Pastor's Report for Charge Conference

Since last year’s Charge Conference, Good News has challenged itself to RETHINKCHURCH – to imagine a church where who we worship is more important than where or how we worship; where being the church is more important than just going to church; and where building up the kingdom of God is more important than building up one specific church or denomination. Traditional events such as the Fall Festival were reinvented to reflect the desire to take God’s grace out into the community and new emphasis was placed on how Good News can make a difference in Cedar Park, Leander, and the world. First Fruits Garden was more productive in providing fresh produce to the local food pantry; more youth and adults participated in CTCYM; VBS provided over 100 pounds of fresh meat to Hill Country Community Ministries; more books were provided to the Storybook Project of Texas; and Good News began working with Habitat for Humanity of Williamson County. In other words, rethinking church meant rethinking how to take the opportunities to encounter the kingdom of God through Jesus Christ out into the community.

Rethinking Church also meant taking where we worship out of the school. In an effort to let more people know that Good News exists, the leadership voted in April to sign a lease for a storefront in the Railyard Shopping Center. This is part of a three-year plan to get Good News into a permanent building on Holy Ground. The nursing home developer has made a new offer that will allow the debt on the land to be paid off leaving over $500,000 to begin building. The visibility of the new location has already resulted in more visitors and new members than the previous 12 months at Block House Creek Elementary School.

Last year, Good News was challenged to RETHINKCHURCH. This is the year the people of Good News go from rethinking church as a church “program” to rethinking church as way of life. This is the year we begin to make a difference in our community because of Jesus as his disciples who transform the world. Throughout the Gospel, it is clear that Jesus expects those who wish to follow him to become a disciple – to bear the cross with him – to go beyond just wearing a uniform to actually getting in the game. This year Good News is offering opportunities focused on helping people fall in love with God. It will offer opportunities and commitments that are varied, but the reason to accept the challenge is the same for all. It is so, as Jesus said, “My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit and become my disciples.” (John 15:8) In other words, as Christians, we are called to Grow, Give, and Serve because of Jesus – to grow in our love of God in small spiritual/faith building groups because of Jesus, to give of our money and talents because of Jesus, and to serve God by serving our neighbors through new ministries because of Jesus.