by Rick Snodgrass

​Elijah was a human being just like you and me. James, the half brother of Jesus, said that. I find it is easy to make Elijah extraordinary, so I don’t have to be, but the truth is, he was ordinary. What makes ordinary people stand out is extraordinary decision making, and nearly anyone can make an extraordinary decision. Plus, if you look at the ordinary nature of today’s Christian, it doesn’t take long to realize that there is a very low bar making it almost too easy in many ways.  Most often, the line to cross in order to make such a decision is the line that divides fear and faith.

Consider some excerpts from Dave Browning in a piece he wrote in 2007:
Faith or fear. These appear to be the options, for you individually, and for Christ the King Community Church as a whole. In life, these are the two different driving forces. There is an invisible line that divides them. One of the greater decisions a church can make is deciding which side of the line they want to be on.

On the fear side you take a defensive posture. You view people as potential threats. You spend a great deal of energy preventing the worst. You put in place a lot of policies and protocol to keep bad things from happening to good people.

On the faith side you take an offensive posture. You view people as the prize. You spend a lot of energy promoting the best. You put in place a lot of leaders to make sure good things are happening to bad people.

You know when you are on the fear side of the line when you keep hearing words like no, accountability, process and authority. You know when you are on the faith side of the line when you keep hearing words like yes, support, story and empowerment.

Every ministry must pick a side. At CTK we have made a decision to walk in faith, instead of fear. We have decided to not put the energy of our organization into protecting ourselves. Instead we have decided to put the bulk of energies into reaching out, knowing that we will have to be responsive to messes as they occur (which they most certainly will). This decision - to be responsive instead of protective - frees up significant time and energy for the mission.

​So we pick a side...fear or faith. Both choices have their own pain, only one a virtuous outcome. Neil Maxwell said, “It is better to trust and sometimes be disappointed than to be forever mistrusting and be right occasionally.”

by Shon Sanders

The CTK worship department is looking for an experienced sound person to help with sound. If you have experience running sound and are up for some training on our particular board and system we would love to hear from you. Just fill out your info on the white card in your program and we will contact you. You can also come talk to me before or after the service. 
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Thanks and God bless.

submitted by Misti Sanders

​To all the hardworking, selfless, and loving mothers out there:

Motherhood is more than a stage--
it’s a lifelong calling from God.
With it He gives us hearts that love deeply,
hands that serve tirelessly, and vision to see
His blossoming image in the precious ones
entrusted to our care
 - Author Unknown

Happy Mother’s Day

by Tami Sims

​Our God is a Welcoming God. So, why is it so hard for us as Christ followers to welcome others? Why is it easier to keep our heads down and not make eye contact? Why does it feel odd or uncomfortable to smile and say “hi” to folks we don’t know?

​Chances are it is more about us; you and me as individuals, than those strangers amongst us. What goes through your mind when Rick or Chip ask you to look around and say “hi” to someone? Do you look for someone that you already know to talk to? Do you act busy and hope no one approaches you? Do you sit down and hope no one comes your way? Does your mind race with the following questions?

• If I say “hi” to them will they talk back to me?
• What if I said “hi” to them before, and I don’t remember their name?
• I have seen them numerous times over the years. Why have they never said “hi” to me?
• What if they want to talk?
• What if they want something from me?
• What if they don’t want anyone to approach them?
• The “what if’s” can go on and on.
• So, next time ask yourself this: What if that stranger sitting quietly near you was Jesus?

by Melody Paris

In his book Divine Obsession, Rob Hensser asks the question: “Why is it so easy to believe that God loves the person next to you, your friends and your family, yet so hard to accept it for yourself?” Sometimes we can fully perceive the truth and simply not accept it.

Earlier this week I was having a conversation with my mother about how hard it is for some people to accept that God loves them. She is one such person. Raised to believe that she had to earn her way to into God’s good graces, she’s realized over the years that it is impossible. She struggles between her feelings of inadequacy and the knowledge that God’s loves her just as she is. She is not alone in these struggles. Accepting God’s love and grace is one of the hardest things for humans to do. One of the number one reasons we struggle with receiving love is that we don’t love ourselves. We don’t believe that we deserve nor can we ever truly be loved.

Are you trudging along out of habit and fear, inwardly wondering if God loves you, if He even likes you? Rob Hensser goes on to ask,