IDEA BEHIND THE SERIES:
At the beginning of the year one of the topics suggested at the annual Leadership Retreat was that we study the “Apocalypse” or the “Seven churches of Revelation.” After the transition out of ABLA at the end of May and at the very first service of June in the new building Pr. Eddie shared on the importance of being salt & light. He encouraged the church to Pause for a time of reflection & refreshing over the summer. He challenged us all to Be the Church, our theme for 2010. He informed the Body that as pastor he had felt led to suspend all programmes, events, services and scheduled gatherings for our members to find personal renewal by taking time to be with God. We were all too busy with so many things. People are exhausted and depleted.
This ‘time-out’ also falls in perfectly with our annual tactical & strategic plan. At the beginning of the year we set 4 BHAG’s: 1) Return to bootcamp – living out church 101 (the idea being to do more ‘Christian-type’ activities as opposed to ‘church-type’ activities; 2) Keep moving forward to secure a new venue by July; 3) Plan and prepare the 10-10-10 service weekend; 4) Keep extending the Kingdom by planting a church in Bragança.

Throughout the 3 months of summer our members are being challenged to perform a personal spiritual EKG according to a document distributed to all. The hope would be for all to return to the first love and begin doing the works we did at first. This series comes at just the right time to help everyone reflect on what type of church we want to be, and, perhaps more importantly, what type of church Christ expects us to be. He who has an ear should listen to what the Spirit is saying to the church. To Be the Church we must stop Doing Church for a season until the inner flame is re-ignited! Our doing has to flow from our being.

MESSAGE #1: To Ephesus: the careless church
TEXT: Revelation: 2:1-7
DATE: July 25, 2010

MESSAGE #2: To Smyrna: the crushed church
TEXT: Revelation: 2:8-11
DATE: August 1, 2010

MESSAGE #3: To Pergamum: the compromising church
TEXT: Revelation: 2:12-17
DATE: August 8, 2010

MESSAGE #4: To Thyatira: the corrupted church
TEXT: Revelation: 2:18-29
DATE: August 15, 2010

MESSAGE #5: To Sardis: the crippled church
TEXT: Revelation: 3:1-6
DATE: August 22, 2010

MESSAGE #6: To Philadelphia: the consistent church
TEXT: Revelation: 3:7-13
DATE: August 29, 2010

MESSAGE #7: To Laodiceia: the cooled-off church
TEXT: Revelation: 3:14-22
DATE: September 5, 2010