A few years ago, I spent an hour somewhat concerned reviewing gospel tracts displayed in the lobby of a church. As a technical writer, I had to admire the writers’ ability to lay out the sequential steps toward completing the specified process. As a Christian, I was saddened to see what these tracts left out.

A few simple things ….for instance: the Kingdom of God, including the King. If Jesus received any air time in these publications, He appeared more a means to an end, a “salvation appliance.” The focus seemed to be on that axis of the universe: Me and My needs for the advertised commodity, salvation.. which could be earned by completing some easy steps.

The typical tract can present Jesus as the means to the most important end, the Eternal Self. This is one reason why it rings hollow, and is so unconvincing to the contemporary reader. In a world deluged with, baptized in, the cult of Self, people yearn, long, and cry out for something greater than their mere selves to live for. And a gospel that simply offers yet one more consumer good sounds like something far less than good news.

I like the way G. K. Chesterton put it:

“Christianity came into the world firstly in order to assert with violence that a man had not only to look inwards, but to look outwards, to behold with astonishment and enthusiasm a divine company and a divine captain. The only fun of being a Christian was that a man was not left alone with the Inner Light, but definitely recognized an outer light, fair as the sun, clear as the moon, terrible as an army with banners.”

A King has barged onto the historical stage, and conscripted us into His service. And it is a noble service, a call to leave this realm better than we found it, for His delight. God loves the world He created, and yearns to see it restored. He redeems us as His agents towards that end. See John 3:16 — what was it that God so loved?

We have a God who is far more than a pacifier for our souls. The gospel is the good news that the King has come, and things are going to change. And we have a piece of that action, we are in on the fun, and the world will never be the same.

This is the first of four videos posted on YouTube. To view the full version, click here.

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King’s Park is partnering on the ground with international and Haitian-based relief efforts. We believe that partnering with local, reliable sources will be our best effort to resource long-term rebuilding efforts in this country.

Please contact Missions Pastor Wayne Graham at wayne.graham@kpic.org with questions or more on how you can be involved.

Best Cookie 2009 goes to Rhonda Jeffers! Jeffers took the gold at our Annual Cookie Contest, coupled this year with a Family Christmas Movie night.

“No family secret or anything, just something I threw together yesterday,” says the cookie pro.

Want a taste? Here it is:

You’ll need:

• 1 package of sugar cookie mix
• 3 oz of cream cheese (softened)
• 1 stick of butter (softened)
• 1 egg
• 1/2 tsp of vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup of chopped pecans
• 1 can cream cheese icing
• finely chopped pecans for garnish

Cream the butter and cream cheese until fluffy, add the egg and vanilla and mix well. Add the cookie mix. Mix until soft dough forms, stir in the pecans. Bake in 350-degree oven 8-10 minutes or until edges start to brown and cookies are set.

Microwave the icing for a few seconds (until it’s kinda runny), drizzle over cookies and sprinkle finely chopped nuts over the icing. Voila!

Why are we making such a big deal about getting a tree from Green Acres of Cary this year?

Well, they’ve decided to give the African Children’s Choir (ACC) 10% of their profits. As a church, we have taken in these beautiful little treasures, and as a result, we take responsibility for their financial needs.

We launched the Mirembe Capital Campaign (named “Mirembe” after the house we have given to supporting the ACC) on November 8th, which was the beginning of our efforts to pay off remaining debt and garner monthly funds for the ACC.

Read more about the Mirembe Capital Campaign and its goals here.

Buy a tree. Support the choir. Help us help them and their cause to help the orphaned of Africa.

He’s the guy who’s speaking this weekend at ReConnect.

All we know is:

1. He wants a “VJ” — a video jockey. You know, to Google images WHILE he’s preaching his sermon on relationships. Don’t worry, we don’t know what that’ll look like, either. We’re pretty excited.

2. He’s called a “futurist” — means he’s from the future. Or headed there. One of those has to be true.

3. His favorite commercial? He likes the locals: http://bit.ly/2pLCVK

That’s what we know. What we don’t know is… you comin this weekend?

Each Tuesday, Children’s Pastor Eric Syfrett posts a video for his Children’s Ministry team. There’s a shout-out for Fiesta at the end, but check out the wisdom of one of the 5 year-olds attending KPIC last Sunday! What’s God up to in your world?

Update: Jamaica’s March mission is a continued success!

Rollan Fisher, Youth Pastor and Triangle Campus Director, just returned from two days of reconnecting with all the activity that began last March at the University of the West Indies (UWI). (Read the original blog here.)

Alongside Lyndon Allen, Gregg Tipton and Michael “Verbs” Boyer (performer), Rollan and these men spent time reengaging the students who were saved in March, pulling together a group of initial students leaders for UWI.

Read more >

Jeff & Ana Bullock are KPIC missionaries to Europe, planting churches in Ukraine, Poland, Hungary and most recently, Edinburgh, Scotland. Here is a blog written this summer while Jeff and Ana were vacationing in the US. Read more blogs by Jeff on his blog, “The Pub”.

In the USA for two weeks now.

Economic situation continues to be bad for most people.

Been reading Hebrews 10.

Remember the former days, after being enlightened, you endured a great conflict of suffering, first by being made a public spectacle through reproaches and tribulations and secondly by sharing the pain of those who were being so treated. You showed sympathy to the prisoners and accepted joyfully the seizure of your property, knowing that you have a better possession and a lasting one.

Remember the Former days after being Enlightened…It’s good to remember the day(s) when Jesus first reveal Himself to you and your eyes were opened to see the Kingdom of God.  Nothing else mattered.  Pride was absent. Jesus was all you could see.

Suffering is part of the Christian Walk…

Read more >

Reading Romans 8, we see the Christian believer’s hope, courage and victory in Christ in this life — the results of Jesus’ suffering for us — and in the one to come.

But so often, people who are found reading the 8th chapter of Romans probably aren’t reading the preceding chapter, chapter 7, which also outlines our struggle in this life with ourselves, our sin and defeat.

Join us this Sunday and the next for Pastor Ron’s “I Can’t Wait for Romans 8!”

Can you guess who these folks are?
www.kpic.org/reconnect09/index.html