First of the Month will be a regular way to connect with Dave, hear his heart and God's direction for our church.
October 2009
There are two areas I would like to focus on this month. One is "yeah God," while the other is a challenge.
Growth Groups
We have had a tremendous response in our new Growth Groups; almost 380 people signed up to participate in one of our Growth Groups. We are hearing some wonderful comments coming from all over the county. Here is a smattering of what people have been saying over the past couple of weeks:
1. "I forgot how much I need a group to help me grow."
2. "I grow best in the context of a small group."
3. "I was scared to attend our first group, but it has been great."
4."It feels good to see God working at Santa Cruz Bible again."
5."I love the people in my group."
We praise and thank God for the new day He is bringing to SCBC.
Youth Ministry
I want to encourage you as a parent to make sure you take an active role in your child's spiritual life. I am always impressed how parents make their kids get involved in sports, recitals, dance classes, school work, etc... Parents do this because they want the best for their kids. What is worrisome to me is that many of those same parents, who demand so much from their kids educationally and developmentally, require so little from their children spiritually. Just as a good parent makes their kid go to school because they know school is good for their child, so a godly parent strongly encourages their teenager go to youth group because they know spiritual development is the most important development a child can have. My encouragement to parents is this, stop giving into all your kids' excuses as to why they don't, or can't, or shouldn't have to go to youth ministry. You would never accept those excuses in their academic education. Why in the world would you accept those excuses when it comes to the Lord? Parents, I love you. So in love I'm asking you to be more responsible and take more initiative in your teenager's spiritual development. Encourage them to go to youth group on Sundays or ------- during the week. Don't take no for an answer. Here is one thing I do know. Teenagers who grow spiritually and have a group of friends that want to grow spiritually usually end up spiritual adults.
Love Ya,
Dave
September 2009
Dear SCBC Family,
Fall means many things to many people, especially those with children. For those of us with kids, it means not only school, but a complete change in the schedule. And like most of you, we too, are headed for a new season of change. With that in mind, I want to not only email my September “First of the Month” letter, but felt it was important to mail it to you also, assuring everyone could get brought up to speed.
A New Day
I hope you are as excited about our future here at SCBC as I am! Someone has wisely said, “In the end, it doesn’t really matter what you’ve been through, what really matters is where you are going.” I know we’ve been through a lot in the past few years, but what matters now; the only thing that matters now is where we are going. God isn’t through with us yet; He has great plans for us. I truly believe that with all my heart. It’s a new day for Santa Cruz Bible Church. I’m so thankful that God has privileged me to partner with you, as we join our powerful God and experience what He is going to do in us and through us. It’s a new day!
A New Mission
This fall I am so looking forward to sharing with all of you, our new Santa Cruz Bible Church mission. After months of prayer and seeking God’s direction we will lay out for you where we are headed. I want to strongly encourage you to attend my next series, “The 8 Warning From The Book Of Revelation” so that you can catch a glimpse of our new mission for SCBC.
A New Goal
I’m calling the New Goal, “8 for 8”. “8 for 8” is our desire to have every single adult that attends SCBC join a short-term small group for eight weeks, so that we can share with all of you our new direction as a church. We are asking for only eight weeks. Not nine weeks or ten weeks, just eight weeks. We will have small group options scattered throughout Santa Cruz County in order to make it easy for you to participate in one of these groups. As your pastor I am asking every single one of you to trust God and be a part of one of these groups.
A New Worship Service Approach
Starting September 13 we will be starting a new worship service approach. At 9:00am will have our Contemporary Service. The Contemporary Service will have a softer sound, brighter lights, and utilize the choir more. While the 10:45am Alternative Service will have a bolder sound and more progressive feel. Pick whichever one works for you.
A New Look
The next time you come to Santa Cruz Bible Church you will instantly notice a new look. The lobby has been freshly painted and some new pictures will soon be going up. Some new furniture is coming in order to create a warmer feel and a more family atmosphere. It is a new look for a new day!
A New Switch
In order to create more community and to better utilize the wonderful Book Store we have, we are making a switch. We are in the process switching the bookstore and the church library. This switch is happening as we speak. Our goal is to capitalize on the wonderful resource of the bookstore. We will open up the entrance for easy access and highlight a “book of the month” to help you get the best Christian resources in your hands. We will provide quality books and tools to help you raise your family, build your marriage, cope with difficult times, and grow spiritually. The church library will move over to the coffee house and offer the same quality materials as before.
Our commitment is to team up with people like you to impact our community for Christ!
Get Excited ~ God is doing a New Thing,
Dave Michelson
“See, I am doing a new thing! Now, it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland.” Isaiah 42:19
August 2009
Four Months New Service Pilot Program
After much prayer, listening to your desires and the need to position ourselves to reach more people for Christ, the leadership of SCBC has decided to enter into a four month new service worship structure format. Starting September 13, 2009 and going through December 31, 2009 we are going to try this two different worship style approach in our Sunday morning worship services.
Now before I get too far ahead of myself, let me explain what a pilot program means. A pilot program is just what it implies- a short term experiment. For example, for the next four months we are going to try an experiment to see if a two service worship format is beneficial to our church family. After the four month trial period is over, we will evaluate how it is going, and one of three conclusions will probably be reached. First, we will decide the experiment was worthwhile but not worth continuing. Second, we might decide that the pilot program was working but needs to be enhanced or modified. Third, it went well and the pilot program was such a success we need to make it a permanent fixture.
You are probably asking yourself, "What is the new service format going to look like?" Here is the answer to your question. At 9:00am we will start what we are calling our new Contemporary Worship Service on Sunday mornings. At 10:45 we will begin our new Alternative Worship Service. Below are descriptions of both services:
The Contemporary Worship Service at 9:00am
At this service the lights will be brighter and the sound a bit softer. There will be the Adult Choir there at least once to twice a month. The drums will be quieter, and the song selection will include at least one hymn each week, combined with contemporary praise choruses. The service will have the same message, by the same speaker, and include the same special elements as the 10:45, but with a softer sound.
Alternative Worship Service at 10:45am
The sound will be a bit stronger, with the drums and electric guitars even louder. We are going to push the worship a bit further to a more modern song mix and more volume. The service will have the same message, by the same speaker, and include the same special elements as the 9:00am service, but with a louder sound.
So there you have it, my first "First of the Month" newsletter. I am so excited to try this new approach to better communicate with all of you.
Looking forward to seeing the great things God is about to do,
Dave