot washing service, where we express humility, unity and love, and to partake of  the bread and the juice, where we accept total communion with Christ through what He has accomplished for us. 

Receive His forgiveness, then, as the symbol of water reminds you how His mercies are new every morning. Serve each other as you scoop down to minister to a friend, a family member, or even a foe. Pray for each other as you carry each other's burdens. Allow God to love you the way He always intended to, with undiluted and undeserved love. Let His love wash you and transform you. Surrender every part of your being, every thought of your mind, every desire of your heart, to your King and Lord who conquered death and sorrow for you. Do not hold back out of fear He will change you. He will change you. But the end result will be absolutely glorious.

Welcome to Campion, where the Joy of Jesus can and will be experienced today.

Having just gotten off my own long-haul flights this past week, I was particularly impacted by the news story of Emirates flight EK448 that left Dubai, United Arab Emirates at 10:30am on Friday, January 27, headed for Auckland, New Zealand. Thirteen (13) long hours of flying later, flight EK448 landed in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. You caught that, didn’t you?! After 13 hours of sitting in the over-stuffed chairs of an airplane, those passengers landed, not at their destination, but back at their departure. Auckland and its airport had been impacted by flooding in January and had to close. That forced the flight from Dubai to turn around south of Singapore and head back to Dubai. Imagine, after all that time, ending up right where you had been in the beginning. What would be worse would be spending your life and arriving back at where you were in the beginning. Let’s study one more altar this week that speaks to that.

Welcome to the third annual RiseUp conference – we are thrilled that you have joined us! Did you hear about the extraordinary week of service we just had at Eden Valley, in partnership with Build and Restore International? We came together and were inspired by scripture, practical training, rewarding work, and we made lifelong friendships with like-minded young adults. Young people helped to begin the Advent movement and we want to be part of the group that finishes the work entrusted to us. We are no longer content living ordinary lives. We have a purpose, direction and challenge to be the change in our families, schools, churches and our society. “Remember also your Creator in the days of your youth, before the evil days come and the years draw near, of which you will say, ‘I have no pleasure in them.’” Ecclesiastes 12:1. Arise and dedicate your whole life, for Now is The Day!

Welcome to the third annual RiseUp conference – we are thrilled that you have joined us! Did you hear about the extraordinary week of service we just had at Eden Valley, in partnership with Build and Restore International? We came together and were inspired by scripture, practical training, rewarding work, and we made lifelong friendships with like-minded young adults. Young people helped to begin the Advent movement and we want to be part of the group that finishes the work entrusted to us. We are no longer content living ordinary lives. We have a purpose, direction and challenge to be the change in our families, schools, churches and our society. “Remember also your Creator in the days of your youth, before the evil days come and the years draw near, of which you will say, ‘I have no pleasure in them.’” Ecclesiastes 12:1. Arise and dedicate your whole life, for Now is The Day!

Welcome to the third annual RiseUp conference – we are thrilled that you have joined us! Did you hear about the extraordinary week of service we just had at Eden Valley, in partnership with Build and Restore International? We came together and were inspired by scripture, practical training, rewarding work, and we made lifelong friendships with like-minded young adults. Young people helped to begin the Advent movement and we want to be part of the group that finishes the work entrusted to us. We are no longer content living ordinary lives. We have a purpose, direction and challenge to be the change in our families, schools, churches and our society. “Remember also your Creator in the days of your youth, before the evil days come and the years draw near, of which you will say, ‘I have no pleasure in them.’” Ecclesiastes 12:1. Arise and dedicate your whole life, for Now is The Day!

Welcome to the third annual RiseUp conference – we are thrilled that you have joined us! Did you hear about the extraordinary week of service we just had at Eden Valley, in partnership with Build and Restore International? We came together and were inspired by scripture, practical training, rewarding work, and we made lifelong friendships with like-minded young adults. Young people helped to begin the Advent movement and we want to be part of the group that finishes the work entrusted to us. We are no longer content living ordinary lives. We have a purpose, direction and challenge to be the change in our families, schools, churches and our society. “Remember also your Creator in the days of your youth, before the evil days come and the years draw near, of which you will say, ‘I have no pleasure in them.’” Ecclesiastes 12:1. Arise and dedicate your whole life, for Now is The Day!

If you were interested, you could attend a private fundraiser with the president of the United States. That would be an honor. But it would also be expensive. Most of you would have to pay $35,000 for your dinner, but no interaction with the president. If you wanted to take the opportunity to shake his hand while there, just round up your cost to $50,000. Certainly an important man, but still just a man. Today, you and I are welcomed into the presence of the potentate of the universe – omnipotent and illimitable. He didn’t charge us for this time, in fact, He paid for us to be here. Welcome to Campion. And more importantly, welcome to the presence of the God who loves you.

It was the summer of 2014 and everybody was getting soaked with ice water. The Ice Bucket Challenge encouraged nominated participants to be filmed having a bucket of ice water poured on their heads and then passing the nomination on to others. The expectation was that nominated participants had 24 hours to comply or forfeit by way of charitable financial donation. The intention was to raise awareness of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS, also known as motor neuron disease or Lou Gehrig’s disease). The international and viral challenge raised over $220 million and incalculable awareness. Our taking up the challenge to meet God at the altar could have the same life saving, life altering impact on the world. Let’s finish our teaching series with one more narrative, but a lifelong commitment to meeting God at the altar.

Everyone has had a line stuck in their head. Like the repeating line (hum with me), “Jingle Bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way. Oh, what fun...” This week, a line from a recently gifted book has been just that to me. I just can’t shake it. Over and over, it’s tossed in my mind. Speaking of counterfeit gods and the attention that we give/they demand, Timothy Keller writes, “In ancient times, the deities were bloodthirsty and hard to appease. They still are.” (from Counterfeit Gods: The Empty Promises of Money, Sex and Power, and the Only Hope that Matters). They are bloodthirsty. The attention you give the addiction, the pursuit of power, money, technology is bloodthirsty and hard to appease. They will take everything from you, even your life. To be confronted by this, let’s go and join Jacob at his altar.

William Booth, the great Methodist preacher who, along with his wife, Catherine, founded the Salvation Army, is credited with the line, “The greatness of man’s power is the measure of his surrender.” Take the story of another spiritual leader, Abraham, who was called to, unarguably, the most difficult altar. One to surrender his promised son. An impossibly difficult moment. However, it was the greatest act of surrender that brought the greatest glory to God. This week, let’s learn from that moment.