Steps of Obedience

“I was baptized for the first time 30 years ago, but I wasn’t the one who made that choice. It has been on my heart for a while to make the choice for myself to become baptized… today, I participated in the outward symbol of the change God has made in me, and publicly professed my belief in Jesus Christ.”

Brittney Bennett grew up Catholic and was baptized as an infant. She said going to church wasn’t all bad, but she felt like she was constantly being lectured to about God. It was impersonal and predictable. It wasn’t until Brittney got to high school that she understood that being a Christian is more than just knowing things about God.

Brittney joined Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) as a high schooler. During one of the meetings they shared the gospel. They talked about having a relationship with Jesus and gave an invitation for anyone who’d never accepted Christ as their Lord and Savior to pray to do it then. “It was the first time I realized you have to ask for these things, it doesn’t just happen,” said Brittney. She knew she wanted that relationship so that day she prayed to ask Jesus into her life. It was a step of obedience.

Around that same time, Brittney met Bryan, her now husband, who invited her to church with him. She'd visited a few churches outside of the one she grew up in, and those experiences hadn’t been great. So she was nervous about going. She said her uneasiness faded as she sat there with him that first Sunday. “I felt fulfilled being there. The more I went, the more I enjoyed being at church.” God became the focus of her life.

When she and Bryan moved to Jacksonville four years ago, they visited Chets and it was very similar to the church they attended in Orlando. They got connected to a LifeGroup and have been coming to Chets ever since. Over the past few months they’ve been even more thankful for the support of their LifeGroup.

Last September Brittney quit her job to take a new job working from home. It only took a month before she was miserable. She was working more hours than she’d been at her other job. She kept praying for what was next.

One night, Bryan joked that Brittney needed to open her own business. She’d been into fitness for years and had been thinking about opening her own gym, but the timing was never right. She began researching and put together a plan for Burn District Fitness, a high intensity group training gym using heart rate technology.

She and Bryan began praying about it. Their LifeGroup began praying about it and anytime they questioned, God confirmed they were making the right decision by moving forward. It was another step of obedience.

The gym opened just a few weeks ago, nearly seven months after the Bennetts had planned. Brittney said, “God had his own timing and it was so much better than ours.” They were able to be more creative with their marketing and take more time hiring coaches for the team. Brittney said through the process of opening Burn District Fitness, God has taught her patience, the necessity of relying on other people, and reminded her to fully trust Him.

Over the past few years that trust and obedience have been essential to growing in her faith. Saying yes when God prompts her to do something isn’t always easy but it’s worth it. Sometimes God uses other people to nudge you in the direction you need to be going, like her husband and the gym.  

Like the gym, baptism was something she occasionally thought about but never spent much time dwelling on it until a few weeks ago. Brittney was on a long run with a friend and they had a deep conversation that ended with her friend challenging her to be baptized. The next day, Pastor Spike was preaching about baptism and she felt like he was talking directly to her. “I wanted it to be my decision. It was a step I needed to take to publicly profess my faith.” Her next step of obedience.

“I got baptized for an audience of One” said Brittney but she wanted to share the excitement with her friends, so she put it on Facebook. Because of the influence she has as a gym owner, many of her clients have talked to her about it and she’s been able to share her faith with them.

Brittney said she never would have pictured herself where she is now ten years ago, but she’s so thankful that God did. She plans to continue stepping out in obedience and giving Him glory for all He’s done in her life. “The old has gone. The new is here.”

Sending the Sullivans

We are sad but excited to share that our Chets family will be sending the Sullivan family to serve in New England. Darren, our Pastor of Multiplication and Missions, will begin serving as a Church Planting Catalyst with the North American Mission Board and the Baptist Convention of New England on August 1.

The Sullivans became part of our Chets family in early 2014 when Darren joined our staff to help coordinate our vision of launching Chets Creek campuses around Jacksonville and planting churches in the major cities of the U.S. and Canada. He was an integral part of the launch of our Nocatee and North campuses and also helped lead the re-launch of Epoch Church as our Southside Campus. We have started supporting ten new church plants under Darren’s leadership and he has championed our community and global missions partners. Katie has also been a key part of our ministry over the past few years, serving on the Chets Women Team and in many other ways.

While Darren, Katie, and their sons will be missed here in Jacksonville, we’re so excited for the opportunity that God has given them. New England is an area with a great need of new churches to share the love and hope of Christ. Darren has roots in this part of the country and he will be serving with the North American Mission Board, one of our missions partners. Please pray for the Sullivans as they transition their family and begin this new ministry assignment. We know that God is going to honor their willingness to go and are praying for the many the new churches that will emerge as a result of their ministry.

Life Interrupted

by Darrell Murphy

Sometimes life is interrupted by the unexpected. One never knows what tomorrow will bring.

In March 2015 I went to the doctor for a mid-year physical exam. I felt stressed and my blood pressure was a little high, so he did some blood work routine stuff. A blood test determined my PSA level was high and a prostate exam showed that something wasn’t normal. That meant more tests and visit more doctors.

But I felt fine. I was still living my dream. God had given me a great family, health, a good job, and a great church. I had two beautiful daughters with awesome futures, an awesome wife who is my best friend, and fantastic friends.

In June, I got the results of my biopsy and found I had stage three prostate cancer. I was worried about taking care of my family, the pain, feeling sick or being different because of treatment, keeping my job, paying my bills, even dying.

After seeing three surgeons at three different hospitals, they determined that surgery was the only solution to rid my body of cancer. At that point, I knew I was not in control. I had to give it all to God. I knew he was my only hope. My God was bigger than my cancer.

My surgery was scheduled at Mayo the second week of August. After the surgery, the physicians were positive. They felt they had removed all the cancer and I would be okay. They lymph nodes they removed showed no signs of cancer.

Seven weeks after surgery, I went back to work but after two weeks, I retired to focus on my health and family. About three weeks later in November I returned to Mayo for testing. Surprisingly, there were still signs of cancer in my blood work. It was determined that I would do 40 days of radiation to kill the remaining cancer cells.

“I began to pray to God asking what He wanted me to do. I started to read the Bible differently than before. To study His word. To apply His teachings. To be still and listen.”

As I went through treatment, I saw fellow patients with looks of despair and hopelessness. I wanted to share my reason for hope, to share my story. So, I began volunteering at the Gabriel House of Care (a lodging center for cancer and organ transplant patients). I also volunteered at Mayo's cancer center in the chemotherapy lobby helping patients feel comfortable and providing them with hope.

After surgery and radiation, I was tested again, and the cancer was still there. My cancer thrives in hormones, so we began a chemo type therapy called antigen deprivation therapy to basically kill the hormones. The injection is given monthly along with all the tests to track the level of cancer.

I have been on this therapy for two years. I’ll never be cancer free but I’m fighting every day and right now it’s under control. I struggle daily with the side effects of the treatment and I still get anxious because of the scans and tests, but I know God has a plan.

Through my cancer journey, I have met and been inspired by hundreds of cancer patients and their families. God has called me to serve Him by being the hands and feet of Jesus to others who are going through similar experiences.

We are starting a cancer ministry at Chets called Our Journey of Hope. We want to inspire hope, compassionate support, and encouragement to cancer patients and their families and friends through a faith-based cancer care ministry. Three of us were trained at the Cancer Treatment Center of America outside of Georgia on how to train and prepare others to minister to those with cancer.

We want to reassure patients that God's love for them is constant, limitless, full of compassion and the source of hope and strength that we all need. There are many sick people who have little hope. We can provide hope through God’s mercy and grace.

Since beginning my cancer journey, I have met many people who I pray for and stay in contact with through emails, texts, phone calls, cards or visits. People are contacting me from my business life, high school and college days, and from this community. Cancer has become a blessing to me. God has a plan and it’s good. I found my purpose in helping others with cancer.

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If you're interested in being part of our Cancer Care Ministry at or have questions, you can contact Eddie Hastings at eddie@chetscreek.com. Our next training class is on Mondays at 7:00pm, August 20 to October 15. Classes will be held at the Hodges Campus.

Chets Students Camp 2018 Recap

203 of our Chets Students and their leaders participated in a Fuge summer camp at Ridgecrest, North Carolina. Students spent time worshiping, studying scripture, building relationships, having fun, and discovering how to live out the mission of sharing Jesus with the world.

They heard God speaking to them this week and shared their stories:

"The past couple of months, I've been a bit distant from God, and I feel like camp has shown me that we all make mistakes… Pray that I continue to grow in my faith and that I don’t forget what happened at camp."

"I wasn’t planning on going to camp and I wasn’t sure I wanted to. I felt very far from God. Then Jeff said he really wanted me to go and I felt like I was supposed to. I was in a different Bible study and tracks from my best friend and I had been dealing with a lot of anxiety talking to people I don’t know. But on the get to know you student card, my bible study leader Ashton gave us, I felt the need to write how I was feeling and what was going on. So she asked to speak with me if I would. I decided to go meet with her during free time. It gave me a chance to talk to her about some important things and get some answers because I was having trouble trusting God. This week helped me see where God is. It was God that gave me her as my leader… I now feel like I am starting to be able to start a relationship with Jesus and be able to begin to forgive those who have hurt me."

"God called me to share the Word with my friends that don't know him."

"My experience at camp always seems to supersede the prior one. This year I went to Ridgecrest with a conflicted conscience and a lot on my mind, (a reoccurring theme of mine) but I am able to say that God is greater than my lack of peace. God is stronger than my unbelief and He is higher than my falling short of his glory. I have always struggled to rest in my lack of knowledge, and this past week at camp has been a reminder of two things: to trust in the Lord and lean not on my own understanding, and that my need for saving grace is only a prelude to sanctifying grace. My takeaway is that God's grace is greater than all my sin, all my shame, and all my strongholds."

"Since last year at camp I have been wanting to be a Fuge staffer and this year God has really been talking to me that I need to grow as a leader and get rid of sins in my life that would impede me. Pray that I would get out of my comfort zone and get out and lead."

"I asked God for forgiveness this week at camp and I told someone about something I have been holding onto for years. God reminded me that I am forgiven for all of my sins and not just one sin for one day, and I understand that the Holy Spirit really fills my heart with peace and joy. Pray that God guides me and teaches me how to be open with others about my faith and pray that I continue to grow in my faith and when I do fall into sin that I am able to understand God forgives me and continue to follow his path for my life."

"God spoke to me at camp to really pray more often and pray for those who do not yet know Him and that they will eventually learn more about him."

"I gave my life to Jesus for the very first time in my life and started a relationship with him through faith. I learned more about God and I’m going to share more about this amazing thing."

"A God story could be that this week I was really nervous for the people that I would have in my Bible study group, but I ended up having two people I already knew, and I made friends with a lot of the people in my class. Pray that I will be able to be bold with others and not lose the energy that camp gives about wanting to share the gospel with others."

"This week God called me to go ahead and learn sign and learn how to really start helping to those with disabilities and special needs."

"This year at camp the theme was to be on mission to our peers and other people around us. I got the incredible opportunity to have the missions track, in which we left Ridgecrest to go out and mission. I had never done any missions that weren’t through my school, so it was very nerve racking. We went to a nursing home and sang to them. It was very eye opening to see that although they’re older Christ still lives through their lives. The third day we went to a veteran’s home and worked in the garden. It was so cool to see how much they appreciated the littlest things. This week at camp I was inspired to share the light that God shines in me and to minister to the people in my school, my home, my town, and anywhere God leads me to."

"Basically, God shared with me that I needed to have joy in Christ and use that joy to express Jesus’ love. How is Christianity any different from the world if we are also downcast and depressed? I also realized I need to take a more active stand in the church and make sure to welcome new visitors and the new freshmen into the family of Christ. Please pray that I continue to have a fire to share God’s Love with my One [the one person God put on their heart this week to share the gospel with] and others. Pray that I have boldness, and the Holy Spirit will reveal opportunities to me, so I can share His Name."

"This week God was able to show me that I do not have to go all the way around the world just to serve and that I am able to serve anywhere. Prayer is not the least I can do, it's the best I can do."

"Recently I’ve really been struggling with friends and relationships in my life and it’s brought me to a place of feeling really lonely. The way the people I consider my closest friends treat me and losing my best friends has taken a toll on me and has skewed my view on people all together. The second full day of camp during bible study I was listening to how everyone felt that the church was their family and how close they felt everyone was. I began to grow frustrated because I didn’t feel that way at all. In that moment I heard God yelling at me, “You are not alone!” He then put it on my heart to look around the room and I realized there WERE people that actually care about me and would have been there for and with me if I had just gone to them. In that moment I realized I didn’t even turn to God in my loneliness. I knew then that I’ve become numb, in my faith and really just in life, going through the motions. And I hadn’t noticed till now that it was a result of not wanting to get hurt anymore. This week I know that God has put a fire back in me and I want to move forward intentionally building relationships at church with people that can pour into me but also with people that I can pour into."

"God has been working on my heart for several years now, through anxiety and depression. This year at camp the Holy Spirit was flowing through me with a new energy, so stepping out of my comfort zone became very possible for me. God pushed fears out of my mind with his love and goodness; and because He did, I formed new relationships, learned more about God, and had more fun than I could have hoped to. Please pray that I don’t lose my fire for God and also that I can continue to be fearlessly bold for the Lord."

"We had an exercise with our Bible study group called the trust fall. We fell from a high platform and had to trust that our group would catch us and bring us back to the ground safely. On the platform was my Bible study leader who was encouraging me and telling me to trust they will catch me. During the fall, I felt like I let go not only from the platform, but from "driving my own faith."... I was shown that I need to trust in God more and to let Him lead me down the path He has planned for me!"

"I realized when I was at camp it’s not our job to convince anybody that God is real. That’s what God is going to do."

Love God. Love Others.

“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength… ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.
Mark 12:30-31”

At Chets we take the call to love God and love others seriously but sometimes that love is shown in unexpected ways.

Deborah Lauzon lives on the Northside but started attending the Hodges Campus a couple years ago. She connected with people and enjoyed the worship and teaching. It was difficult for her to get there each week though because she didn’t have reliable transportation. She was talking with a friend about how much she loved the church and said, “I wish they’d put one of these on the Northside.” Just a few weeks later, Pastor Spike announced our North Campus launch. She was so excited!

Tyler Boston and his wife Suzanne were also thrilled to hear about the North Campus launch. Tyler is a navy pilot who’s been stationed in Jacksonville for four years and lives on the Northside. He and Suzanne tried out several churches before their friend Dan Effinger invited them to Chets Hodges. They immediately plugged into a LifeGroup and found community.

When Tyler and Suzanne heard about the North Campus launch, it was what Tyler described as a “God speaking to us moment.” They knew they were being called to be a part of what God was going to do in their neighborhood.

God is working at the North Campus. “I can’t pass someone in the hallway without them saying hi, even if they don’t know me. People there are so loving” said Deborah. But the love doesn’t stop in the church hallways.

Just a few months ago Deborah lost her husband after he’d been battling health issues for a while. Pastor Josh helped care for the details and provided support during what was a very difficult time for Deborah.

The church started a meal train and people brought over food every night. “It was so overwhelming that they kept coming in and coming in” said Deborah. She remembered the day Tyler brought his meal over. “He brought over Panera Bread and I said ‘Honey you shouldn’t have spent that kind of money’” she laughed.

Deborah and Tyler talked for a while and prayed together. Tyler asked if there was anything else he could do and she mentioned that she hadn’t been able to do anything with the yard since her husband passed away. Tyler asked if he and his LifeGroup could help.

He knew as soon as he shared what was going on with the guys that they’d be willing to help. He also knew they would have the landscaping equipment they’d need to get the job done quickly. “I knew it would be simple for us but would mean a lot to her” said Tyler.

Five guys from the LifeGroup came out to pull weeds, lay mulch, pressure wash, etc. Two of those guys had only been to LifeGroup for a week or two. Tyler says one of the cool things about serving together was that “It helped us get to know them better and they immediately got plugged in. It works both ways. As we served together we grew closer.”

The day the guys came over, Deborah was out of town. “When I got home I could not believe my eyes. I was so tickled” said Deborah. She said they unknowingly put down her husband’s favorite type of dark mulch. Even in the little things, God was reminding her He cared.

This past Sunday was Deborah’s first week back at church and she teared up when she saw Tyler. Deborah was thankful for all they’d done to make her yard look beautiful. “I was so overwhelmed because people cared” she said. “God wants us to love everybody and I’ve received that love” said Deborah. Sometimes love is shared in the form of a friendly greeting or time spent together and sometimes it’s shared through a freshly manicured lawn and new mulch.

VBS: For the Community

Last summer, a family invited their unchurched neighbors to attend VBS at the Nocatee Campus. Those neighbors had a son who invited his friend, Leah Noren, to come with him. After 5-year-old Leah heard how much fun it was, she really wanted to check it out.

Her parents, Leif and Morgan brought her to VBS the second night. Leah really wanted to be there with her friends but was having a hard time adjusting to the new environment. Her mom and dad watched as her VBS leaders welcomed her and allowed her to participate as she felt comfortable.

“Leah was attached at the hip to Jackie [her leader] and Jackie was ok with it,” laughed Morgan. She could see from the interactions that these women cared about her daughter and that made an impression on her.

It didn’t take Leah long to feel comfortable in the room. She ended up having so much fun at VBS that she begged her parents to bring her back on Sunday morning. Morgan said it’s hard to tell your kid no when they’re excited about going to church so they decided to try it that Sunday.

When they got to Chets they were impressed with the organization and how kid-friendly it was. They dropped off Leah and their son Gunnar and were overwhelmed by the love and attention their kids were receiving from the leaders. “They know the kids by name, which makes them feel good. And as a parent, it makes me feel wonderful!”

Morgan and Leif went to the worship service and Morgan said, “something resonated with me.” They loved Pastor Chris’ humble delivery and easy explanation of God’s word. “We started going and just kept going,” said Morgan.

One of the things they love about Chets is that it’s a community church. On their street alone, there are four Chets families. Morgan said, “It’s nice to do life together.”

Morgan says she and her husband appreciate that they can grow spiritually as well as in community with others. “As a parent you’re being pulled in a million different directions,” she said. “But Chets makes it easy to say yes to things because they think about the kids.” During LifeGroups, worship, and Bible studies, there’s opportunities for kids to be spiritually fed too. “It’s easy to concentrate as a parent when you know your kids are being well loved and discipled,” said Morgan.

Seeing the impact that ChetsKids was having on Leah and Gunnar made Leif and Morgan want to have that same impact on other kids. Last fall they began volunteering in the two-year-olds group along with their neighbor Mike.

VBS is the whole reason the Norens started attending Chets so when it was time to volunteer for VBS this year, Morgan was all in. She wanted to give back in the same way that their family had been ministered to.

Morgan served with first graders and she said many of the kids brought three or four friends with them during the week. Their excitement reminded her of the way Leah responded last year. She said “kids don’t fake it.” When they’re excited they actually show it.

Getting to minister to kids and see them responding to the gospel was one of the best things about VBS for Morgan and she says she can only imagine the impact it’s having in their homes. “You don’t realize the impact you have on the community through VBS,” said Morgan. “We were a random family who came because Leah was invited and then she invited us.”

Renewing a Passion

Many of us can relate to going through different seasons of faith. There are times you may feel incredibly close to God and other times where you just feel spiritually drained. That’s how Allie Buchanan described her faith journey.

Allie grew up in a strong Christian family and was very bold in her faith. Her family was very active in their church and God was first priority in their lives. Then when Allie was 15 years old her parents got divorced. They left the church they’d been attending and struggled to find community in other churches.

Allie always felt most connected to God through music so she began writing songs. It was a way for her to process what was going on and allowed her to spend time with God. She would write out her prayers which she would then create into songs. Allie said, “He speaks to me through music and it’s how I communicate with him.”

She wrote over 300 songs, recorded many of them, did some studio session work, and also worked as a part time music producer. It was clear that God had given her a passion and a calling. It was a huge part of what made her Allie.

Allie met her husband Nick at church. They were married and were actively pursuing God together. They took on the role of youth pastors at the church they were attending. Allie says it felt like they were on their own. They weren’t given any resources or mentorship. There was no real plan for the future and they were exhausted both physically and spiritually. They were passionate about students but they knew something had to change. They ended up stepping down from leadership.

Allie said she was feeling spiritually drained and uninspired. When she tried to write, she couldn’t. It made her feel like she was letting God down. “I just kept thinking, I’m supposed to be doing this for God but why would he give me something so precious if I’m not going to use it?”

Then something happened. Allie’s mom Tracie reconnected with a woman she’s know for years, Sandie Stevenson. Sandie invited Tracie to the IF: Gathering at Chets Southside. Sandie knew Allie was struggling and thought this would be a good opportunity for her to be fed spiritually so she invited her to come with her.

Allie was excited about the opportunity to have community with other believers and be encouraged. The whole weekend was about being used by God and glorifying Him in everything you do. Allie felt as if God was speaking directly to her throughout it. “You’re good enough. I’ve given you this gift. I am with you so just trust me and do it.” She knew that God was calling her back to Him and the IF:Gathering was the encouragement she needed.

Allie and Nick went to church the next day and said, “You could feel God’s presence and a peace.” They said the preaching and worship was incredible. The way Pastor Jeff teaches is new to her and Nick, but they love it. “It’s not like he’s preaching at you but he’s walking with you through it” she said. It makes him more relatable and it’s real. They also visited a LifeGroup and met people who were genuinely excited to meet them.

Since the IF:Gathering Allie’s been writing songs non-stop. She feels like her passion and desire have been renewed. “My calling feels possible now because it’s been encouraged.” She says not just by God but by everyone she’s met at Chets Southside.

Allie and Nick have been overwhelmed by the genuine love, support, and encouragement they’ve received from their new church family. Allie described it like this: “God takes us without exception and loves us and that’s what Chets has done for me and my family. They’ve taken us in and made us family.”

Won't You Be My Neighbor?

Sometimes loving your neighbor means just as much to you as it does to them. At least that’s been Deirdre Dwyer’s experience.

Deirdre, a high school teacher moved to Jacksonville in 2010 and visited Chets for the first time that year. Just a few years later, in 2013, her marriage fell apart and she decided a change of scenery would be good for her. She moved to a small house in Jacksonville Beach. It was a difficult time for Deirdre because the most important things to her are faith, family, and community and she’d lost some of that.

Deirdre found love and community at Chets in a LifeGroup but she wanted to find it with her neighbors as well. “I made a point of walking, saying 'hi' to folks and getting to know their names,” said Deirdre. She wanted to share the love of God that she knew with everyone around her.

While on one of her walks, she saw a student from her class. She found out he lived right across the road from her. Deirdre met his mom and they were neighborly because of her son but the friendship grew from there. Deirdre thinks it’s because her neighbor also knew what it felt like to be alone and unsupported. She shared with Deirdre that her husband’s family had never embraced her as their own. “She wanted to feel loved and accepted… it’s the same thing I wanted” said Deirdre. “I felt like God really gave her to me as a friend.”

Over the years, Deirdre would share things about her neighbor with her LifeGroup or ask for prayer for things going on because they’d become her family. Through that, her LifeGroup began getting to know her neighbor as well. Deirdre explained her neighbor is in her 60s and raising four grandkids on her own. Deirdre tries to help out however she can. Sometimes it’s inviting the kids over for dinners or just spending time listening to what’s going on in their lives.

Deirdre takes time to be a neighbor like we talked about in our Won’t You Be My Neighbor? sermon series last fall. The tagline of that series was “see what love can do.” Deirdre says the love she’s shown her neighbors and the love she’s received back from them is overwhelming. It’s opened doors of opportunity to share God’s love.

We talk a lot about living life on mission at Chets and that’s what Deirdre does. “She always makes herself available to be used by God” said the leader of Deirdre’s LifeGroup, Mark Coomes. Her love for her neighbor encourages others in their LifeGroup to reach out to their neighbors.

As a LifeGroup they want to practice practical Christianity, have meaningful conversations, and be intentional with their neighbors. Once a month they have family gatherings at the homes of different LifeGroup members and more often than not, Deirdre brings her neighbor family. Her neighbor will come to LifeGroup on Sunday mornings some and her grandkids come to church and are active in KidWorship. She knows God is working in their lives.

Deirdre said through this friendship she’s learned that sometimes what our neighbors long for most of all is friendship and someone they can count on. “Sometimes it’s the simplest things we may not think of. It’s in the ongoing day to day support that makes them feel loved,” said Deirdre.

A Christ Follower

“I expected to get something out of it spiritually. I don’t think I expected to get something out of it emotionally,” said Patrick Rascoe of his first mission trip. But after spending a week in Mzamomhle, South Africa, Pat said the relationships he built led to emotional attachments that he won’t soon forget.

When Pat heard the initial announcement for the South Africa trip, he thought, “that’s a great idea… for somebody else.” He had a family, businesses to run, things to do. But then God began working on his heart.

“The moment I stopped thinking about making a living and shifted my focus to making a difference, I felt like that’s where God put my heart in His pocket and told me, I’m going to take you to South Africa and you’re going to do something great,” said Rascoe.

The team, made up of Pat and nine others, served with our global mission partner, Living Hope. This year, they worked alongside the Living Hope staff doing home visits throughout the township. They brought food parcels to the homes of those without jobs or steady incomes. They also spent time praying with the people they visited.

“You see the people and look in their eyes, they’re needing something. They need more than just food and clothes. They needed hope” said Pat. Not just hope for now but hope for their future.

Pat told the story of a 92-year-old gogo (grandmother) they met during one of their home visits. She couldn’t see very well but she had joy in her soul. Although there wasn’t much in her home, she kept saying how much God had blessed her. A plaque hung on her wall that said, “A home is a home even if there’s nothing in it.” Pat said it was something he’d never forget.

The team spent time hanging out with kids at after school kids club and they also spent time in the township school. They went from classroom to classroom sharing the story of Noah. They told the kids that “Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his generation. Noah walked with God.” When they asked the kids if they knew anyone who was like Noah, their response was always the Living Hope staff.

That resonated with Pat. In just the short time he was there he saw a staff dedicated to increasing the population of heaven through the love of God. Mzamomhle is not an easy place to stand up for something, but Pat says the staff stands for Jesus and people notice it. They are known in the community for their bold faith and their desire to see the children of Mzamomhle live for Christ.

As they were leaving the school one afternoon, Pat noticed a teacher pointing at their team and the Living Hope staff and overheard them say, “those people, those are Christians.” To be recognized as a Christian because of what he was doing and what he was sharing was a feeling Pat didn’t want to lose when he came back to the states.

Being in South Africa “clearly opened my eyes to the verse for God so loved the world… It was a reminder that that’s who God died for,” said Pat. He died for everyone and it’s his job to share that good news. After this trip, Pat isn’t ok with people knowing him as just being a nice guy. He wants people to look at Him and say “I can tell he’s a Christ follower.”

IF:Gathering 2018

More than 200 women gathered across our four campuses last weekend for a time of refreshing, refocusing, and renewing at IF:Gathering 2018.

This year’s theme was Fanning the Flame based on 2 Timothy 1:6-7...

For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands. For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.

The women spent time listening to speakers inspire them to live out their faith. They were encouraged to be “flame throwers” by identifying others around them that they can share God with through discipleship. Each woman was given a matchbox to represent the flame. They were asked to write the name of someone on it that they could “fan into flame the gift of God” through discipleship.

During the weekend, the women were challenged to endure in their faith. When nothing exciting is happening and their walk with Jesus just seems normal, would they remain faithful? The women were asked to write on the back of the matchbox an action step they would take to help them remain near to God and endure in the everyday.

Women of all ages came together to share their struggles, their successes, and be reminded of who they are in Christ. They spent time enjoying time with each other and having real conversations about life and faith.

Women were challenged to walk away from the weekend and be in community with one another, build relationships, have accountability, and be intentional about daily reading scripture and spending time with Jesus.

The Broom

by Gloria Perez

Four and a half years ago as we were walking out of LifeGroup, Chris and Theresa Imbach excitingly talked to my husband, Art, and I about the Roatan mission trip. They looked at us and said, "You guys should come!" For several years at our other church, we had talked about going on mission, but it never happened. Now that we were settling into Chets, it seemed right and we replied "Okay." I wish I could say that there was intense prayer and spiritual reflection, but it was a simple moment of an invitation extended and accepted.

As the days passed leading up to the trip, I could feel myself starting to step outside of my comfort zone. I was going somewhere I didn't know, to do something I didn't know how to do, with a group of strangers. For an introvert, to-do list lover, and planner, I was starting to feel uncomfortable. This trip was not under my organizational control. I kept telling myself that we all loved Jesus and we wanted to love others and kept my eyes on the fact that God was in control.

We arrived in Roatan on Saturday and began unpacking supplies and setting up our living quarters. English language school didn’t start until Monday, so we spent Sunday doing physical labor at the school in the Honduran heat. Climbing up ladders, moving block, and painting isn't difficult work but doing it directly under the scorching island sun brings a whole different challenge to the simple tasks.

The comfort zone that was slowly moving out of my grasp had now rapidly shot into the horizon, nowhere to be seen. When we broke for lunch and went back to where we were staying, I privately turned to my husband and through tears said, "I don't know why God brought me here. I can't do this. I will never do this again."

I felt awkward and unskilled; like I had nothing to offer. My insecurities mounted as I walked into the school on Monday to help inside the non-air conditioned one room classroom. I wanted so desperately a task to hold on to and call my own. I wanted to feel like I contributed something to what God was doing at the school. It didn't come right away, but I told myself to remain open and try to be as helpful as possible. By the end of the day my task came in the form of a broom. The team members doing labor and construction outside were tracking a lot of dirt into the classroom as they walked in and out to fetch the tools stored inside. I picked up the broom and told myself that I would be the best sweeper I knew how to be. 

For the week ahead, if I wasn't helping the lead teacher with whatever task she directed, you could find me with the broom in my hand. My husband and I joke because of all the tools he used and the labor jobs he did all week, he thankfully never hurt himself, but I left Roatan with a blister on my hand from the broom handle. Art and I have gone back four years in a row and we are humbled that God would choose us to serve the community of La Colonia in Roatan. 

The broom is still there in the classroom. Every time I see the broom in the hands of other new team members who are finding their way, I reflect on where I was four years ago. I want to step in and ask if I can sweep, but I stop myself knowing how God worked through that broom to mold my heart to His service.

Whatever you do, do it enthusiastically, as something done for the Lord and not for men, Colossians 3:23

Bible Study Resources

by Eddie Hastings, Pastor of Discipleship

During the month of April, our adult LifeGroups have been talking about the Bible. That may sound a little strange as we talk about the Bible every week in LifeGroup. But we mean the Bible as a whole book. We’ve been discussing questions like “Can I trust the Bible?” and “Why does the Bible matter?”. As we end this series, we wanted to pass on some of the amazing resources that are out there now to help you spend time in God’s Word.

The first time I really began to dig into the Bible was after coming home from Fuge Camp as a 9th grader (yes, Fuge has been around that long). I remember asking my parents for a new Bible and I picked out an NIV Thompson Chain Reference Study Bible (and a big brown leather case with a sword on it to carry it in). I loved that almost every verse had a comment that helped explain it and a reference to another part of Scripture. I found that the more I read, the more I wanted to read. If you feel a bit stuck or not sure where to start, the good news is there are plenty of resources to help you.

Remember, none of these are meant to take the place of the Bible itself (except the ones that actually are a Bible!). These are to spark you into further study and energize your time in God’s Word.

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Apps and Web Sites

The Bible App by YouVersion (and The Bible App for Kids)
She Reads Truth / He Reads Truth
Scripture Typer
Blue Letter Bible
ReadScripture
The Bible Project
The Verses Project
BibleGateway.com
Bible.org

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Bibles

I think in selecting a Bible, the best thing to do is go into a Christian book store and check them out “hands-on.” Look at the size of the text, the size of the Bible, what resources it includes (maps, charts, character studies, word studies, book intros, notes, etc.). When you find one that you like, it might be cheaper online and you can ask if the store will price match.

Study Bibles
Life Application Study Bible (various translations)
Thompson Chain Reference (still a classic!)
ESV Study Bible
David Jeremiah Study Bible
NIV Study Bible

For a refreshing look at Scripture, try reading in a different version than what you normally use. Web sites like BibleGateway.com or The Bible App offer lots of different translations. Here are some interesting ones to try: The Amplified Bible, The Message, The Voice, or The Living Bible.

Click here for a helpful guide to the various translations and paraphrases of the Bible that are available.

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Bible Reading Plans

Most of the web sites like BibleGateway.com and YouVersion have lots of different plans to read through the Bible in a year, 6 months, 90 days, etc. They also have lots of different types of plans from chronological to topical.

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Books (links are to Amazon)

How to study the Bible
Rick Warren's Bible Study Methods
What the Bible is All About by Henrietta Mears
Living By the Book: The Art and Science of Reading the Bible by Howard Hendricks

Bible Overviews
What the Bible is All About by Henrietta Mears
God's Story in 66 Verses by Stan Guthrie
The Story of Reality by Gregory Koukl

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Family Devotions for Kids (links are to Amazon)

The Jesus Storybook Bible by Sally Lloyd-Jones
The Action Bible Series
Long Story Short: Ten-Minute Devotions to Draw Your Family to God by Marty Machowski
Indescribable: 100 Devotions for Kids about God and Science by Louie Giglio
Jesus Calling: 365 Devotions for Kids by Sarah Young
God’s Little Angel: Shine Your Light Devotional by Sheila Walsh

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Family Devotions for Teens (links are to Amazon)

Higher Series by Kevin Johnson
Middle School Survival Series by Kurt Johnston and Mark Oestreicher

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Music

Setting Scripture to music is a great way to memorize it and get it into your life. For adults, try The Verses Project and for kids try Slugs & Bugs.

An Unexpected Need

“We talk about living life on mission so we were trying to find something we could do,” said Debbi Hoeft. She and her husband Steve lead a LifeGroup at our Nocatee Campus. Many of their members regularly serve in ministries at the church but they wanted to find an opportunity for their whole group to regularly serve together. They wanted something that would be on-going because they knew that building relationships would take more than just a one-time event.

The Hoeft LifeGroup enjoying a meal together.

The group began looking at the needs in the community and realized there was a whole group of people they felt were being underserved… the seniors. The group knew a new senior adult community, Starling at Nocatee, was opening to residents for concierge living, assisted living, and memory care living.

One of the LifeGroup members, Sally Kirkpatrick, reached out to Starling and began talking with the activities director about how their group could plug in. The group suggested monthly socials, game nights, and even dances.

The activities director at Starling liked their ideas for monthly fun nights but said what they really needed was a worship service. Sally brought the idea back to the LifeGroup and Debbi says everyone’s response was basically the same… “A church service? We can’t do that!” There was a need, but they felt inadequate to meet it.

They continued to talk about it and pray about it as a group. They came to realize that “a social night would be safe, easy, and comfortable” but God was calling them to more. God was calling them to step out in faith and trust He would provide.

So, they began planning what the worship services would look like. Everyone in the LifeGroup agreed that they wanted the service to be interactive. They wanted to provide opportunities to connect and have meaningful conversations not just before or after the service, but during it as well. “Real hope and the reality of eternity with God” is something Debbi said they want to weave throughout every service.

The first chance they got to meet some of the residents and begin building those relationships was during our IMPACT JAX day of service in February. They spent the Saturday playing games, doing art projects, and getting to know the people they’d be spending time with each month. Their group had a great time serving together and were excited to start the worship services.

Serving during our IMPACT JAX 2018 day of service.

They held their first service in March and had been prepped to expect maybe one or two residents. Five were there. They sang hymns together and had a great time of interactive teaching and discussion. Eight people attended their April service! One man joined them because he heard his favorite hymn playing and then stayed for the rest of the service.

Debbi said “We are praying for God’s leading, direction, empowering, and equipping. Praying for how we can connect with them on a spiritual level.” They are excited about the opportunity they have been given to minister to believers at Starling but are also excited for the opportunity to share Christ with urgency to those who don’t know Him.

Hosting monthly worship services is not what the Hoeft LifeGroup had in mind when they began talking about finding a place to serve. But they are thankful God had something bigger than a game night in mind and are trusting Him to work as they live life on mission.

Milestone Church Update

When we started as a church in April 1998, we committed to being a church that plants churches. Milestone Church in Natick, Massachusetts is one of the nine church plants we support in the the U.S. and Canada.

"Most churches I have ever been a part of are off doing their own thing, but at Milestone for the first time I actually understand what the Bible says about reaching those far from God," is how one new guest described being at Milestone. 

Our friends at Milestone describe themselves as “a growing group of friends and neighbors who have two things in common: We love God and we are willing to do whatever it takes so more people have the opportunity to know and follow Jesus.”

Milestone Church is boldly living out that statement. Here are a couple ways they’ve shown the love of Christ this month...

The Boston Marathon is a big deal in Natick and Milestone Church is right on the running route. Despite terrible weather on the day of the Marathon that changed some of their plans for a block party, they still opened their facility and had a food truck for people to enjoy! 

A few of the folks at Milestone joined the 9th Annual Walk to End Homelessness! It’s a walk sponsored by Family Promise MetroWest, an organization that offers shelter, education, and comprehensive support to homeless families in Boston. Milestone cares about their community!

Easter morning at Milestone was awesome! There was a special breakfast, kids activities, and family photos. They also celebrated new life in Christ through baptisms. There were 138 people celebrating Jesus together! 

God is working in the lives of so many in Natick through the people of Milestone Church. Pray that God would continue to give them strength as they continue to share Jesus with their community. The people of Milestone Church long to see a movement throughout MetroWest Boston. They believe every town deserves a healthy life-giving church. Let’s pray along with them that God would work in that area and that 10 new churches would be planted in the next 10 years.

We are Citizens of a Distant Kingdom

by Grace Kynast

But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.
Philippians 3:20-21

If our citizenship is in Heaven, are we immigrants here on Earth? Where is our residency? As missionaries, we must obey the regulations concerning visas and residency for Nicaragua. Fortunately, Greg and I attained one year cedula (residency) last year, but as believers, we are citizens of a heavenly kingdom. and we await our residence there.

Our sending organization, Missionary Ventures International, held its Latin American Missionary Conference the first part of Holy Week. While there, we pondered how the Kingdom of God should define our life and ministry, and how to live as citizens of that Kingdom while in a foreign land.

When the world seems to be in bad shape, we pray for the King to return and put an end to the craziness here. Why is He delaying? Jesus promises that He will return, but only gives vague details about when that will be. “When the gospel is preached to every corner of the earth…” Join me in praying that hearts will hear the truth and respond positively when it is preached, because after all, it is our hearts that are rebellious and stubborn.

I am becoming more and more aware of how rebellious, stubborn, and unmanageable my heart is. God has made me a new creation, but as I “mature” and grow closer to Him, I begin to see the length and depth of my rebellion, and then I must ask forgiveness! Even when I’m praying my heart breaks away and thinks some prideful or distracted thought. But God gives victories, in my life and in the lives of the people around me – I want to share a story of this with you.

Greg recently had two high school boys brought to his office for being disrespectful to a teacher. Greg has great insights in handling these moments, he challenges the students to really consider their behavior and break through the excuses. He then prays with them. On this recent occasion, the student had been continuing to challenge the teacher, not letting her have the last word, so Greg related it to soccer. He said, “What would happen if you talked to a ref that way? You would get a red card and possibly be put out of the game.” The student could see the truth in this. When Greg said it was time to pray, the student spoke up and said, “Mr. Kynast, can I say the prayer?” Now these are two “cool” high school boys, so for one to have come to a level of relationship with God that he was not only willing to see his fault, but then also willing to lead the prayer in front of another student, who is not a believer, this is the working of God. How I pray that we will see more and more of this in our students. Please join us in this.

Here are a few more updates on what’s happening at Nicaragua Christian Academy in Matagalpa:

Our new U12 Futbol team won second place in the City Tournament. They played for three hours in the final game, unable to break the tie, and sadly lost by a coin toss!  BUT the winning team was disqualified for overage players, so our team will move on to the district tournament.

The first assembly for 2018, led by our spiritual facilitator Freddy Matamoros.

Here are a few of the students in their "family groups," which meet every Friday for spiritual encouragement, information, and fun competitions.

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Grace and Greg Kynast serve as global Chets Missions partners in Matagalpa, Nicaragua. If you are interested in visiting them and joining their work at the Nicaragua Christian Academy, we're sending a mission team to Nicaragua this summer, July 28-August 4.

We're having an interest meeting on Sunday, April 15, at 11:45am in room 232 at the Hodges Campus. If you attend another campus or are unable to make it to the meeting, contact Chris Lowery at chrislowery@bellsouth.net for more information. Click here to learn more about this trip and all of our mission teams.

You support the Kynasts and all of our Chets Missions partners when you give to Chets Creek Church and the Chets Missions Offering. You can also support the Kynasts directly through Missionary Ventures. Click here to make a secure online gift. In the section for DONATION AREA, select MISSIONARY and then type "Greg and Grace Kynast" in the PREFERENCED FOR box.

Easter at Chets 2018

We had an incredible time celebrating our Savior together last week!

Our celebrations kicked off the Wednesday before Easter as all four of our campuses came together for a special Night of Worship. We worshiped God, prayed over one another, and took the Lord’s supper together.

It was a beautiful night of reflecting on what the Easter season is all about. We sang the song "What a Beautiful Name" together and the words so perfectly describe why we celebrate… 

You didn't want heaven without us
So Jesus, You brought heaven down
My sin was great, Your love was greater
What could separate us now
What a wonderful Name it is…
The Name of Jesus Christ my King

The Easter festivities continued on Saturday as we spent the morning loving and serving our communities with our annual Easter Eggstravaganza events.

We want to be a church for the unchurched, the unconvinced, and the unconnected. Eggstravaganza allows us the awesome opportunity to connect with our community in a unique way.

This year we had 6,591 Eggstravaganza volunteers and guests with us at our four campuses. We had fun with egg hunts, pony rides, bounce houses, face painting, crafts, carnival games, and food.

Follow-up teams spent that afternoon reaching out to guests who’d been asked to be contacted with more information about the church, inviting them to celebrate Easter with us!

Easter Sunday was an incredible morning celebrating the hope we have in Jesus Christ! We had twelve services across our four campuses and 4,609 people attended Easter services at Chets!

In every service we were reminded of the hope we have in Jesus Christ and His power in overcoming the grave. "Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; He has risen!" Luke 24:5-6

Fearless

“When I arrived, I didn’t feel that close to God but now [that] we left, I feel closer than I was before.” This is one of many testimonies from students who attended our Chets Students annual THRIVE Weekend 2018. Middle and high school students from all of our campuses met at St. Simons Island, Georgia for a weekend of discipleship, worship, and fellowship. They learned about what it means to be FEARLESS.

Many of our students struggle with the fears that hold them back from confidently embracing the plan God has for them. One student said God showed them “I have got to be bold with my faith and not let anyone change what I know to be true about my faith. To be fearless and never back down from people that discourage me.”

Our students spent the entire weekend focusing on how God empowers us to meet the tasks he puts in front of us and gives us the courage needed to face our fears. Through large group teaching and small group discussion, students learned how God calls us to live fearless in the face of temptation, in the midst of doubt, in embracing God’s mission, and in the face of opposition.

The speaker this year was Pastor Muche Ukegbu, of The Brooke Church, our church plant partner in Miami. He shared with students that “the source of all fear in our hearts is a distorted view of God” and encouraged them that when we truly get to know Him, those fears will fade. 

After this weekend, one student said, “He [God] showed me just how ridiculous it is to be fearful of sharing the Gospel, especially when others around the world are going through so much persecution. If I am truly trying to fully show God's glory through my life, why should I be afraid?”

In their community groups, students spent time getting to know each other and building relationships. They looked at examples of Jesus facing temptation, doubt, opposition, and mission and discussed how they can follow his example of living fearlessly.

But a student event wouldn’t be a student event without awesome worship and some ridiculous games. Students faced the wheel of fear and had to do some pretty crazy challenges. All weekend students were repping their team color but their spirit really came out during rec time for our THRIVE relay.

Over the weekend students grew closer to each other and to God. They were challenged to ask God to reveal to them the one thing He had for them this weekend and here are some of the responses:

“I cannot live as a casual Christian and to share my faith no matter the consequences.”

“God really showed me how I need to stop being a “casual Christian,” and start reaching out to those around me.”

“I should be bolder in my faith.”

“I need to take more steps to grow in my faith.”

“I need to stop holding back and I need to just go ahead and talk to people about him and not wait.”

“I need to pour into other people more.”

“I need to spend more time in the word.”

“I need to work on not being a casual Christian and get more immersed in the word, so that I won't be led astray by anyone who presents a slightly different version of the gospel.”

“I’ve been making a lot of plans for the future and have been focusing on what’s best for me rather than what I can do to best bring God glory. This weekend was my literal “come to Jesus” moment, where I realized that I’ve just been living for myself rather than focusing on bringing glory to my Creator.”

WALK Church Update

There are 2.6 million people who live in Las Vegas and approximately 92 percent of them don’t know Jesus. Heiden Ratner and his wife Neena, both Las Vegas natives, were a part of that statistic. They didn’t grow up in typical Christian households, but God worked in both their lives in college.

After Heiden became a believer, he grew a passion for teaching, preaching, and sharing the gospel. That passion is what brought him and Neena back to Las Vegas to plant WALK Church. Heiden and Neena both felt a call from God to reach the lost in this spiritually dark place. They hope to do that through WALK Church and other plants in the city and surrounding areas.

Since their launch two and a half years ago, WALK Church has baptized 54 people. Within the past year, they’ve seen a 95 percent growth in attendance. This year they average 205 people attending weekly compared to 110 this time last year. The WALK Church family is encouraged by how many people are getting connected and engaged in small groups as well.

Not only did WALK Church grow, the Ratner family grew as well. Heiden and Neena just welcomed their second son, Asa Ratner into the world earlier this year. God is working incredibly through the Ratners and showing up in ways that only He can. To learn more about Heiden and Neena, check out this video.

When you give to Chets Creek Church and to our Chets Missions Offering, you're helping to support nine church plants in the U.S. and Canada, including WALK Church.

Our Easter Offering for North American Missions supports the North American Mission Board (NAMB). NAMB is one of our partners that equips churches and church plants with resources to serve their communities. You can designate a gift for the Easter Offering on an offering envelope or when you give online.

Here are five things that you can be praying with WALK Church about this week:

1. Pray for their Worship Team to continue developing. Pray that God would give their leadership team good discernment in taking the best next steps for the overall growth and health of the team.
2. Pray for their partnerships at Schofield Middle School and Del Sol High School. Pray that they would continue to reach students, parents, and faculty members at these schools with the gospel of Jesus Christ.
3. Pray for their Kids Ministry Director position. They are looking to hire a new Kids Director in the coming months. Let’s ask with them that the Lord would send and lead them to exactly the right leader He has in store for them!
4. Pray for the Leadership Team at WALK Church to continue to grow in unity with one another and Christlikeness. Pray that this team would continue to develop into God-glorying, multiplying, leaders.
5. Pray for WALK Church to continue growing and that they would effectively launch a second worship service in the fall of 2018.

Easter in Montreal

Pastor Spike interviewed Raphael Leroux this past Sunday at the Hodges Campus. Raphael is one of the pastors at la Chapelle, our new church planting partner in Montreal. You can watch the 12 minute interview below. Raphael shared about some of the challenges of leading a church in Montreal and about a unique opportunity that they have been given to share the love of Christ this Easter.

As Raphael said in the interview, Easter in Quebec is about two things: a day off from work and chocolate. In an effort to challenge the assumptions that people hold about Easter, la Chapelle has created a marketing campaign, Plus Que Du Chocolat (it's more than chocolate), that invites their city to a special Easter service.

The campaign has attracted the attention of the city subway system and they are giving la Chapelle the opportunity to have signs in the three largest subway stations in Montreal. 300,000 people will walk past these signs each day for the month leading up to Easter. Because of the generosity of our Chets family, we have been able to provide almost $7,000 to la Chapelle to more than cover the cost of the signs.

Thank you, Chets family! It's because of your giving that we are able to support la Chapelle, eight other church plants in the U.S. and Canada, as well as a number of community and global missions partners. Please be in prayer for la Chapelle and all of our partners as they share the love of Christ around the world.

Beyond These Walls: Whitney Touchton

Living beyond these walls can happen right here in our own community. Whitney Touchton shares about her experience serving with Kidz Xtreme, one of our community missions partners.