Seriously, We Eat at Every Service

Earlier this week, we informed you that there are great changes taking place at our church in order to be "more like the Family of God."  This includes sharing meals when we come together for worship (Acts 2:42-47).

Please make plans to bring a dish to share with your church family this Sunday night.  It does not have to be elaborate or large.  Just make enough for a family of four and bring it.  (Example: The Sweetens are bringing potato salad and pasta.)  The point is that we learn to trust God for provision, learn the joy of sharing, and get to spend greater time in relaxed conversation at church.

This is more than a meal, it is a MINISTRY OPPORTUNITY.

Please help us live the life Jesus promised.  Let us never allow church to be just "church."   Let's trust God for something more: a divine family.

I'm looking forward to eating and worshipping with you!
-pastor jeremy

What if the Church was a Family?

Acts 2:42 - 47
The image above is from Acts 2:42-47, a passage that comprehensively describes life in the New Testament church.  Our goal as Jesus' followers is to imitate their example.  Therefore, we are making some wonderful changes at the church...

1 - Our Gatherings will be more "Family" Oriented

The practices of the early church resemble a family, not an institution.

A.  Services will be Outside on the Lawn

Getting people out of the pews and the kids out of the basement is a great way to foster that "family feel." No more assigned seating or segmentation.  Now the kids can run and play in a green, fenced in area, and the adults can mingle. (Plus, we now have really cool "Tiki-Torches" to make it resemble our backyard.) Weather permitting, all services will be held on the lawn at OSL.  Folding chairs will be provided, but feel free to bring a blanket if you wish to sit on the grass.

B.  There will Always be Food

Families eat together, and now we do, too!  Every member is encouraged to bring a dish to share each week.  This can be side or a main dish, but it does not need to be "large."  If everyone would make enough to serve a family of four, there will not only be enough food for everyone, but there will be ample "leftovers" to take home or give away.  We believe that in simply sharing a meal, we will see more miracles take place!

C.  The Service will be Conversational

Instead of one or two persons doing all the talking or leading, all will be encouraged to participate.  The format for our gatherings will be 3-part: Fellowship, Worship and Teaching.  When you arrive, we hope that you will release your kids to play and that you will gather with us around the food table.  When the time is right, we will sing to the LORD or give others a chance to share something that God is doing in their life (I Cor. 14:26).  There will then be a time of Bible-teaching for both the kids and adults.  We have a great kids program, and the adults will continue to study the book of John during the summer months.  Teaching will exceed no more than 25-mins, total.  The goal is to provide more opportunity to "do," rather than simply "listen."

D. Specific, Rather than Vague

The early church had a clear mission and they did it together.  Each week we will present a simple and specific objective that we will all seek to accomplish together.  These goals will vary each week, but will revolve around a single, superior goal of worshipping Jesus and proclaiming Him to our community.  This week's goal is simple: to play together at Flushing Meadow Park on Saturday, June 23rd, from 3-5pm.

2 - We are Eliminating Podcasting

While we understand that there are some who cannot make it church for legitimate reasons, we also know that there are many more who use this feature for the wrong reasons (like avoiding "community").  The truth is that you cannot fully practice the Christian-life outside of Christian fellowship.  "Hearers" need to become "Do-ers."
3 - Glo-cal Involvement

Every effort of the church will be to impact both the global and local, external and internal, community.  If God is providing for those inside the church, then we want to mediate His work to those outside the church.  There will be greater emphasis and opportunity given to community projects both in Rego Park and around the world. 

(Get your passport ready!)

So, there it is.  Our first steps to becoming an even stronger, biblical church so that more people can know Jesus.  We're not interested in competing with others (churches or otherwise), we just want to know and experience God's love and power.  It's not about how many come to church, it's about WHO comes to church; and we pray that YOU will join us this Sunday.

www.genesisnyc.com

Forest Hills Community Church is moving into Our Savior Lutheran Church in Rego Park, effective Sunday, Jan. 8, 2012.  A morning service will no longer be available.

Our new service time will be 6:00pm and full childcare will still be offered.

Directions
92-14 63rd Drive (at Wetherole Street)

Rego Park, NY 11374

Our Saviour Church is located on 63rd Drive, between Queens and Woodhaven Boulevards in the Rego Park Section of Queens. Church is at the corner of Wetherole St and 63rd Drive

By car: Turn south off of Queens Blvd on to 63rd Drive and proceed 3 blocks. Church is on the left at the corner of Wetherole St. OR turn north on 63rd Drive off of Woodhaven Blvd. (at the Dunkin Donuts store) Church is on the right two blocks past the railroad underpass (next to Key Food).

By subway: Take the local (M or R) from Roosevelt Ave (going east) or from Forest Hills-71st Ave (going west) and exit at 63rd Drive. Walk 3 blocks south on 63rd Drive away from Queens Blvd.  The church is on the left at Wetherole St.

By bus: The Q38 stops at the Church. The Q11, Q21 and Q53 on Woodhaven Blvd stops at 63rd Drive. Walk north to the church. Q60 Queens Blvd & 63rd Drive. Walk 3 blocks south on 63rd Drive to the church.

Our Values: It's About Christians Serving the World Like Jesus

Value #4:  It’s all about Christians serving the World like Jesus.

At Forest Hills Community Church we seek to live life on a mission.  We recognize the power, grace and mercy of God and want to communicate that truth to everyone.  We also understand that our lives are not our own to satisfy our desires and needs.  We are “image bearers of God” (Gen. 1:27), and seek to do His will and pleasure with every breath.  Therefore, we go and do what most people (including religious people) do not often do.  Our model for life is Jesus who left the glory and pleasure of Heaven for the despair and pain of earth (Phil. 2:4-8).  This does not mean that we seek misery (we’re not sadist), but rather that we do not flee from it when it leads to the benefit of others.

At FHCC we give our time (our being), our treasure (our resources), and our talents (our unique gifts and abilities) to the welfare of others meeting and knowing Jesus.  This means that we go everywhere people are to introduce people to Jesus.  Whether this means crossing the street, country or globe, we’re doing it!  And when we, personally, are not able to go to the other side of our neighborhood, country, or street, we send money and resources so other Christians can.  And just as Jesus came to earth culture and context, sparing no method or cost, we, too, seek to reach all people in their language and culture.

At Forest Hills Community Church it’s all about Jesus, which means it’s also about us living and serving the world like Jesus.

Our Values: It's about Christians Living Like Jesus

Value #3: It’s all about Christians Living like Jesus.

At Forest Hills Community Church we have great disdain for hypocrites.  Not only do their words and behaviors hurt, but they also destroy any credibility of the person or his message.  The bible calls such behavior “sin” bearing the consequence of death (Rom 6:23).  Jesus came to save us from this deadly lifestyle and grant us right standing.  As human beings, our sole purpose is to live a lifestyle in accordance to God’s glory (Gen. 1:27).  This means that we must live “holy” lives, and God knows this impossibility of this task in our own power and strength.  No one can live right without the power of God motivating and inspiring from the inside out.  Again, God knows or weakness and His commandment, therefore, He has given all Christians the person and power of the Holy Spirit (Rom. 5:5 and I John 4:13).

The Holy Spirit is not personal force or inner-conscience of man. Nor is He an impersonal attribute of God.  The Holy Spirit is God, just as Jesus and the Father over all.  He shares the same power and essence and, like the other two members, He has a unique role and gift towards Creation.  Specifically, for those who believe in Jesus as Lord, He is the gift of power and holy living (living how God directs us to live) (Rom. 8:12-17). Jesus saves us from sin, and the Holy Spirit leads us away from future sin.

Yet, the gift of the Spirit is not just to protect us from negative consequences, He also inspires and empowers us for positive effect: Christian witnessing (Luke 12:12).  As Christians who are part of Forest Hills Community Church we strive to live a life pleasing to God and attractive to the world around us.  In doing so, we not only bring glory to God, but also hope and salvation to the world Jesus died to save.  We never want to be labeled hypocrites, which is synonymous with sinners and a curse word by our culture.  We are not people who hide behind a belief, but seek to proclaim in word and deed the power of Jesus.  Therefore, we live like Jesus to that the world might both see and hear Jesus, and believe.

Our Values: it's all about others meeting Jesus

At Forest Hills Community Church we care very much about those who do not know or believe in Jesus, because we were once one of them.  Even if one of us grew up “in the church,” this does not mean that we did not sin or think lesser of Jesus than He is.  All of us have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God we were called to bear (Rom. 3:23 and Gen 1:27).  Yet, in God’s great love and mercy He sent Jesus to forgive sin and save us.  That salvation came not through a great epiphany, but through a Christian witness.  All us know Jesus because someone who already knew Jesus came and shared Him with us.  We are the product of both God and others' mercy.  In fact, this is what being a Christian is all about: telling the world about Jesus (Matt. 28:19-20).  Therefore, while we love hanging out with one another and enjoy our common belief and fellowship, we recognize that our duty is to serve others, not ourselves.

At Forest Hills Community Church we are committed to being active OUTSIDE of the church building.  We hit the streets before and after work and hand out invitations to church.  During our lunch hours we invite co-workers to have lunch with us to talk about Jesus and answer their questions (not merely hear our story or belief).  When we come to church, we give both our time and treasure to reaching people who do not know or believe in Jesus.  We are committed to speaking the language of our community and communicating Jesus in the context of our culture.  This does not mean that the Bible message changes, but rather only the practices of telling these eternal truths.  Like Jesus, we seek to meet Lost people where they are.

We know what its like to be without Jesus.  We know the emptiness, the dissatisfaction, and rationalizing of misery.  We know that life without Jesus is hollow and hurting.  Therefore, we, as people in love with Jesus, are committed to seeing Lost people reached for Jesus.

Our Values: It's all about Jesus

At Forest Hills Community Church we desire to possess a Passionate Love For Jesus in all things.  This may seem like a no-brainer for a church, but tragically most people merely use Jesus as a stepping-stone to personal enjoyment, fulfillment, or spirituality.  At FHCC, we know that not only is such a position nonsense (illogical), but more importantly heretical.  The truth is that is God, and when He occupies any other position that such in our lives, everything fails and falls apart.  In fact, it is precisely this low-view of Jesus that leads most people to despair of life and the Christian faith.  When people go through life only proclaiming Jesus rather than leaning on Jesus, they fail and Jesus gets all the blame.  The bible teaches us that Jesus can only save you, if you’re hanging on to (believing in) Jesus. (When “faith” is referenced in regards to salvation, it is almost always in verb form “believing in.”  In fact, the Hebrew of Gen 15 actually draws its meaning from the image of a baby clinging to/resting securely in its mother’s arms.)

At FHCC, we love Jesus because He is God and He alone saves us.  As beings created in the “image of God (Gen 1:27),” we can either live in dependence on God or rebel by doing our own thing.  When we choose life outside of dependence (faith) in God, we fail and come under the condemnation of God and sin (John 3:18).  We’re literally dead men walking and incapable of saving ourselves from our consequences or death.  Hence the glory and majesty of Jesus!  He comes by His own will and merit to save us from ourselves.  He does not save us partially, or temporarily, but eternally (Rom. 8:1).  Jesus is our hero and we love Him for it!

At Forest Hills Community Church it’s all about Jesus, because it has to be.  He alone is God and good.  Therefore, we love praying (talking to Jesus), reading our Bibles (hearing from Jesus and receiving His instruction), going to church (learning more about Jesus from others and helping others grow closer to Jesus), and going out into the world proclaiming Jesus (in both word and deed to a people, who like us, are undeserving).  Jesus is our everything.