Bill Spear speaks to us today and poses the question: Is faith solid, or is it void, an unknown, a leap into the dark? A root implies groundedness. From Hebrews 11: 1-3, 6, we find that faith, itself, is certain and sure. The fallen world in which we live is way less certain. It is the object of our faith that makes faith certain and sure - faith is the "title deed" gifted by grace that assures the believer in Christ of eternity with Him.

Pastor Brian's last message finishes up with Paul's hardest and most loving thing he could have said... it's all about the truth, the foundation of everything, especially as we see the foundations around us being destroyed all around us. He refers to John Calvin as saying that the number one mark of the church is the faithful preaching of God's Word. We need to make sure that we do not fall away from the truth, God's Word. Brian wants for us to be steady and safe in a world of falsehood. We must protect and preserve the truth at all costs. He refers to the verse Romans 8:28 and we must remember that ...God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.

Pastor Brian Myers continues with Romans... we turn from the doctrines and precepts to the people. It's what the church is all about... not the pastor but the people. Pastor Brian has decided to leave the church and explained to us the process he has gone through to determine if this is what God wants for him and the church. We have looked at the sincerity of Paul's passion of ministry, of his love for the people-the same sincerity that can make us the caring community that we want to be. We have seen so far that Paul demonstrated his sincerity in two ways-through his affection for the fellowship and his dependence on the brethren. We saw that there's a safety net of care through prayer. This week we see the third proof-his devotion to the individual. You can make more friends in two months by becoming sincerely interested in other people than you can in two years by trying to get other people interested in you. At its most essential-the church of Jesus Christ is the body of Christ in flesh and blood. In the form of you and me. A caring community of sinners saved by grace, each with their own story, together in one family.

Pastor Mark Hill talks with us today on being "Lost". He refers to the three parables of the lost sheep, the lost coin, and the prodigal son. The story of the two sons... the young one who demanded his share and went away and squandered it all but finally came to his senses and returned to the delight of his father and the older one who was always there and resentful of his father's response. The potential traps of the older son... 1. Conflict 2. Self-actualization 3. Narcissism. The potential traps of the younger son... 1. Guilt & fear-based decisions 2. Moral conformity 3. Anger & indignation. The common ground of both is: 1. The illusion of control 2. Lostness: Blissfully unaware. Jesus was the Prodigal Brother. We need to recognize that we are lost and need to develop a desire to be found. 2. We need to choose to follow the prodigal son. 3. We need to relate with our brothers by expressing dignity, value and understanding. And learn compassion, respect and honor. We need to embrace the gospel of Christ and reap the benefits from His resurrection on this Easter Sunday!

Pastor Brian helps us today on Palm Sunday to prepare for next Sunday, Easter Sunday. He wants to celebrate the resurrected spirit of care that came from the Father, and which we can share... that's released through prayer. We've looked at the sincerity of Paul's passion for ministry, of his love for people, the same sincerity that can make us the caring community that we want to be. He showed his sincerity in three powerful ways. Last week we saw that when there's the longing and the leisure just to be together, it shows that our love is real, that it's truly sincere. Secondly, this week, we'll see his dependence on them, his dependence on the brethren, out of which he asked them to "strive together with me in your prayers to God for me." We see that there's a safety net of care that we call prayer, one that we dare not leave home without. In verses 30-33 we see his lifeline. There was a one-to-one correspondence between his life and his lifeline... between his plans and THEIR prayers. He knew about the power and the priority of praying for one another and the dependence that we all have on the prayers of the saints. Prayer creates caring on both the giving and the receiving end. Knowing that you're prayed for creates sincerity in love.

Pastor Brian talks with us today about the leisurely love that's at the heart of being a caring community, an authentic community, and how that kind of sincerity, the sincere desire just to be together, is the love that the world is looking for, by which they'll know we're His disciples as we go passionately. Sincerity applies to all of us... that your love be without hypocrisy... that it be real. The effectiveness of our ministry as a church will depend to a degree on our sincerity as a church. Paul's example of sincerity, when put into practice, means three things. First it means having a sincere affection. In a trustworthy church, there's a sincere affection for and attraction to each other. The foundation for ministry is relational sincerity all week long. The church can be an oasis, quenching our thirst.

Pastor Brian continues this Sunday with Part 3 or "Flow River Flow". The secret of Paul's passion is: having a lofty ministry, having a lowly identity, and now this week is having a laboring intensity. We need to stay in shape and not become a fat baby Christian. In order to stay in shape, we need first to keep our focus. We need to separate the call from all the clamor, realizing that there's far more need than we will ever to meet. Second we need to be fervent. Paul had a fervent focus. The power of God is unleashed by having a laboring intensity through a laid-back identity and by having recognized your source, when you seize your responsibility, others will say "flow, river, flow". In this year of Going Passionately, we must never forget that we were saved to serve... to channel the grace that was poured out at our salvation... making us rivers, not reservoirs.

Pastor Mark Hill and the Haiti Mission Trip Team share a wonderful presentation with us on their recent trip in February.

Pastor Mark Hill shares with us why we as a church and as individuals should continue with missions. He shares a quote from Spurgeon, "If there be one point in which the Christian church ought to keep its fervor at a white heat, it is concerning missions to the world." Two reasons we should are: 1. We are sent ones - Acts 10:27-43. Jesus started it but needs humans (us) to spread the Good News. Nobody is disqualified or unworthy of hearing the gospel. He ordered us to preach to the people. The return on the mission investment may or not be seen but it is unbelievable! 2. Sharing the burden - Romans 5:1-5. God is fully aware of the disparity of those without and those with resources. The ones with plenty have the opportunity to share and move towards the vacuum. With faith, peace and grace under it all, we can exult (celebrate) in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perserverance; and perserverance, proven character; and proven character, hope. So what can we do? We can share! Mother Teresa believed that we can all do small things with great love! DCC Missions strives to accompish this by 1. Everybody Entry - we all can do something in a mission trip. 2. Connect the Dots - find things that connect & build relationships/partnerships in the gospel that's sustainable. 3. Integration within ministries - where different ministries can connect/want to rally to a common point. 4. Passion Projection - If you are able to go, passion is infused and you are changed! Like Manno in Haiti has said, "You will fall in love with the people." And Mother Teresa also said, "A life without service for other people has no purpose."

Pastor Brian continues with preparing us for the 40 day churchwide fast that will start February 28. It's time to prepare ourselves and secure the perimeters of the church body by praying the Spiritual Warfare prayer of Psalm 35. We can be confident that He is our salvation against all the forces of wickedness because of the blood of Jesus. We can have peace with God through the blood of Christ and that's ALL that matters. We need to realize the power of the blood. Our most powerful weapons are the Word and prayer, all based on the blood.